Waltham Chase’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Waltham Chase’s built-up area.
8% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Waltham ChaseHampshire
It is a town of 2,830 residents in Hampshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Basher Eyre · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,830
Census 2021 · Winchester council
Median home
£393K
134 sales in 3 years
Median age
43.7
20% are 65+ · Hampshire 20%
Degree level
41%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
7%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
A
#23 of 76 in Hampshire
Is Waltham Chase a good place to live?
Overall, Waltham Chase earns an A: better than 91% of UK towns, and #23 of 76 in Hampshire. Health is a strength: men here can expect to live to 82.4, women to 87. Households here earn well (A): households earn a mean £63,379 a year, and 1.2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. It takes 5.5 years of household income in the Winchester council area to buy the median home, at £392,500. What counts against it is walkability — 7% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for schools and B− for hazard risk.
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency.
What makes Waltham Chase stand out
The 3 things Waltham Chase does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
7% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
87%of UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people
Safety
Less crime than 87%
of UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Claimant rate, against UK towns
Work
of 16 to 64s in 2026: fewer than in 93% of UK towns
DWP claimant count, January to August 2026.
How Waltham Chase grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Waltham Chase is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityAmong the weakest of the towns comparedDOpen →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesAOpen →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedAOpen →SafetyNear the top of the towns comparedA−Open →Cost of livingRent £1,508 a monthBOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 40% of towns in England; secondary results beat 75% of towns in EnglandBOpen →Hazard risk0.2% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History2 listed buildingsDOpen →Outdoors75% live within 400 m of a park; 39% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeB−Open →Civic life1.1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryDOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Waltham Chase.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Long commutes are the norm in Waltham Chase: just 21% travel under 5 km, below Hampshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 38% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
38% of workers worked mainly from home at the census. There are 0.3 jobs in Waltham Chase for each resident in work.
7%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving91%
On foot5%
Bicycle1%
Bus1%
Train1%
21%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
38%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£63K
mean household income, before tax
1.2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 6% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Waltham Chase’s listed buildings: 2, all Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Homes from before 1919 make up 8% of the total, lower than both Hampshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (16%). Per 10,000 residents, Waltham Chase counts 7 listed buildings.
2listed buildingsDHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II2
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
8%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
7
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
Life expectancy in Waltham Chase is longer than in 89% of UK towns
87% of Waltham Chase’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, higher than both Hampshire’s towns (83%) and England’s towns (82%). A disability affects 13% of people in the town. Also worth knowing: the town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.5 miles away. At the census, 3.3% of people here described their health as bad or very bad.
87%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Waltham Chase | Hampshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 87% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.3% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 13% | 17% | 17% |
82.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Read these answers with age in mind: they aren’t adjusted, so younger places do better. The Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Safety
Burglary and damage are rarer in Waltham Chase than in Hampshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 4.7 per 1,000 residents a year
Police recorded 64 crimes inside Waltham Chase’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 5 reports of anti-social behaviour. Per 1,000 residents, 16 violent crimes are recorded each year. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 63% of recorded crime. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 2 reports per 1,000, below both Hampshire’s towns (5.4) and England’s towns (7.8).
16violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 87% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual40
Damage & arson8
Other theft8
Other crime3
Shoplifting2
Public order2
Drugs1
Burglary0
Anti-social5
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
16
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
64
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
HousingCost of living grade B
Most households in Waltham Chase own their home: 82%, more than in both Hampshire’s towns and England’s towns
Private renters make up one in ten households, below Hampshire’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. 7% of households live in social housing. Behind the median of £392,500: 134 standard sales inside Waltham Chase’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026.
£393Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Waltham Chase£393K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £505,000 | 55 |
| Semi-detached | £359,975 | 64 |
| Terraced | £285,000 | 15 |
82%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,508
average private rent a month, Winchester council area
£2,396
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Who lives here
More people in Waltham Chase hold a degree than in Hampshire’s towns or England’s towns: 41%
People aged 15 to 24 are a tenth of the population. The middle age in Waltham Chase is 43.7. 18% are under 15, about level with England’s towns (18%) and above Hampshire’s towns (17%).
43.7median age
Waltham ChaseHampshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
20%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications12%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level41%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 96 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Waltham Chase | Hampshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 24% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 20% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 12% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 41% | 33% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Hampshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Bishop's Waltham Palace and 4 more in and around Waltham Chase
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Waltham Chase. Best known first.
Historic house · English HeritageBishop's Waltham Palace1.5 km outside town, to the north
Historic houseNew Place, Shirrell Heath400 m outside town, to the southHistoric houseHistoric houseHill Place2 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumBishop's Waltham Museum1.5 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionWickham Vineyard1.7 km outside town, to the southwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Bishop's Waltham Palace: Michael Coppins, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- New Place, Shirrell Heath: ocsid3, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Waltham Chase
14pages on Waltham Chase
The big questions
SafetyA−16 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingBMedian home £393K · rent £1,508 a monthHousing41 sold in 12 months · busiest street Winchester RoadSchoolsBHealthALife expectancy 82.4 (men), 87 (women)Work & commuteA54% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Waltham Chase’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
SwanmoreBishop's WalthamWickhamBotleyKnowleWhiteleyHorton HeathWaltham Chase
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waltham Chase | 2,830 | — | A | B | A− | A |
| Swanmore | 3,113 | 1.1 | A | C+ | B+ | A+ |
| Bishop's Waltham | 6,957 | 1.5 | A− | B+ | B− | A |
| Wickham | 2,170 | 2.5 | — | A− | C− | B+ |
| Botley | 5,900 | 3.3 | B | B− | C− | B+ |
| Knowle | 1,487 | 3.7 | — | A | D | B+ |
| Whiteley | 9,350 | 4.2 | A− | B | C+ | A |
| Horton Heath | 3,047 | 4.3 | A+ | B | A | A |
Wickham and Knowle have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Waltham Chase
Is Waltham Chase expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £392,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £285,000, semi-detached houses £359,975 and detached houses £505,000. Household incomes are higher than in 76% of UK towns, so cost of living still grades B.
Are schools in Waltham Chase good?
GCSE results beat 75% of towns in England, and primary results trail 60% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Places are handled by Hampshire council.
About Waltham Chase
Town in Hampshire, England
Waltham Chase is a built-up area of 2,830 people, in the Winchester council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 2,830 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Winchester
- County
- Hampshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006352
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.