Chawley’s story
5 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Chawley’s built-up area.
6% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →ChawleyOxfordshire
With 1,127 residents, it is a village in Oxfordshire, South East.
Population
1,127
Census 2021 · Vale of White Horse council
Median home
£608K
42 sales in 3 years
Median age
42.8
17% are 65+ · Oxfordshire 18%
Degree level
59%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
28%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Chawley a good place to live?
On safety it is strong — 10.1 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 3.3 home and vehicle crimes. Jobs and pay hold up well: households earn a mean £73,739 a year, and 1.8% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Its lowest grade is for cost of living: homes sell for a median £607,500, about 8.8 times local household income. Natural hazards weigh less here than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Chawley has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Chawley stand out
The 3 things Chawley does most differently from other towns.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.2 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
92%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
Less crime than 92%
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Degree level, 16+
Education
Degree-level qualifications, residents 16+ (England’s towns 34%)
Oxfordshire 42%.
How Chawley grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Chawley is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Chawley has subject grades but no overall one.
Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentA+Open →SafetyVery little crime by comparisonA+Open →Walkability28% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transportAOpen →HealthLife expectancy 81.9 for men, 84.2 for womenAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Cost of livingRent £1,352 a monthC+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 52% of towns in England; secondary results beat 61% of towns in EnglandBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryNear the bottom of the towns comparedC−Open →Outdoors0% live within 400 m of a park; 0.3 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsDOpen →Civic life5.3 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Ashmolean Museum and 47 more in and around Chawley
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Chawley. Best known first.
MuseumAshmolean Museum4.2 km outside town, to the northeast
MuseumOxford University Museum of Natural History4.7 km outside town, to the northeast
CastleOxford Castle Motte3.9 km outside town, to the northeast
MuseumPitt Rivers Museum4.7 km outside town, to the northeast
Historic houseBeaumont Palace4.1 km outside town, to the northeast
GardenUniversity of Oxford Botanic Garden4.9 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Ashmolean Museum: Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Oxford University Museum of Natural History: The original uploader was MykReeve at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Oxford Castle Motte: Tejvan Pettinger, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Pitt Rivers Museum: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Beaumont Palace: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- University of Oxford Botanic Garden: JMski, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Chawley.
Who lives here
Degrees are more common in Chawley than in Oxfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 59% of adults
Children under 15 count for a fifth of the people here. One in ten residents are 15 to 24, lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (12%). The age that splits Chawley in two is 42.8.
42.8median age
ChawleyOxfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
17%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications7%
Apprenticeship3%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level59%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 94 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Chawley | Oxfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 20% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.8% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 24% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 6.6% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 2.6% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 59% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Oxfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsB
Exam results at Chawley’s schools top 59% of towns in England
The one school in town appears below. GCSE results at the one secondary school within 3 km: 46% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 48.6. Its one primary school teaches 197 pupils.
BSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumnor Church of England School (Voluntary Controlled)Largest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 197 | B+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Chawley records less crime per resident than 96% of UK towns
In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 22 crimes inside Chawley’s built-up area. Of all the crimes, 55% were violence and sexual offences. There were 0.6 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (4.8) and England’s towns (7.8).
10.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 92% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual12
Other theft6
Damage & arson1
Public order1
Vehicle crime1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Burglary0
Anti-social0
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.
10.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
0.6
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
22
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Work tends to be further away for Chawley: 22% commute under 5 km, below Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 47% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
At the census, 47% of workers worked mainly from home. Work in town: 3% of resident commuters. For every resident in work, Chawley has 0.9 jobs.
28%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving71%
Bicycle12%
Bus11%
On foot4%
Train2%
22%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
47%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£74K
mean household income, before tax
1.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
A
Walkability: more walkable than 94% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Is Chawley a healthy place? 91% of its people say their health is good, above Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
1.6% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, below Oxfordshire’s towns (3.5%) and England’s towns (5.2%) alike. Disability touches 11% of Chawley’s population. This Oxfordshire town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.5 miles away.
91%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 91%Fair 7%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Chawley | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 91% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.6% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 11% | 15% | 17% |
81.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.2
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Chawley’s listed buildings: 5, all Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
6% of homes were built before 1919. Per 10,000 residents, Chawley counts 44 listed buildings.
5listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II5
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
6%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
44
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C+
Most households in Chawley own their home: 71%, more than in Oxfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
One in ten households live in social housing. Private renters make up 14% of households, lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (21%). Behind the median of £607,500: 42 standard sales inside Chawley’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026.
£608Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Chawley£608K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £721,250 | 20 |
| Semi-detached | £545,250 | 14 |
71%
of households own their home · England 61%
14%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,352
average private rent a month, Vale of White Horse council area
£2,506
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Chawley
14pages on Chawley
The big questions
SafetyA+10.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £608K · rent £1,352 a monthHousing12 sold in 12 months · busiest street Norreys RoadSchoolsB1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 81.9 (men), 84.2 (women)Work & commuteA+57% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Chawley’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Wootton (Vale of White Horse)WolvercoteKenningtonShipponOxfordEynshamAbingdon-on-ThamesChawley
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chawley | 1,127 | — | — | C+ | A+ | A |
| Wootton (Vale of White Horse) | 2,428 | 2.3 | — | B | B+ | B+ |
| Wolvercote | 1,328 | 3.5 | — | D− | C− | A |
| Kennington | 4,595 | 3.6 | A | C+ | A | A |
| Shippon | 1,894 | 3.7 | — | C+ | B+ | A− |
| Oxford | 170,799 | 3.9 | C+ | D | C− | C+ |
| Eynsham | 5,321 | 4.1 | A+ | C+ | B+ | A− |
| Abingdon-on-Thames | 33,179 | 4.5 | A− | B+ | C+ | B+ |
Wootton (Vale of White Horse), Wolvercote and Shippon have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Chawley
Is Chawley expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £607,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £545,250 and detached houses £721,250.
About Chawley
Village in Oxfordshire, England
Chawley is a built-up area of 1,127 people, in the Vale of White Horse 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
- 1,127 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Vale of White Horse
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004495
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.