Chesterton’s story
8 listed buildings, 2 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Chesterton’s built-up area.
23% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
ChestertonOxfordshire
Some 1,179 people live in this village, in Oxfordshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Motacilla · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,179
Census 2021 · Cherwell council
Median home
£488K
39 sales in 3 years
Median age
43.6
19% are 65+ · Oxfordshire 18%
Degree level
43%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Chesterton a good place to live?
Chesterton’s strongest subject is jobs & income (A+) — mean household income £74,226; 1.2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. It also does well on safety (A): police record 11.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 7.1 home and vehicle crimes. Housing is expensive: the median home sold for £487,500, 7.9 years of area income. It is hard to get around without a car: 11% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport.
Figures: income, ONS · claimants, DWP · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · commuting, Census 2021. Chesterton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Chesterton stand out
The 3 things Chesterton does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
2 Grade II*, including Church of St Mary; 2.8 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.8 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
How Chesterton grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Chesterton is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedA+Open →SafetyIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →Cost of livingRent £1,304 a monthC−Open →HealthLife expectancy 81.9 for men, 84.4 for womenA−Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesCOpen →Hazard risk0.6% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaC+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 30% of towns in England; secondary results beat 56% of towns in EnglandC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryAbout average among the towns comparedBOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 1.8 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC+Open →Civic life5.9 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Chesterton.
Safety
Chesterton has less crime per resident than 85% of UK towns
Chesterton logged 21 reported offences in a year (to August 2026), plus 2 complaints of anti-social conduct. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Chesterton has less crime per resident than 72% of them. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 1.7 reports per 1,000, below Oxfordshire’s towns (4.8) and England’s towns (7.8) alike. Also worth knowing: 52% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
11.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 72% 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 & sexual11
Other theft4
Burglary3
Vehicle crime2
Damage & arson1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Drugs0
Anti-social2
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.
11.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.1
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
21
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.
SchoolsC+
Results at Chesterton’s schools trail 59% of towns in England
Its one school is below. Key Stage 2 results at the 8 primary schools within 3 km: 58% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). 201 pupils attend Chesterton’s one primary school.
C+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 201 | B− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade C−
Most households in Chesterton own their home: 76%, more than in Oxfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
Private tenants account for 12% of households. Social housing holds 10% of households, below Oxfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. From September 2023 to August 2026, 39 homes sold inside Chesterton’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £487,500.
£488Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Chesterton£488K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £583,750 | 20 |
| Semi-detached | £422,500 | 16 |
76%
of households own their home · England 61%
12%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,304
average private rent a month, Cherwell council area
£2,611
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Health
Just 1.9% of people in Chesterton say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in Oxfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
Seeing a GP means leaving Chesterton: the nearest practice is 1.4 miles away. 88% of the town’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, higher than both Oxfordshire’s towns (86%) and England’s towns (82%). Disability touches 13% of the town’s population. The nearest A&E to Chesterton is John Radcliffe Hospital, 8.6 miles away.
88%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 88%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Chesterton | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 88% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.9% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
81.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.4
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Young towns look healthier on these answers, which aren’t adjusted for age; the Health Grade uses measures that are, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
More commuters in Chesterton drive than in Oxfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 88%
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.
Work in town: 9% of resident commuters. 36% of commuters travelled under 5 km, below Oxfordshire’s towns (46%) and England’s towns (45%) alike. The census counted 47% of workers working mainly from home.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot6%
Bicycle2%
Bus1%
Train1%
36%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
47%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£74K
mean household income, before tax
1.2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 30% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
More of the land in Chesterton is conservation area than in Oxfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 42%
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 nearly a quarter of the total, above Oxfordshire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (16%) alike. Historic England’s list names 8 listed buildings in Chesterton: 2 Grade II*. For its size, Chesterton has 68 listed buildings per 10,000 residents.
8listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*2
Grade II6
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Mary Grade II*
- Manor Farm House Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
23%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
68
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
Children make up 24% of Chesterton, above Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Degrees are held by 43% of adults. Young adults of 15 to 24 are 6.3% of residents, below both Oxfordshire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (12%). Chesterton has a median age of 43.6 years.
43.6median age
ChestertonOxfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
19%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications12%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar15%
Degree level43%
Women and men · all residents
46% women, 54% men
About 116 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Chesterton | Oxfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 24% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.3% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 19% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 12% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 15% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 43% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Oxfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Chesterton
13pages on Chesterton
The big questions
SafetyA11.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £488K · rent £1,304 a monthHousing10 sold in 12 months · busiest street Fortescue DriveSchoolsC+1 state schoolHealthA−Life expectancy 81.9 (men), 84.4 (women)Work & commuteA+61% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC+0.6% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Chesterton’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BicesterAmbrosdenLauntonUpper HeyfordUpper ArncottTackleyKidlingtonChesterton
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterton | 1,179 | — | — | C− | A | A− |
| Bicester | 37,748 | 1.8 | B | C+ | C+ | B− |
| Ambrosden | 2,736 | 3.1 | B | C | B | B− |
| Launton | 1,374 | 3.1 | — | C | A− | B− |
| Upper Heyford | 2,481 | 3.9 | — | C | C | A− |
| Upper Arncott | 1,659 | 4.1 | — | B | A | B |
| Tackley | 1,073 | 4.8 | — | C+ | A− | A |
| Kidlington | 14,640 | 6.3 | A− | C | B− | B |
Launton, Upper Heyford, Upper Arncott and Tackley have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Chesterton
How many listed buildings are there in Chesterton?
That is 2.8 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Chesterton expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £487,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £422,500 and detached houses £583,750.
About Chesterton
Village in Oxfordshire, England
Chesterton is a built-up area of 1,179 people, in the Cherwell 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
- 1,179 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Cherwell
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004183
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.