Horspath’s story
15 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Horspath’s built-up area.
10% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
HorspathOxfordshire
Some 1,467 people live in this village, in Oxfordshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Motacilla · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,467
Census 2021 · South Oxfordshire council
Median home
£515K
45 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.3
27% are 65+ · Oxfordshire 18%
Degree level
38%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
15%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Horspath a good place to live?
Horspath’s strongest subject is jobs & income — households earn a mean £62,919 a year, and 1.3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Add health to its strengths — life expectancy is 84.4 for men and 87.4 for women. Housing is expensive (C+): the median home sold for £515,000, 7.4 years of area income. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for schools and B for walkability.
Figures: income and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · commuting, Census 2021. Horspath has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Horspath stand out
The 3 things Horspath does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Church of St Giles; 4.2 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.9 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
15% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
How Horspath grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Horspath is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & incomeIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA+Open →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyVery little crime by comparisonA−Open →Cost of livingRent £1,402 a monthC+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 32% of towns in England; secondary results beat 82% of towns in EnglandBOpen →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryClose to the middle of the towns comparedB−Open →Outdoors54% live within 400 m of a park; 14 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsBOpen →Civic life3.4 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 Horspath.
Health
Life expectancy in Horspath is longer than in 96% of UK towns
There is no GP practice in Horspath: the nearest is 1.8 miles off. Disability touches 14% of the town’s population. 4.4% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, above Oxfordshire’s towns (3.5%) but below England’s towns (5.2%).
84%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Horspath | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.4% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
84.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.4
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
SchoolsB
Results at Horspath’s schools beat 59% of towns in England
58% of pupils at the 16 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its one school is below. Attainment 8 at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km averages 51.4, and 57% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths.
BSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horspath Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 141 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Homes in Horspath see less burglary and damage than in Oxfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 3.9 per 1,000 a year
In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 51 crimes and 6 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Horspath’s built-up area. Violence came to 16.6 per 1,000 residents a year, below Oxfordshire’s towns (19) and England’s towns (22) alike. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Horspath has less crime per resident than two thirds of them.
16.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 67% 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 & sexual34
Public order7
Other theft5
Damage & arson2
Burglary1
Drugs1
Bicycle theft1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social6
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.
16.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
51
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C+
Horspath is a town of owners: 85% of households own their home, above Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Private renters make up 9% of households, below Oxfordshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. 4% of households rent from a council or housing body. The £515,000 median rests on 45 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
£515Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Horspath£515K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £535,000 | 30 |
| Semi-detached | £414,500 | 12 |
85%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,402
average private rent a month, South Oxfordshire council area
£2,548
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Only 15% of commuters in Horspath go to work without a car, fewer than in Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 37% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
There are 0.5 jobs in Horspath for each resident in work. 81% of commuters drove, higher than both Oxfordshire’s towns (69%) and England’s towns (70%). In addition, for 55% of commuters, work was under 5 km away.
15%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving81%
Bicycle8%
On foot6%
Bus1%
Train1%
55%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
37%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£63K
mean household income, before tax
1.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B
Walkability: more walkable than 58% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Horspath has 15 listed buildings
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Homes built before 1919 account for a tenth of the housing. Grade II* covers 1 of them. Relative to its size, Horspath keeps 102 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, about level with Oxfordshire’s towns (107) and above England’s towns (39).
15listed buildingsB−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II14
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Giles Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
10%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
102
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
Older residents shape Horspath: 27% are 65 or over, above Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
15% of residents are children under 15. People aged 15 to 24 make up 6.9% of the town, lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (12%). Residents of Horspath have a median age of 51.3. Degrees are held by 38% of adults.
51.3median age
HorspathOxfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
27%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications18%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar15%
Degree level38%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Horspath | Oxfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.9% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 27% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 18% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 8.4% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 15% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 38% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Oxfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →University of Oxford Botanic Garden and 7 more in and around Horspath
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Horspath. Best known first.
GardenUniversity of Oxford Botanic Garden5 km outside town, to the west
Historic houseGarsington Manor2.4 km outside town, to the south
Historic houseShotover House1.5 km outside town, to the northeast
GardenWaterperry Gardens4.5 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumThe Kilns - CS Lewis's Home1.9 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumScience Oxford Centre2 km outside town, to the northwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- University of Oxford Botanic Garden: JMski, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Garsington Manor: Henry Taunt, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Shotover House: Dave Price, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Waterperry Gardens: Ian Petticrew, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Horspath
14pages on Horspath
The big questions
SafetyA−16.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £515K · rent £1,402 a monthHousing8 sold in 12 months · busiest street Gidley WaySchoolsB1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 84.4 (men), 87.4 (women)Work & commuteA+54% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Horspath’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
GarsingtonWheatleyOxfordKenningtonRadleyBerinsfieldOakleyHorspath
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horspath | 1,467 | — | — | C+ | A− | A |
| Garsington | 1,295 | 1.2 | — | B− | A− | A− |
| Wheatley | 4,305 | 1.5 | A | B− | B | A− |
| Oxford | 170,799 | 2.9 | C+ | D | C− | C+ |
| Kennington | 4,595 | 3.7 | A | C+ | A | A |
| Radley | 2,079 | 4.7 | — | C+ | A | A− |
| Berinsfield | 2,773 | 5.1 | C+ | A− | C+ | C |
| Oakley | 1,129 | 5.9 | — | C+ | A+ | A |
Garsington, Radley and Oakley have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Horspath
How many listed buildings are there in Horspath?
That is 4.2 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Horspath expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £515,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £414,500 and detached houses £535,000.
Is Horspath safe?
Police recorded 51 crimes inside Horspath’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, 67% of them violence and sexual offences, a police category that includes harassment and stalking.
About Horspath
Village in Oxfordshire, England
Horspath is a built-up area of 1,467 people, in the South Oxfordshire 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
- 1,467 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Oxfordshire
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004485
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.