Lower Shiplake’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Lower Shiplake’s built-up area.
23% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Lower ShiplakeOxfordshire
Home to 1,086 people, this village lies in Oxfordshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Colin Bates · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,086
Census 2021 · South Oxfordshire council
Median home
£1.5M
21 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.4
29% are 65+ · Oxfordshire 18%
Degree level
57%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
18%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Lower Shiplake a good place to live?
Health is its strong suit (A+): life expectancy is 85 for men and 88.2 for women. Natural hazards weigh more here: 13.7% of homes face a high or medium risk of river or sea flooding. At a median £1,500,000, a home costs 21.5 times the yearly income of households in the South Oxfordshire council area. Less crime per resident than 97% of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people.
Figures: life expectancy and incomes, ONS · flood risk, Environment Agency · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years. Lower Shiplake has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
How Lower Shiplake grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Lower Shiplake is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & income0.8% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsA+Open →HealthAmong the best of the towns comparedA+Open →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentA+Open →Hazard risk14% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaD−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 80% of towns in England; secondary results beat 99% of towns in EnglandAOpen →Cost of livingRent £1,402 a monthCOpen →
WalkabilityNot graded yet–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History2 listed buildingsCOpen →Outdoors0% live within 400 m of a park; 28% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeC+Open →Civic life1.8 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryC−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Lower Shiplake stand out
The 3 things Lower Shiplake does most differently from other towns.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
5.4 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
97%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Life expectancy, against UK towns
Health
88.2 and 85 years
Life expectancy at birth, women and men: longer than in 99% of UK towns
OHID Fingertips, 2019–23.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Lower Shiplake.
Health
Lifespans in Lower Shiplake run longer than in 99% of UK towns
89%good or very good healthA+Health Grade
89% of people in Lower Shiplake rate their own health good or very good; even so, at the census, 3.2% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (3.5%) and England’s towns (5.2%). A disability affects 12% of people here. The town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.2 miles away.
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 89%Fair 8%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Lower Shiplake | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 89% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.2% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 12% | 15% | 17% |
85
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
88.2
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · No age adjustment applies to these census answers, which flatter younger towns; the Health Grade’s measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them, do allow for age.
Safety
Lower Shiplake has less crime per resident than 99% of UK towns
5.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Violent crime runs at 5.8 per 1,000 residents a year. Burglary and damage came to 4 per 1,000 residents a year, below Oxfordshire’s towns (6.8) and England’s towns (9.4) alike. Reported offences in Lower Shiplake came to 4 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 2.
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 97% 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
Other theft2
Damage & arson1
Public order1
Violence & sexual0
Shoplifting0
Burglary0
Drugs0
Vehicle crime0
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.
5.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
4
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
Lower Shiplake is a town of owners: 88% of households own their home, above Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
£1.5Mmedian sale
4% live in social housing, lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). Private tenants account for 8% of households. 21 standard sales inside Lower Shiplake’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £1,500,000.
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Lower Shiplake£1.5M
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £1,500,000 | 19 |
88%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,402
average private rent a month, South Oxfordshire council area
£2,497
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
Old homes shape Lower Shiplake: 23% were built before 1919, more than in Oxfordshire’s towns or England’s towns
2listed buildingsCHistory Grade
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Per 10,000 residents, Lower Shiplake counts 18 listed buildings. The town has 2 listed buildings on Historic England’s list, all Grade II.
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II2
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
23%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
18
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Household income in Lower Shiplake, £84K a year, runs above Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
18%walk, cycle or ride
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 64% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Working mainly from home: 64% of workers, above Oxfordshire’s towns (37%) and England’s towns (31%) alike. The 2026 claimant rate among 16 to 64s was 0.8%. 18% of commuters went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport at the census.
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving77%
Train6%
On foot6%
Bicycle4%
Bus2%
24%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
64%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£84K
mean household income, before tax
0.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Degrees are more common in Lower Shiplake than in Oxfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 57% of adults
51.4median age
Children under 15 make up 15%, lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%). People 65 and over make up 29% of the town. The median resident of Lower Shiplake is 51.4 years old. Young adults of 15 to 24 account for just over a tenth of the town.
Lower ShiplakeOxfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
29%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications6%
Apprenticeship2%
A levels or similar13%
Degree level57%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Lower Shiplake | Oxfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 13% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 29% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 6.4% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 1.8% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 13% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 57% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Oxfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lower Shiplake
14pages on Lower Shiplake
The big questions
SafetyA+5.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £1.5M · rent £1,402 a monthHousing3 sold in 12 monthsSchoolsAHealthA+Life expectancy 85 (men), 88.2 (women)Work & commuteA+71% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD−13.7% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Greys Court (National Trust) and 5 more in and around Lower Shiplake
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Lower Shiplake. Best known first.
Castle · National TrustGreys Court (National Trust)4.9 km outside town, to the northwest
Historic houseFriar Park2.8 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumRiver and Rowing Museum1.6 km outside town, to the northCastleCastleCayton Park House2.8 km outside town, to the eastHistoric siteHistoric siteDH Vampire300 m outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionThe Remenham Barrier3.5 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Greys Court (National Trust): Dennis Jackson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Friar Park: don cload, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- River and Rowing Museum: Motmit, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
About Lower Shiplake
Village in Oxfordshire, England
Lower Shiplake is a built-up area of 1,086 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
- 1,086 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Oxfordshire
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi (1.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004933
Lower Shiplake’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
WargraveHenley-on-ThamesCharvilTwyfordSonningHurstHurleyLower Shiplake
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Shiplake | 1,086 | — | — | C | A+ | A+ |
| Wargrave | 2,896 | 1.2 | A+ | B− | A− | A+ |
| Henley-on-Thames | 11,786 | 1.8 | A− | C | C | A |
| Charvil | 3,158 | 2.5 | A+ | B− | A | A+ |
| Twyford | 8,072 | 2.6 | A+ | B+ | A− | A+ |
| Sonning | 1,615 | 3.3 | — | B− | A | A− |
| Hurst | 1,009 | 3.9 | — | B− | A | A+ |
| Hurley | 1,317 | 4.1 | — | C− | B+ | A+ |
Sonning, Hurst and Hurley have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Lower Shiplake
Is Lower Shiplake expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £1,500,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town.
Is Lower Shiplake safe?
Police recorded 4 crimes inside Lower Shiplake’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, 0% of them violence and sexual offences, a police category that includes harassment and stalking.
Does Lower Shiplake flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
Are schools in Lower Shiplake good?
GCSE results beat 99% of towns in England, and primary results beat 80% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Places are handled by Oxfordshire council.
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.