Nettlebed’s story
24 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Nettlebed’s built-up area.
49% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
NettlebedOxfordshire
778 residents make their home in this village in Oxfordshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Bill Nicholls · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
778
Census 2021 · South Oxfordshire council
Median home
£690K
23 sales in 3 years
Median age
46.7
22% are 65+ · Oxfordshire 18%
Degree level
44%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Nettlebed a good place to live?
Grades need 1,000 residents, so Nettlebed has none; the figures on this page are still real. Nearly half of its homes date from before 1919. The median home sold for £690,000. On the way to work, 13% walk, cycle or take a bus or train.
What makes Nettlebed stand out
The 3 things Nettlebed does most differently from other towns.
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.5 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Nettlebed.
Work & commute
Fewer commuters in Nettlebed work nearby than in Oxfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 10% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 51% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Jobs per working resident: 0.9. The car took 86% of commuters, above Oxfordshire’s towns (69%) and England’s towns (70%) alike. Working from home was the norm for just over half of workers at the census. About 4% of its commuters stay in Nettlebed for work.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot8%
Bus3%
Bicycle2%
Train1%
10%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
51%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£68K
mean household income, before tax
1.2%
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
Schools
The schools around Nettlebed
The one school in town appears below. Key Stage 2 results at the one primary school within 3 km: 70% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). 165 pupils attend Nettlebed’s one primary school.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nettlebed Community SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 165 | B+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Housing
Most households in Nettlebed own their home: 69%, more than in both Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The private rented sector houses 17% of households. Social housing holds 13% of households, lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £1,402 a month across the South Oxfordshire council area.
£690Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Nettlebed£690K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £887,500 | 10 |
| Semi-detached | £610,000 | 9 |
69%
of households own their home · England 61%
17%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,402
average private rent a month, South Oxfordshire council area
£2,552
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Violence is recorded less often in Nettlebed than in Oxfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 6 per 1,000 residents a year
There were 1.7 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below Oxfordshire’s towns (4.8) and England’s towns (7.8) alike. Police figures for Nettlebed’s built-up area: 13 crimes and 1 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026. Violence and sexual offences made up 38% of the total.
6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual5
Other theft3
Damage & arson2
Public order1
Burglary1
Drugs1
Shoplifting0
Vehicle crime0
Anti-social1
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.
6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.6
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)
13
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.
Health
Disability is less common in Nettlebed, 12% of residents, than in Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
At the census, 89% of people in Nettlebed called their health good or very good, above Oxfordshire’s towns (86%) and England’s towns (82%) alike. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 2.8% of the town. The nearest A&E to Nettlebed is Royal Berkshire Hospital, 8.8 miles away. One GP practice serves the town; 87% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey.
89%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 89%Fair 8%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Nettlebed | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 89% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.8% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 12% | 15% | 17% |
82.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.6
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.
History
Old homes shape Nettlebed: 49% were built before 1919, more than in both Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Nettlebed counts 24 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 1 Grade II*. For its size, Nettlebed has 308 listed buildings per 10,000 residents. Conservation areas cover 19% of the town’s land, higher than both Oxfordshire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (7%).
24listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II23
Among them · Grade II*
- Brick Kiln Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
49%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
308
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
Few people in Nettlebed are 15 to 24: 8.8%, fewer than in both Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
44% of adults hold a degree. Children under 15 make up 19%, above Oxfordshire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. What’s more, people 65 and over make up just over a fifth of the town. Typical age in Nettlebed: 46.7, the median.
46.7median age
NettlebedOxfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
22%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications12%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level44%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 90 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Nettlebed | Oxfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.8% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 22% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 12% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.3% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 44% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Oxfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Greys Court (National Trust) and 2 more in and around Nettlebed
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Nettlebed. Best known first.
Castle · National TrustGreys Court (National Trust)3.8 km outside town, to the southeast
Historic houseStonor Park4.4 km outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionNuffield Place (National Trust)2 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 (2)
- Greys Court (National Trust): Dennis Jackson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stonor Park: Shaun Ferguson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nettlebed
13pages on Nettlebed
The big questions
Safety6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £690K · rent £1,402 a monthHousing12 sold in 12 monthsSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 82.2 (men), 83.6 (women)Work & commute65% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Nettlebed’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Sonning CommonHenley-on-ThamesWoodcoteWatlingtonCrowmarsh GiffordBensonWallingfordNettlebed
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nettlebed | 778 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sonning Common | 5,264 | 4.1 | A | C | A− | A |
| Henley-on-Thames | 11,786 | 4.7 | A− | C | C | A |
| Woodcote | 2,198 | 4.8 | — | C+ | B+ | A+ |
| Watlington | 2,438 | 4.8 | — | B− | C+ | A |
| Crowmarsh Gifford | 1,329 | 5.2 | — | C+ | B− | A |
| Benson | 5,236 | 5.5 | A | C+ | A− | A+ |
| Wallingford | 8,455 | 6.2 | A− | B− | B− | B+ |
Woodcote, Watlington and Crowmarsh Gifford have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Nettlebed
Is Nettlebed expensive to live in?
By type: semi-detached houses £610,000 and detached houses £887,500.
How many listed buildings are there in Nettlebed?
That is 12.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
How much is council tax in Nettlebed?
Band D council tax in Nettlebed is £2,552 for 2026–27, more than in 77% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Nettlebed
Village in Oxfordshire, England
Nettlebed is a built-up area of 778 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
- 778 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Oxfordshire
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004833
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.