Sonning Common’s story
7 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Sonning Common’s built-up area.
11% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Sonning CommonOxfordshire
The town has 5,264 residents and lies in Oxfordshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Steve Daniels · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
5,264
Census 2021 · South Oxfordshire council
Median home
£560K
229 sales in 3 years
Median age
48.9
27% are 65+ · Oxfordshire 18%
Degree level
44%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
A
#7 of 38 in Oxfordshire
Is Sonning Common a good place to live?
Health is its strong suit: life expectancy 81.4 for men, 85.9 for women. Sonning Common grades A overall and ranks #7 of 38 in Oxfordshire. Set against the rest, it does better than 95% of UK towns. Jobs and pay hold up well: the mean household earns £72,843 a year. Prices are high against local incomes: the median home sold for £560,000, 8 years of area income.
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years.
What makes Sonning Common stand out
The 3 things Sonning Common does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
86%of UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people
Safety
Less crime than 86%
of UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
How Sonning Common grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Sonning Common is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
HealthIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →Jobs & income2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 73% of towns in England; secondary results beat 82% of towns in EnglandA−Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentA−Open →Cost of livingRent £1,402 a monthCOpen →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedC−Open →Outdoors60% live within 400 m of a park; 74% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeB+Open →Civic life4.7 local charities per 1,000 residents; 87% live within 1 km of a libraryAOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Sonning Common.
Health
Bad health is less common in Sonning Common than in Oxfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 2.9% of residents
Asked at the census, 86% of residents of Sonning Common said they were in good or very good health. Women here live to 85.9 on average and men to 81.4 (2019–23). One GP practice serves the town; just over nine in ten patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey.
86%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Sonning Common | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.9% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
81.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Census health answers are raw, so younger towns score better on them; for the Health Grade we use age-adjusted figures like life expectancy and early deaths.
SchoolsA−
Sonning Common’s schools outperform 82% of towns in England on results
At the 7 primary schools within 3 km, nearly two thirds of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). One of its 2 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed. GCSE results at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km: 57% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 51.2.
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonning Common Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 292 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 2 schools →
History
All 7 of Sonning Common’s listed buildings are Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Per 10,000 residents, Sonning Common counts 13 listed buildings. 11% of its homes were built before 1919, below both Oxfordshire’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (16%).
7listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II7
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
11%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
13
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Sonning Common records less burglary and damage per resident than Oxfordshire’s towns or England’s towns, at 5.5 per 1,000 a year
Reported offences in Sonning Common came to 175 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 23. Violence accounts for 16.1 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year. There were 3.7 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below both Oxfordshire’s towns (4.8) and England’s towns (7.8).
16.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 86% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual90
Other crime16
Public order15
Shoplifting13
Other theft13
Damage & arson9
Burglary9
Vehicle crime5
Anti-social23
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.
16.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
175
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
Most households in Sonning Common own their home: 79%, more than in both Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Private renters make up nearly one in ten households, below Oxfordshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. 229 standard sales inside Sonning Common’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £560,000. It is the 3rd most expensive of 40 towns of 2,500+ in Oxfordshire.
£560Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Sonning Common£560K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £705,000 | 125 |
| Semi-detached | £530,000 | 61 |
| Terraced | £360,000 | 29 |
| Flat or maisonette | £270,000 | 14 |
79%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,402
average private rent a month, South Oxfordshire council area
£2,624
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
Work tends to be further away for Sonning Common: 21% 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.
13% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train at the census, below both Oxfordshire’s towns (29%) and England’s towns (27%). Driving is how 85% of commuters got to work at the census. About 11% of its commuters stay in Sonning Common for work. Working from home was the norm for 47% of workers at the census.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving85%
On foot7%
Bicycle3%
Bus2%
Train1%
21%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
47%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£73K
mean household income, before tax
2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 47% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Sonning Common skews older, with 27% of residents 65 or over, more than in both Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Line up the people of Sonning Common by age and the one in the middle is 48.9. People aged 15 to 24 are 8.3% of the population. Degrees are held by 44% of adults, above Oxfordshire’s towns (42%) and England’s towns (34%) alike.
48.9median age
Sonning CommonOxfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
27%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level44%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 92 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Sonning Common | Oxfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.3% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 18% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 27% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.6% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 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 3 more in and around Sonning Common
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Sonning Common. Best known first.
Castle · National TrustGreys Court (National Trust)2.5 km outside town, to the northeast
Historic houseFriar Park4.2 km outside town, to the northeast
Historic houseCaversham Park3.1 km outside town, to the south
Historic houseMapledurham House4.2 km outside town, to the southwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Greys Court (National Trust): Dennis Jackson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Friar Park: don cload, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Caversham Park: Yablochko (Uploads), CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mapledurham House: Motmit, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sonning Common
14pages on Sonning Common
The big questions
SafetyA−16.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £560K · rent £1,402 a monthHousing59 sold in 12 months · busiest street Kennylands RoadSchoolsA−2 state schoolsHealthALife expectancy 81.4 (men), 85.9 (women)Work & commuteA65% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Sonning Common’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
CavershamHenley-on-ThamesWoodcoteLower ShiplakeSonningReadingPangbourneSonning Common
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonning Common | 5,264 | — | A | C | A− | A |
| Caversham | 33,038 | 3 | A | D | B+ | A |
| Henley-on-Thames | 11,786 | 3.3 | A− | C | C | A |
| Woodcote | 2,198 | 4.1 | — | C+ | B+ | A+ |
| Lower Shiplake | 1,086 | 4.1 | — | C | A+ | A+ |
| Sonning | 1,615 | 4.8 | — | B− | A | A− |
| Reading | 203,789 | 4.9 | B− | C | C− | C+ |
| Pangbourne | 3,279 | 5.1 | A− | C | B− | A+ |
Woodcote, Lower Shiplake and Sonning have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Sonning Common
Is Sonning Common expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £560,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £270,000, terraced houses £360,000, semi-detached houses £530,000 and detached houses £705,000.
Is Sonning Common safe?
Police recorded 175 crimes inside Sonning Common’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, 51% of them violence and sexual offences, a police category that includes harassment and stalking.
Are schools in Sonning Common good?
Primary results beat 73%. Sonning Common has 2 state schools; places are handled by Oxfordshire council.
About Sonning Common
Town in Oxfordshire, England
Sonning Common is a built-up area of 5,264 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
- 5,264 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Oxfordshire
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi (2.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004926
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.