Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
This village in Oxfordshire, South East has a population of 239.
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Swalcliffe is too small for fair grades, though the figures on this page are real. Its listed buildings number 14, with 3 at Grade I. Just over one in ten commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. 54% of households own their home outright.
The 3 things Swalcliffe does most differently from other towns.
Historic England lists them inside Swalcliffe’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
42% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Swalcliffe.
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 59% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Household income came to £68K a year before tax, close to Oxfordshire’s towns (£70K) and above England’s towns (£55K). 86% of commuters drove to work at the census. For a fifth of commuters, work was under 5 km away.
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
3% live in social housing, lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). The private rented sector houses 13% of households. Private rents average £1,304 a month across the Cherwell council area.
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Violence and sexual offences were 83% of the crimes. Over the year to August 2026, 6 offences were reported in Swalcliffe. Burglary and damage came to 9.8 per 1,000 residents a year, about level with England’s towns (9.4) and above Oxfordshire’s towns (6.8).
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.
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.
At the census, 89% of people in Swalcliffe called their health good or very good, above Oxfordshire’s towns (86%) and England’s towns (82%) alike. There is no GP practice here: the nearest is 1.2 miles off. The nearest A&E to Swalcliffe is Horton General Hospital, 4.9 miles away.
| Census 2021 | Swalcliffe | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 89% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.1% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 15% | 17% |
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
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 just over two fifths of the total, above both Oxfordshire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (16%). Swalcliffe’s listed buildings include the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Grade I. The top grade, Grade I, goes to 3 of them.
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
The age that splits Swalcliffe in two is 45.2. Children under 15 make up 15%, lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%). Over-65s are just over a fifth of the population.
44% women, 56% men
About 80 women for every 100 men. Across England, 51% of residents are women. A large institution, such as a prison, barracks, boarding school, university or care home, can tilt a town’s split: the census counts the people living there as residents.
| Swalcliffe | Oxfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 15% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 21% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 7.6% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 46% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Oxfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Swalcliffe. Best known first.
MuseumSwalcliffe Tithe Barnin town
Historic houseBroughton Castle3.7 km outside town, to the eastAttractionAttractionHook Norton Brewery4.9 km outside town, to the southwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Village in Oxfordshire, England
Swalcliffe is a built-up area of 239 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
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swalcliffe | 239 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hook Norton | 2,188 | 3 | — | C− | A− | A+ |
| Bloxham | 3,681 | 3.4 | B+ | C | B− | A |
| Banbury | 52,041 | 4.8 | C+ | B | D | C |
| Bodicote | 4,752 | 5.3 | A− | C+ | B+ | A |
| Adderbury and Twyford | 3,318 | 6 | B+ | C− | A | A− |
| Deddington | 1,769 | 6.6 | — | C− | A | A− |
| Kings Sutton | 2,306 | 7.6 | — | C | A− | A− |
Hook Norton, Deddington and Kings Sutton have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
That is 24 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I buildings include Church of St Peter and St Paul. It also has 1 scheduled monument.
Band D council tax in Swalcliffe is £2,561 for 2026–27, more than in 79% 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.
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.