Upper Heyford’s story
5 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Upper Heyford’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
6% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Upper HeyfordOxfordshire
Over-65s are only 8% of the population. This village in Oxfordshire, South East has a population of 2,481.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Motacilla · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,481
Census 2021 · Cherwell council
Median home
£427K
125 sales in 3 years
Median age
34.2
8% are 65+ · Oxfordshire 18%
Degree level
36%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Upper Heyford a good place to live?
Upper Heyford’s standout strength is health: life expectancy 81.6 for men, 85 for women. Safety lags (C): police record 39.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 7.5 home and vehicle crimes. Against UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, it has more crime per resident than 89%. A median £427,000 buys a home here, 6.9 times what households in the Cherwell council area earn in a year. The rest of its grades are middling: B− for schools and B for jobs & income.
Figures: life expectancy and incomes, ONS · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · claimants, DWP. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Upper Heyford has subject grades but no overall one.
How Upper Heyford grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Upper Heyford is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →HealthResidents are healthier than in most townsA−Open →SafetyWeaker than most of the towns comparedCOpen →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnCOpen →WalkabilityMost errands need a carCOpen →Jobs & income2.5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsBOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 85% of towns in England; secondary results beat 12% of towns in EnglandB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedC−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 1.1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC−Open →Civic life0.4 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryD−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Upper Heyford stand out
The 3 things Upper Heyford does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
Only 8% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Households renting privately
Housing
of households, against 21% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Upper Heyford.
History
More of the land in Upper Heyford is conservation area than in Oxfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 98%
5listed buildingsC−History 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, Upper Heyford counts 20 listed buildings. 6% of its homes were built before 1919, below both Oxfordshire’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (16%). Historic England’s list names 5 listed buildings locally, every one Grade II.
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II5
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
6%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
20
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
Bad health is less common in Upper Heyford than in Oxfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 2.1% of residents
89%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
Disability touches 13% of Upper Heyford’s population. Seeing a GP means leaving Upper Heyford: the nearest practice is 4.6 miles away. 89% of people in Upper Heyford rate their own health good or very good. Women here live to 85 on average and men to 81.6 (2019–23).
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 89%Fair 9%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Upper Heyford | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 89% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.1% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
81.6
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Self-reported health favours young towns, since these answers ignore age; the Health Grade leans on age-adjusted measures such as life expectancy and early deaths.
Safety
Per resident, Upper Heyford sees more crime than 75% of UK towns
39.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearCSafety Grade
148 crimes and 23 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Upper Heyford’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Violence and sexual offences made up 70% of the total. Also worth knowing: there were 8.9 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), above both Oxfordshire’s towns (4.8) and England’s towns (7.8).
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 11% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual104
Damage & arson9
Other theft9
Public order7
Shoplifting6
Drugs4
Burglary3
Other crime3
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.
39.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
148
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.
HousingCost of living grade C
More households rent privately in Upper Heyford than in Oxfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 38%
£427Kmedian sale
45% of households own their home, below Oxfordshire’s towns (63%) and England’s towns (61%) alike. Social renters account for 9% of households. Private rents average £1,304 a month across the Cherwell council area.
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Upper Heyford£427K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £515,000 | 50 |
| Semi-detached | £380,000 | 58 |
| Terraced | £365,000 | 17 |
45%
of households own their home · England 61%
38%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,304
average private rent a month, Cherwell council area
£2,502
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 B
Only 11% of commuters in Upper Heyford go to work without a car, fewer than in both Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
11%walk, cycle or ride
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 35% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Households had £73K a year before tax, above Oxfordshire’s towns (£70K) and England’s towns (£55K) alike. Driving is how 86% of commuters got to work at the census. Work in town: 4% of resident commuters. For every resident in work, Upper Heyford has 0.1 jobs.
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot6%
Bus3%
Train2%
Bicycle1%
11%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
35%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£73K
mean household income, before tax
2.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 34% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
A town of families: 26% of people in Upper Heyford are under 15, more than in both Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
34.2median age
The median resident of Upper Heyford is 34.2 years old. 7.9% of residents are 65 or over, below both Oxfordshire’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (18%). Those aged 15 to 24 account for 8% of residents.
Upper HeyfordOxfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
8%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level36%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Upper Heyford | Oxfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 26% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 38% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 20% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 7.9% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.3% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 36% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Oxfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Upper Heyford
14pages on Upper Heyford
The big questions
SafetyC39.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £427K · rent £1,304 a monthHousing24 sold in 12 months · busiest street Camp RoadSchoolsB−HealthA−Life expectancy 81.6 (men), 85 (women)Work & commuteB49% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Rousham House and Gardens and 3 more in and around Upper Heyford
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Upper Heyford. Best known first.
Historic houseRousham House and Gardens2.7 km outside town, to the west
CastleMiddleton Stoney Castle2.4 km outside town, to the southeastCastleCastleArdley Castle800 m outside town, to the northeastCastleCastleNorth Aston Hall2.8 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)
- Rousham House and Gardens: Grahamec, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Middleton Stoney Castle: Des Blenkinsopp, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
About Upper Heyford
Village in Oxfordshire, England
Upper Heyford is a built-up area of 2,481 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
- Population
- 2,481 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Cherwell
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi (3.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004087
Upper Heyford’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
TackleyChestertonBicesterMiddle BartonDeddingtonCroughtonLauntonUpper Heyford
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Heyford | 2,481 | — | — | C | C | A− |
| Tackley | 1,073 | 3.6 | — | C+ | A− | A |
| Chesterton | 1,179 | 3.9 | — | C− | A | A− |
| Bicester | 37,748 | 4.5 | B | C+ | C+ | B− |
| Middle Barton | 1,762 | 4.8 | — | C+ | A+ | A |
| Deddington | 1,769 | 4.8 | — | C− | A | A− |
| Croughton | 1,200 | 5.3 | — | C− | A+ | A− |
| Launton | 1,374 | 6 | — | C | A− | B− |
Tackley, Chesterton, Middle Barton, Deddington, Croughton and Launton have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Upper Heyford
Who lives in Upper Heyford?
A young village. At the 2021 Census, 26% of residents were under 15 and 38% were 25 to 44, against 18% and 27% across England’s towns; only 7.9% were 65 or over.
Is Upper Heyford safe?
Burglary was rare, with 3 reports in the year.
Is Upper Heyford expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £427,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £365,000, semi-detached houses £380,000 and detached houses £515,000.
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.