Wolvercote’s story
7 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Wolvercote’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
18% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
WolvercoteOxfordshire
A village of 1,328 in Oxfordshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Motacilla · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,328
Census 2021 · Oxford council
Median home
£625K
47 sales in 3 years
Median age
43.9
20% are 65+ · Oxfordshire 18%
Degree level
61%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
42%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Wolvercote a good place to live?
Wolvercote has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is walkability (A+): 42% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Its weakest is cost of living (D−): median sale £625,000, 9.8 years of area income; rent £1,963 a month.
What makes Wolvercote stand out
The 3 things Wolvercote does most differently from other towns.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.3 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 2.2 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Degree level, 16+
Education
Degree-level qualifications, residents 16+ (England’s towns 34%)
Oxfordshire 42%.
How Wolvercote grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Wolvercote is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityA+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 89% of towns in England; secondary results beat 97% of towns in EnglandA+Open →Cost of livingD−Open →HealthLife expectancy 83.2 for men, 91.4 for womenAOpen →SafetyC−Open →Hazard risk2% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaC−Open →Jobs & income2.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsA−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryB−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 32 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsAOpen →Civic life4.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Ashmolean Museum and 47 more in and around Wolvercote
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Wolvercote. Best known first.
MuseumAshmolean Museum3.7 km outside town, to the southeast
MuseumOxford University Museum of Natural History3.6 km outside town, to the southeast
CastleOxford Castle Motte3.9 km outside town, to the southeast
MuseumPitt Rivers Museum3.6 km outside town, to the southeast
Historic houseBeaumont Palace3.6 km outside town, to the southeast
GardenUniversity of Oxford Botanic Garden4.6 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Ashmolean Museum: Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Oxford University Museum of Natural History: The original uploader was MykReeve at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Oxford Castle Motte: Tejvan Pettinger, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Pitt Rivers Museum: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Beaumont Palace: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- University of Oxford Botanic Garden: JMski, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Wolvercote.
Who lives here
Degrees are more common in Wolvercote than in Oxfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 61% of adults
20% of residents are 65 or over. Children under 15 make up 21%, higher than both Oxfordshire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%). The share aged 15 to 24 is 10%. Half of Wolvercote is older than 43.9, half younger.
43.9median age
WolvercoteOxfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
20%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications9%
Apprenticeship3%
A levels or similar11%
Degree level61%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 90 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Wolvercote | Oxfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 20% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 9.1% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 3.5% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 11% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 61% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Oxfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Wolvercote is more walkable than almost every UK town
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 56% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car took 54% of commuters, lower than both Oxfordshire’s towns (69%) and England’s towns (70%). 56% of workers did their job mainly from home at the census. Work in town: 1% of resident commuters. Income per household averages £71K a year, before tax.
42%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving54%
Bicycle17%
Bus16%
On foot7%
Train1%
56%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£71K
mean household income, before tax
2.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
A+
Walkability: more walkable than almost every UK town
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
HousingCost of living grade D−
Wolvercote is a town of owners: 72% of households own their home, above Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
Private renters make up 14% of households, below both Oxfordshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (21%). 11% of households live in social housing. Half of the 47 standard sales inside Wolvercote’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £625,000.
£625Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Wolvercote£625K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £670,000 | 7 |
| Semi-detached | £680,000 | 20 |
| Terraced | £625,000 | 15 |
| Flat or maisonette | £371,250 | 5 |
72%
of households own their home · England 61%
14%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,963
average private rent a month, Oxford council area
£2,672
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Health
Wolvercote’s life expectancy beats 96% of UK towns
A disability affects 14% of people in Wolvercote, and at the census, 3% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, below Oxfordshire’s towns (3.5%) and England’s towns (5.2%) alike. 87% of people in Wolvercote rate their own health good or very good. Seeing a GP means leaving Wolvercote: the nearest practice is 1.5 miles away.
87%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Wolvercote | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 87% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
83.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
91.4
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy and early deaths.
Safety
Burglary and damage hit Wolvercote harder than Oxfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 15.6 per 1,000 residents a year
48% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Violent crime ran at 36.7 per 1,000 residents a year, above both Oxfordshire’s towns (18.6) and England’s towns (22). Police figures for Wolvercote’s built-up area: 109 crimes and 8 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026.
36.7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 8% 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 & sexual52
Damage & arson17
Other theft9
Public order7
Vehicle crime7
Burglary6
Drugs5
Other crime4
Anti-social8
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.
36.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
15.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
109
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.
History
More of the land in Wolvercote is conservation area than in Oxfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 38%
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
18% of its homes were built before 1919, above both Oxfordshire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (16%). None of the 7 listed buildings reaches Grade II* or Grade I; all are Grade II. One scheduled monument lies in Wolvercote.
7listed buildingsB−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II7
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
18%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
53
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wolvercote
15pages on Wolvercote
The big questions
SafetyC−36.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingD−Median home £625K · rent £1,963 a monthHousing18 sold in 12 months · busiest street Godstow RoadSchoolsA+HealthALife expectancy 83.2 (men), 91.4 (women)Work & commuteA−64% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC−2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Wolvercote’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
YarntonKidlingtonEynshamChawleyOxfordWoodstockLong HanboroughWolvercote
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolvercote | 1,328 | — | — | D− | C− | A |
| Yarnton | 3,227 | 1.8 | A− | C− | B | B+ |
| Kidlington | 14,640 | 2.5 | A− | C | B− | B |
| Eynsham | 5,321 | 3.5 | A+ | C+ | B+ | A− |
| Chawley | 1,127 | 3.5 | — | C+ | A+ | A |
| Oxford | 170,799 | 3.6 | C+ | D | C− | C+ |
| Woodstock | 3,522 | 5.1 | A+ | C | B+ | A+ |
| Long Hanborough | 3,034 | 5.1 | A+ | C+ | A | A |
Chawley has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Wolvercote
Is Wolvercote expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £625,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £371,250, terraced houses £625,000, semi-detached houses £680,000 and detached houses £670,000.
Are schools in Wolvercote good?
GCSE results beat 97% of towns in England, and primary results beat 89% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Places are handled by Oxfordshire council.
How many listed buildings are there in Wolvercote?
That is 2.2 times the typical UK town for its size. It also has 1 scheduled monument.
About Wolvercote
Village in Oxfordshire, England
Wolvercote is a built-up area of 1,328 people, in the Oxford 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
- 1,328 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Oxford
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004409
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.