Woodcote’s story
16 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Woodcote’s built-up area.
7% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
WoodcoteOxfordshire
The village has 2,198 residents and lies in Oxfordshire, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Colin Bates · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,198
Census 2021 · South Oxfordshire council
Median home
£466K
68 sales in 3 years
Median age
48.6
24% are 65+ · Oxfordshire 18%
Degree level
41%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
14%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Woodcote a good place to live?
Health is its strong suit (A+) — life expectancy is 82.3 for men and 85.3 for women. The median home sold for £466,250, 6.7 times what households in the South Oxfordshire council area earn in a year. Jobs & income is another plus — mean household income £75,790; 1.7% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Natural hazards weigh less here than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. Below 2,500 residents there is no overall grade, so Woodcote has its subject grades alone.
What makes Woodcote stand out
The 3 things Woodcote does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including The Oratory School; 3 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
14% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.7 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
How Woodcote grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Woodcote is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Below 2,500 residents there is no overall grade, so Woodcote has its subject grades alone.
HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedA+Open →Jobs & incomeAmong the best of the towns comparedAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 76% of towns in England; secondary results beat 92% of towns in EnglandAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyGraded on crime per residentB+Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnC+Open →WalkabilityAbout average among the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageC+Open →Outdoors84% live within 400 m of a park; 99% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeB+Open →Civic life2.3 local charities per 1,000 residents; 100% live within 1 km of a libraryAOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Woodcote.
Health
Lifespans in Woodcote run longer than in 80% of UK towns
Seeing a GP means leaving Woodcote: the nearest practice is 2.6 miles away. Disability touches 14% of the town’s population. The nearest A&E to Woodcote is Royal Berkshire Hospital, 7.4 miles away. At the census, 3.4% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, about level with Oxfordshire’s towns (3.5%) and below England’s towns (5.2%).
86%good or very good healthA+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Woodcote | Oxfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.4% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
82.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.3
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
Safety
Per resident, Woodcote sees less crime than 71% of UK towns
Police recorded 100 crimes inside Woodcote’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 22 reports of anti-social behaviour. Of all the crimes, 53% were violence and sexual offences. Violence came to 17.4 per 1,000 residents a year, below Oxfordshire’s towns (19) and England’s towns (22) alike.
17.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 52% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual53
Shoplifting17
Damage & arson10
Other theft7
Public order5
Burglary2
Drugs2
Other crime2
Anti-social22
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.
17.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
100
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
Listed buildings in Woodcote: 16
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Homes built before 1919 account for 7% of the housing. Grade II* covers 1 of them. Per 10,000 residents, Woodcote counts 73 listed buildings.
16listed buildingsC+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II15
Among them · Grade II*
- The Oratory School Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
7%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
73
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C+
Few households rent privately in Woodcote: 9%, fewer than in both Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
75% of households own their home, higher than both Oxfordshire’s towns (63%) and England’s towns (61%). The median sale, £466,250, comes from 68 standard sales inside Woodcote’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026. Private rents average £1,402 a month across the South Oxfordshire council area.
£466Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Woodcote£466K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £619,250 | 30 |
| Semi-detached | £392,500 | 26 |
| Terraced | £362,500 | 10 |
75%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,402
average private rent a month, South Oxfordshire council area
£2,586
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
Under 5 km to work: 26% in Woodcote, fewer than in both Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 40% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
14% of commuters left the car at home at the census, walking, cycling or taking public transport. About 1% of its commuters stay in Woodcote for work. Driving is how 84% of commuters got to work at the census.
14%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
On foot9%
Train2%
Bicycle1%
Bus1%
26%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
40%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£76K
mean household income, before tax
1.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 51% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
An older town: 24% of people in Woodcote are 65 or over, more than in both Oxfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
9.9% of residents are 15 to 24, below both Oxfordshire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (12%). The median resident of Woodcote is 48.6 years old. Among adults, 41% have a degree.
48.6median age
WoodcoteOxfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
24%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications13%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level41%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Woodcote | Oxfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.9% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 24% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.5% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 41% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Oxfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Basildon Park and 3 more in and around Woodcote
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Woodcote. Best known first.
Historic house · National TrustBasildon Park3.9 km outside town, to the southwest
Historic houseBraziers Park2 km outside town, to the north
Historic houseMapledurham House4.9 km outside town, to the southeast
ZooBeale Park3.5 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)
- Basildon Park: grumpylumixuser, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Braziers Park: Sciencebloke, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mapledurham House: Motmit, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Beale Park: Brian Robert Marshall, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Woodcote
14pages on Woodcote
The big questions
SafetyB+17.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £466K · rent £1,402 a monthHousing20 sold in 12 months · busiest street Whitehouse RoadSchoolsAHealthA+Life expectancy 82.3 (men), 85.3 (women)Work & commuteA56% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Woodcote’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
GoringPangbourneSonning CommonUpper BasildonCholseyCrowmarsh GiffordWallingfordWoodcote
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodcote | 2,198 | — | — | C+ | B+ | A+ |
| Goring | 3,434 | 2.5 | A+ | C | A | A+ |
| Pangbourne | 3,279 | 3.3 | A− | C | B− | A+ |
| Sonning Common | 5,264 | 4.1 | A | C | A− | A |
| Upper Basildon | 1,074 | 4.3 | — | C | A | A+ |
| Cholsey | 3,776 | 4.4 | A | B− | B | A |
| Crowmarsh Gifford | 1,329 | 4.9 | — | C+ | B− | A |
| Wallingford | 8,455 | 5.5 | A− | B− | B− | B+ |
Upper Basildon 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 Woodcote
How many listed buildings are there in Woodcote?
That is 3 times the typical UK town for its size.
Are schools in Woodcote good?
GCSE results beat 92% of towns in England, and primary results beat 76% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Places are handled by Oxfordshire council.
Is Woodcote expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £466,250, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £362,500, semi-detached houses £392,500 and detached houses £619,250.
About Woodcote
Village in Oxfordshire, England
Woodcote is a built-up area of 2,198 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
- 2,198 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Oxfordshire
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi (1.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004900
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.