Area report
Is Abingdon-on-Thames a good place to live?
Vale of White Horse, South East, England
Report completeness: 85%. Score is based on the categories with data loaded for this area.
In short
Abingdon-on-Thames scores 59 out of 100 overall, which places it below the median of the 539 UK areas we have scored. Its biggest lead is weather, scoring 80 against the English median of 72; its biggest shortfall is affordability, 27 against 64.
- Nearest scored area: Didcot, about 5 miles away, scoring 58.
- Median overall score across the 539 areas in our index: 67 out of 100.
- Report completeness 85 per cent: categories without data are excluded rather than estimated.
How detailed is this report?
Open data is published at different levels of detail, and this report always uses the most granular level available rather than pretending otherwise.
- Point-level for this exact location: Weather (from the Met Office Oxford station, 10 km away); Healthcare (facilities within about 2 km, hospitals within about 8 km); Transport (stops within 800 m and the nearest railway station); Air quality (the 1 km grid cell containing this point).
- Council-level, covering all of Vale of White Horse: Cost of living, Affordability, Housing, Employment, Broadband, Education. Every postcode and town in the council shares these figures.
Research this area further with trusted open data: police.uk street-level crime map, HM Land Registry sold prices, ONS local area profiles, Ofcom broadband checker. This report is open-source intelligence: everything is built from published government and public datasets you can check yourself.
Affordability
Source: HM Land RegistryWith a ten per cent deposit, the average Abingdon-on-Thames home needs borrowing of 9.5 times a single UK median full-time salary of £39,039, beyond the 4.5 times most lenders will go to, so it takes a second income or a larger deposit. Try your own figures below.
Guidance only, using standard lending multiples and typical outgoings. Not a mortgage offer or financial advice. TrackPostcode.UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority; always seek independent professional advice before financial decisions.
Housing
Source: HM Land RegistryUK House Price Index for Vale of White Horse, all property types. Steady growth scores best; sharp falls and overheating both score lower.
Crime and safety
Source: police.ukCrime data could not be loaded for this location.
Weather and outdoors
Source: Met OfficeOutdoor suitability
Abingdon-on-Thames averages about 1,702 sunshine hours a year, towards the sunnier end of the UK range, with relatively low rainfall for the UK (about 750 mm a year). Summer days typically reach around 23°C and winter nights fall to about 3.2°C.
Averages over 6 years (2020-2025) from the Met Office Oxford station, 10 km away. How the outdoor score works. Contains Met Office data © Crown copyright.
Broadband and mobile
Source: Ofcom Connected NationsOfcom Connected Nations coverage for Vale of White Horse: the share of premises that can get each service, not the share that has taken it up.
Schools and education
Source: DfE and devolved governmentsLocal authority average, key stage 4, state-funded schools. Source: Department for Education. Each nation publishes its own measure, so this compares within England only. How education is scored.
Healthcare
Source: OpenStreetMapCounted from OpenStreetMap around this exact point; a nearby GP and pharmacy carry the most weight. How it is scored. Contains OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Employment
Source: ONS / NOMISONS Annual Population Survey for Vale of White Horse, via NOMIS. Most UK councils fall between about 62% and 82% employment.
Environment
Source: Defra UK-AIRDefra modelled background air for the 1 km grid cell around this point (Crown copyright), scored against the WHO 2021 guidelines.
Transport
Source: DfT NaPTANDfT NaPTAN stops around this exact point. Twelve or more stops within 800 m, and a station within 1 km, each earn full marks.
Cost of living
Source: ONSAverage private rent, from the ONS Price Index of Private Rents. Rent stands in for cost of living because it is the largest living cost and the one that varies most between places.
Lifestyle and amenities
Source: OpenStreetMapLifestyle data is being sourced. We only publish figures once they are loaded from OpenStreetMap, so nothing here is estimated or invented.
Who Abingdon-on-Thames suits
Of the 1 profiles we score, Abingdon-on-Thames suits remote workers best, at 63 out of 100.
Abingdon-on-Thames suits most households about equally: from the bottom 18% for remote workers to the bottom 15% for families of the 539 areas we have scored.
| Household | Score | Standing | What it weights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote workers | 63 | bottom 18% | Weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. |
| Young professionals | 61 | bottom 18% | Weighted towards employment, lifestyle, transport and broadband. |
| Retirees | 58 | bottom 16% | Weighted towards healthcare, safety, environment and cost of living. |
| Students | 57 | bottom 16% | Weighted towards cost of living, lifestyle, transport and safety. |
| Families | 58 | bottom 15% | Weighted towards schools, safety, housing and healthcare. |
The same twelve scores, weighted per household. Set your own weights in the relocation quiz.
Stands out on
- Weather
- Broadband
- Environment
Worth checking carefully
- Affordability
- Education
Built only from the categories with data; 2 are still to load for this area.
How Abingdon-on-Thames compares
| Category | Abingdon-on-Thames | England median | UK median | vs England median | UK position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 51 | 71 | 72 | -20 | bottom 18% |
| Affordability | 27 | 64 | 68 | -37 | bottom 12% |
| Weather | 80 | 72 | 72 | +8 | top 14% |
| Employment | 66 | 61 | 59 | +5 | top 27% |
| Housing | 70 | 83 | 83 | -13 | bottom 28% |
| Transport | 60 | 75 | 75 | -15 | bottom 11% |
| Broadband | 90 | 88 | 88 | +2 | top 44% |
| Environment | 88 | 89 | 91 | -1 | bottom 37% |
| Healthcare | 50 | 54 | 52 | -4 | bottom 46% |
| Education | 43 | 39 | 40 | +4 | top 35% |
Medians and positions are across the 539 areas in our index. Safety and education are measured differently in each nation, so read those two rows against the England median only.
What Abingdon-on-Thames does well. Measured against everywhere else in the index, the standouts are weather (80, 8 above the median).
Where it falls short. Affordability (27, 37 below), cost of living (51, 20 below) and transport (60, 15 below).
Near Abingdon-on-Thames, and places like it
Of the 6 scored areas within about 50 miles of Abingdon-on-Thames, 4 score higher: Bicester (67), Witney (61), Newbury (60) and Reading (60). Abingdon-on-Thames scores 59. Bicester is ahead mainly on housing (+23).
| Area | Distance | Where | Overall | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Didcot | 4.7 miles | South Oxfordshire, South East, England | 58 | Good |
| Oxford | 5.7 miles | Oxford, South East, England | 54 | Fair |
| Witney | 12 miles | West Oxfordshire, South East, England | 61 | Good |
| Bicester | 17 miles | Cherwell, South East, England | 67 | Good |
| Newbury | 19 miles | West Berkshire, South East, England | 60 | Good |
| Reading | 20 miles | Reading, South East, England | 60 | Good |
Straight-line distances, so roads are longer. Any place not listed can be searched directly.
| Area | Where | Overall | Average gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haywards Heath | Mid Sussex, South East, England | 58 | 4.3 |
| Burgess Hill | Mid Sussex, South East, England | 59 | 5.3 |
| Romsey | Test Valley, South East, England | 61 | 5.4 |
| Bracknell | Bracknell Forest, South East, England | 58 | 6.2 |
| Horsham | Horsham, South East, England | 57 | 7 |
Average score gap across every category both areas have, so smaller is closer. Neighbouring areas are left out.
What a home in Abingdon-on-Thames actually costs
Source: HM Land Registry UK HPIThe average home in Abingdon-on-Thames is £414,441, 53 per cent above the median of the areas we have scored. With a ten per cent deposit of £41,444, repaying the rest costs about £2,403 a month, £1,067 more than renting at the local average of £1,336, and needs a household income of about £82,900 to borrow.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average property price | £414,441 (June 2026) |
| Change over 12 months | +6.3%, rising |
| Against our index median | 53% above the £270,569 median across every area we have scored |
| 10% deposit | £41,444 |
| 15% deposit | £62,166 |
| Price to earnings | 10.6 times UK median full-time earnings of £39,039 |
| Monthly repayment | £2,403 on a £372,997 mortgage (10% deposit, 6% over 25 years) |
| Against renting | £1,067 more than the £1,336 average monthly rent |
| Income to borrow it | About £82,900 a year at 4.5 times income |
Council-wide average across all property types; the multiple uses UK median full-time earnings (April 2025 (ONS ASHE)). Illustrative arithmetic, not a mortgage assessment or financial advice; TrackPostcode.UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Air quality in Abingdon-on-Thames, against the limits
Source: Defra modelled background mapsFine particulates, at 7.0, sit inside the UK 2040 target of 10 but above the World Health Organization guideline of 5, as in most of Britain. Nitrogen dioxide, at 9.0, is well inside the UK limit of 40 and inside the WHO guideline of 10.
| Pollutant | Abingdon-on-Thames | UK objective | WHO guideline | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine particulates (PM2.5) | 7.0 | 10 | 5 | Inside the UK target, above the WHO guideline |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 9.0 | 40 | 10 | Inside both |
Neighbourhood background levels from the Defra 1 km model; readings beside a busy road are higher. UK figures are the legal limit (NO₂) and 2040 target (PM2.5); WHO figures are health guidelines, not law.
Questions about Abingdon-on-Thames
Is Abingdon-on-Thames a good place to live?
Abingdon-on-Thames has an overall liveability score of 59 out of 100 (good) on TrackPostcode.UK, based on 85% of categories currently loaded. It scores best on broadband and weather. The score combines cost, affordability, safety, weather and more from open government data.
What is the crime rate in Abingdon-on-Thames?
Recorded crime for Abingdon-on-Thames is shown in the crime and safety section, from police.uk for England and Wales or Scottish Government statistics for Scotland.
What is the weather like in Abingdon-on-Thames?
Abingdon-on-Thames averages 1,702 sunshine hours and about 750 mm of rain a year, giving an outdoor score of 80 out of 100. Summer highs average 23°C and winter lows 3.2°C. Based on the Met Office Oxford station, 10 km away.
How expensive is it to live in Abingdon-on-Thames?
Average private rent in the Vale of White Horse area is about £1,336 a month (Jun-26, ONS), giving Abingdon-on-Thames a cost-of-living score of 51 out of 100. Use the affordability calculator to estimate what you could comfortably afford here.
What are house prices like in Abingdon-on-Thames?
The average property price in Vale of White Horse is about £414,441 (2026-06, HM Land Registry). Prices changed +6.3% over the year. See the affordability section for how that compares to local earnings.
Can I afford to buy a house in Abingdon-on-Thames?
The average property in Vale of White Horse costs about £414,441, which is 10.6 times earnings against assumed full-time earnings of £39,039 a year (ONS ASHE), giving an affordability score of 27 out of 100. Mainstream lenders usually cap borrowing at around four to four and a half times income, so a ratio above that generally means a larger deposit, a second income or a cheaper property than the local average. With a ten per cent deposit, repaying the rest costs about £2,403 a month at 6% over 25 years, £1,067 more than the £1,336 average local rent. The affordability calculator on this page estimates it from your own salary and savings.
How fast is broadband in Abingdon-on-Thames?
About 98.6% of premises in Vale of White Horse can get superfast broadband of 30 Mbit/s or more, and 86.9% can get a gigabit-capable connection, giving a broadband score of 90 out of 100 (Ofcom Connected Nations). These are council-area availability figures - the share of premises able to order each service, not the speed any single line achieves - so check the exact address with the Ofcom broadband checker before committing to it.
What is the job market like in Abingdon-on-Thames?
79.3% of 16 to 64 year olds in Vale of White Horse are in work (NOMIS latest, retrieved Sep 2026, ONS Annual Population Survey via NOMIS), giving an employment score of 66 out of 100. UK local authorities typically range from about 62% to 82%. This is a whole-authority figure, so it describes the local labour market rather than any one town within it.
Are the schools good in Abingdon-on-Thames?
Vale of White Horse records 47.4 on Attainment 8 average score (202425), giving an education score of 43 out of 100. Each nation publishes its own attainment measure and they are not interchangeable, so education scores compare within England, Scotland or Wales and not across them. Attainment is published for the whole council or county rather than for a school catchment, so check individual schools with the inspectorate before deciding.
What is the air quality like in Abingdon-on-Thames?
For the 1 km grid square containing Abingdon-on-Thames, fine particulates (PM2.5) average 6.95 µg/m³ against a World Health Organization guideline of 5 and nitrogen dioxide averages 9.04 µg/m³ against a guideline of 10 (2024, Defra Pollution Climate Mapping, Crown copyright). That gives an environment score of 88 out of 100; an area meeting both guideline levels scores 100. These are modelled background concentrations for the square, not a reading taken at the roadside.
Are there GPs and dentists near Abingdon-on-Thames?
Within about two kilometres of this point there are 3 GP surgeries, 5 pharmacies and 3 dentists. 4 hospitals are within about eight kilometres. That gives a healthcare score of 50 out of 100. Facilities are counted from OpenStreetMap and the score describes how close services are, not waiting times, capacity or clinical quality.
Does Abingdon-on-Thames have good transport links?
The nearest railway station is Radley Rail Station, about 3.3 km away, and there are 24 bus, tram or metro stops within an 800 metre walk, giving a transport score of 60 out of 100. Stops come from the DfT NaPTAN dataset and are counted for this exact point, so the figure measures access rather than how frequently anything runs.
Which council area is Abingdon-on-Thames in?
Abingdon-on-Thames is in the Vale of White Horse local authority, South East, England. It falls within the Abingdon Abbey Northcourt ward and the Oxford West and Abingdon parliamentary constituency. Cost of living, housing, affordability, employment, broadband and education figures in this report are published at local-authority level, so every postcode and town inside Vale of White Horse shares them. Weather, crime, amenities, healthcare, transport and air quality are measured for this point instead.
Is Abingdon-on-Thames a good place for remote workers?
Abingdon-on-Thames scores 63 out of 100 on our remote workers profile, which is weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. That is 4 points above its general score of 59, because this profile weights the twelve categories differently. Every area we score is ranked on this basis at /best-places-for-remote-workers/.
How does Abingdon-on-Thames compare with the rest of England?
Abingdon-on-Thames sits in the bottom 16% of the 539 UK areas we have scored. The median area in the index scores 67 out of 100. It is furthest above the benchmark for its nation on weather. It is furthest below on affordability, cost of living and transport. Categories are compared against the area's own nation where the samples allow it, because crime and school attainment are measured differently either side of the border.
What are the best places to live near Abingdon-on-Thames?
Of the areas we have scored within about 50 miles of Abingdon-on-Thames, the highest are Bicester (67 out of 100, about 17 miles away), Witney (61 out of 100, about 12 miles away) and Newbury (60 out of 100, about 19 miles away). Abingdon-on-Thames itself scores 59. Distances are straight-line from this point, and each of those names links to its own full report.
Which places are most similar to Abingdon-on-Thames?
Across the twelve category scores, the closest matches elsewhere in Britain are Haywards Heath (Mid Sussex, South East, England), Burgess Hill (Mid Sussex, South East, England) and Romsey (Test Valley, South East, England). Similarity is the average gap across every category both areas have data for, with immediate neighbours excluded, so these are places that score alike rather than places that look alike or sit nearby.
What area does this report cover?
Weather, crime, local amenities, healthcare access, transport access and air quality are measured for this exact point. Cost of living, affordability, housing, employment and broadband come from official statistics for the Vale of White Horse council area, so nearby postcodes and towns in the same council share those figures. Education comes from the local authority, or from the county where attainment is only published at county level. The "How detailed is this report" section explains each level.