Area report
Is Vale of White Horse 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
Vale of White Horse scores 53 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 transport, 0 against 75.
- Nearest scored area: Abingdon-on-Thames, about 9 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, 20 km away); Lifestyle (amenities within about 2 km of this exact point); 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 Vale of White Horse 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
Vale of White Horse 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, 20 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: OpenStreetMapHealthcare data is being sourced. We only publish figures once they are loaded from OpenStreetMap, so nothing here is estimated or invented.
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: OpenStreetMapWhat is nearby
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Food and drink | 1 |
| Shops | 1 |
| Health services | 0 |
| Schools and learning | 2 |
| Parks and sport | 9 |
| Culture and community | 1 |
Counted from OpenStreetMap within about 2 km of this exact point; private gardens are not counted. Contains OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Who Vale of White Horse suits
Of the 3 profiles we score, Vale of White Horse suits remote workers best, at 60 out of 100.
Vale of White Horse suits most households about equally: from the bottom 14% for remote workers to the bottom 5% for young professionals of the 539 areas we have scored.
| Household | Score | Standing | What it weights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote workers | 60 | bottom 14% | Weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. |
| Retirees | 54 | bottom 10% | Weighted towards healthcare, safety, environment and cost of living. |
| Families | 54 | bottom 7% | Weighted towards schools, safety, housing and healthcare. |
| Students | 49 | bottom 6% | Weighted towards cost of living, lifestyle, transport and safety. |
| Young professionals | 53 | bottom 5% | Weighted towards employment, lifestyle, transport and broadband. |
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
- Transport
- Education
- Lifestyle
Built only from the categories with data; 2 are still to load for this area.
How Vale of White Horse compares
| Category | Vale of White Horse | 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 | 0 | 75 | 75 | -75 | bottom 1% |
| Broadband | 90 | 88 | 88 | +2 | top 44% |
| Environment | 93 | 89 | 91 | +4 | top 40% |
| Education | 43 | 39 | 40 | +4 | top 35% |
| Lifestyle | 11 | 56 | 54 | -45 | bottom 1% |
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 Vale of White Horse does well. Measured against everywhere else in the index, the standouts are weather (80, 8 above the median).
Where it falls short. Transport (0, 75 below), lifestyle (11, 45 below) and affordability (27, 37 below).
Near Vale of White Horse, and places like it
Of the 6 scored areas within about 50 miles of Vale of White Horse, 6 score higher: Swindon (69), Witney (61), Newbury (60) and 3 others. Vale of White Horse scores 53. Swindon is ahead mainly on transport (+86), while Vale of White Horse keeps the advantage on employment (+9).
| Area | Distance | Where | Overall | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abingdon-on-Thames | 9.1 miles | Vale of White Horse, South East, England | 58 | Good |
| Witney | 9.3 miles | West Oxfordshire, South East, England | 61 | Good |
| Didcot | 11 miles | South Oxfordshire, South East, England | 58 | Good |
| Oxford | 12 miles | Oxford, South East, England | 54 | Fair |
| Swindon | 14 miles | Swindon, South West, England | 69 | Good |
| Newbury | 19 miles | West Berkshire, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romford | Dorset, South West, England | 62 | 11.2 |
| Romsey | Test Valley, South East, England | 61 | 11.8 |
| Bracknell | Bracknell Forest, South East, England | 58 | 12.8 |
| Ilford | Somerset, South West, England | 63 | 13.1 |
| Coalville | North West Leicestershire, East Midlands, England | 65 | 13.4 |
Average score gap across every category both areas have, so smaller is closer. Neighbouring areas are left out.
What a home in Vale of White Horse actually costs
Source: HM Land Registry UK HPIThe average home in Vale of White Horse 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 Vale of White Horse, against the limits
Source: Defra modelled background mapsFine particulates, at 6.2, 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 4.7, is well inside the UK limit of 40 and inside the WHO guideline of 10.
| Pollutant | Vale of White Horse | UK objective | WHO guideline | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine particulates (PM2.5) | 6.2 | 10 | 5 | Inside the UK target, above the WHO guideline |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 4.7 | 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 Vale of White Horse
Is Vale of White Horse a good place to live?
Vale of White Horse has an overall liveability score of 53 out of 100 (fair) 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 Vale of White Horse?
Recorded crime for Vale of White Horse 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 Vale of White Horse?
Vale of White Horse 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, 20 km away.
How expensive is it to live in Vale of White Horse?
Average private rent in the Vale of White Horse area is about £1,336 a month (Jun-26, ONS), giving Vale of White Horse 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 Vale of White Horse?
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 Vale of White Horse?
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 Vale of White Horse?
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 Vale of White Horse?
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 Vale of White Horse?
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 Vale of White Horse?
For the 1 km grid square containing Vale of White Horse, fine particulates (PM2.5) average 6.2 µg/m³ against a World Health Organization guideline of 5 and nitrogen dioxide averages 4.71 µg/m³ against a guideline of 10 (2024, Defra Pollution Climate Mapping, Crown copyright). That gives an environment score of 93 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.
What is there to do in Vale of White Horse?
Within about two kilometres of this point there are 14 mapped amenities, including 1 places to eat and drink, 1 shops, 9 parks and sports facilities and 1 cultural and community venues, giving a lifestyle score of 11 out of 100. Counts come from OpenStreetMap and are measured at this exact location rather than averaged across the council, so they reflect how well served this particular spot is. Contains OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Does Vale of White Horse have good transport links?
The nearest railway station is Appleford Rail Station, about 17.1 km away, and there are 0 bus, tram or metro stops within an 800 metre walk, giving a transport score of 0 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 Vale of White Horse in?
Vale of White Horse is in the Vale of White Horse local authority, South East, England. It falls within the Stanford ward and the Didcot and Wantage 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 Vale of White Horse a good place for remote workers?
Vale of White Horse scores 60 out of 100 on our remote workers profile, which is weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. That is 7 points above its general score of 53, because this profile weights the twelve categories differently. Every area we score is ranked on this basis at /best-places-for-remote-workers/.
Is Vale of White Horse a good place for young professionals?
Vale of White Horse scores 53 out of 100 on our young professionals profile, which is weighted towards employment, lifestyle, transport and broadband. That is close to its general score of 53, so the weighting neither flatters nor penalises this area.
How does Vale of White Horse compare with the rest of England?
Vale of White Horse sits in the bottom 7% 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 transport, lifestyle and affordability. 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 Vale of White Horse?
Of the areas we have scored within about 50 miles of Vale of White Horse, the highest are Swindon (69 out of 100, about 14 miles away), Witney (61 out of 100, about 9 miles away) and Newbury (60 out of 100, about 19 miles away). Vale of White Horse itself scores 53. Distances are straight-line from this point, and each of those names links to its own full report.
Which places are most similar to Vale of White Horse?
Across the twelve category scores, the closest matches elsewhere in Britain are Romford (Dorset, South West, England), Romsey (Test Valley, South East, England) and Bracknell (Bracknell Forest, 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.