Town Pop. 30,860

Living in Bicester: Liveability Score 66/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Bicester comes out at 66/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 70/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. That is the highest score of the 13 places in the OX25 postcode district.

No category drops below 40/100, which is unusual: most UK towns carry at least one clear weak spot. Against the wider OX25 district average of 38/100, that is 28 points above. Its lifestyle score runs 41 points above the OX25 district's 29/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the OX25 postcode district.

66
OUT OF 100
Good
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Bicester scores 66 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Bicester.
Or compare:
OX25 1AA OX25 2AA OX25 3AA OX25 4AA OX25 5AA OX25 6AA OX25 OX26 OX27

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
83
60.5 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 804 crimes
↓ 22% below national average
Other theft 240 crimes
↑ 26% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 154 crimes
↓ 67% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 140 crimes
↓ 34% below national average
Shoplifting 130 crimes
↓ 46% below national average
other 399 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Motorway Service Area 124 crimes
  2. 2 Petrol Station 80 crimes
  3. 3 Supermarket 41 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment
69
Air Quality NO₂ 6.8 · PM2.5 6.9 · PM10 11.7 µg/m³
72
Green Space 63
Parks Ample 90
Sports Pitches Ample 23
Allotments Ample 6
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 85

Services

Schools
57
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 17 in area · 18 within 4km
14Good1Requires Improvement2Ungraded
  • Bardwell SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Brookside Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Bure Park Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Chesterton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Gagle Brook Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Glory Farm Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • King's Meadow Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Langford Village Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Longfields Primary and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Southwold Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
53
A&E departmentsJohn Radcliffe Hospital8.1 mi
The Horton General Hospital12 mi
Stoke Mandeville Hospital15.4 mi
Hospital waitsBerkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks100%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99%
3 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,936 patients per GP
6dentists6pharmacies

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband
82
Full fibre (FTTP)78.8%
available across Cherwell
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
92.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
92.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 829 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
76
Employment rate69.2%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed69.2%Unemployed2.3%Retired17.2%Student3.2%Other inactive8.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial40.9%Skilled & technical31.2%Routine & elementary27.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.7%Level 3 (A levels)17%Level 4+ (degree & above)33.5%Apprenticeship5.3%Other (incl. vocational)2.9%
Home ownership68.1%
Among the least-deprived 23% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
40
Council tax Cherwell · 2026-27
A £1,722
B £2,009
C £2,296
D £2,583
E £3,157
F £3,731
G £4,305
H £5,166
Energy Southern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Thames Water
Average bill regional £489/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
54
Bicester North 0.2 mi
Bicester Village 0.6 mi
Tackley 6.3 mi
J9 M40 2.8 mi
J9 M40 3 mi
J10 M40 3.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
70
Pubs & Bars Ample 18
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 47
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 28
Retail Shopping Ample 279
Takeaways Ample 38
Fitness Ample 8

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House Prices

Current median sale prices · last 12 months · England & Wales only

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £350,000 301
Detached £500,000 84
Semi-detached £370,000 85
Terraced £297,000 108
Flat / Maisonette £228,500 24
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£158k £279k £403k £524k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (OGL v3.0)

Nearby places

Launton 51 1.6 mi away ⇄
Chesterton 47 1.7 mi away ⇄
Bucknell (Cherwell) 25 2.2 mi away ⇄
Ambrosden 51 2.3 mi away ⇄
Wendlebury 40 2.5 mi away ⇄
Stratton Audley 39 2.5 mi away ⇄
Blackthorn 51 3.1 mi away ⇄
Upper Arncott 22 3.9 mi away ⇄
Marsh Gibbon 42 4.0 mi away ⇄
Ardley and Fewcott 30 4.0 mi away ⇄
Fringford 42 4.0 mi away ⇄
Weston-on-the-Green 37 4.1 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Bicester a nice place to live?

Yes, Bicester is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Bicester is 66/100, placing it among one of the better-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Bicester?

Bicester is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 83/100. There were 1,867 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Bicester?

Among the top-rated schools in Bicester are Bardwell School, Brookside Primary School and Bure Park Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 17 rated schools in Bicester in total.

What are house prices like in Bicester?

The current median house price in Bicester is £350,000, around 23% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £500,000, semi-detached £370,000, terraced £297,000, flat £228,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 2%. There were 301 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Bicester in context

See where Bicester ranks among the best places to live in Oxfordshire

Postcode districts in Bicester

OX25 38 ⇄
OX26 67 ⇄
OX27 44 ⇄

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