Town Pop. 277

Living in Bucknell (Cherwell): Liveability Score 25/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Bucknell (Cherwell) comes out at 25/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 25/100 versus a median of 88/100. That places it last of the 7 scored places in the OX27 postcode district.

It scores 19 points below the OX27 postcode district as a whole, which averages 44/100. That is 25 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom 10% of all UK towns and villages. Healthcare (3), schools (12), transport (12) and lifestyle (18) all fall below 30/100. For the surrounding area, see OX27 postcode district.

25
OUT OF 100
Poor
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.

Bucknell (Cherwell) scores 25 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Bucknell (Cherwell).
Or compare:
OX27 0AA OX27 7AA OX27 8AA OX27 9AA OX27

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
25
1,119.1 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Other theft 146 crimes
↑ 8402% above national average
Violence and sexual offences 67 crimes
↑ 626% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 20 crimes
↑ 962% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 18 crimes
↑ 328% above national average
Public order 16 crimes
↑ 789% above national average
other 43 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Motorway Service Area 124 crimes
  2. 2 Petrol Station 56 crimes
  3. 3 Lemongrass Road 20 crimes

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

Environment
53
Air Quality NO₂ 5.831 · PM2.5 6.633 · PM10 12.023 µg/m³
73
Green Space 9
Parks Some 1
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
12

School inspection data is not available for this area.

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsThe Horton General Hospital10.8 mi
John Radcliffe Hospital11 mi
Stoke Mandeville Hospital18.3 mi
Hospital waitsBerkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust2.4 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks100%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99%
Nearest GP surgeryBicester Health Centre2.4 mi
GP capacity1,871 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

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
33
Full fibre (FTTP)78.8%
available across Cherwell
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
32.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
69.1%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 14 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
76
Employment rate72.1%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed72.1%Unemployed2.2%Retired15.4%Student3.1%Other inactive7.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial49.6%Skilled & technical32.4%Routine & elementary17.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12%Level 3 (A levels)15%Level 4+ (degree & above)44.9%Apprenticeship4.3%Other (incl. vocational)2%
Home ownership67.1%
Among the least-deprived 37% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
34
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 D
Water Thames Water
Average bill regional £489/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
12
Bicester North 2.2 mi
Bicester Village 2.8 mi
Heyford 4.9 mi
J10 M40 1.3 mi
J10 M40 2.3 mi
J9 M40 3.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
18
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Bucknell (Cherwell) in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Ardley and Fewcott 30 1.8 mi away ⇄
Bicester 66 2.2 mi away ⇄
Chesterton 47 2.6 mi away ⇄
Stratton Audley 39 2.9 mi away ⇄
Upper Heyford 43 3.0 mi away ⇄
Fritwell 40 3.1 mi away ⇄
Fringford 42 3.4 mi away ⇄
Launton 51 3.5 mi away ⇄
Wendlebury 40 3.7 mi away ⇄
Ambrosden 51 4.5 mi away ⇄
Lower Heyford 35 4.6 mi away ⇄
Weston-on-the-Green 37 4.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Bucknell (Cherwell) a nice place to live?

Bucknell (Cherwell) scores below average as a place to live. Our liveability score for Bucknell (Cherwell) is 25/100, placing it among one of the lower-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Bucknell (Cherwell)?

Crime levels in Bucknell (Cherwell) are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 25/100. There were 310 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Bucknell (Cherwell) in context

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Postcode districts in Bucknell (Cherwell)

OX27 44 ⇄

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