Town Pop. 1,311

Living in Harwell: Liveability Score 50/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Harwell comes out at 50/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 41/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Among the 11 scored places sharing the OX11 postcode district, Harwell ranks 4th.

It scores 10 points below the OX11 postcode district as a whole, which averages 60/100. Its lifestyle score runs 15 points below the OX11 district's 56/100. Safety (90) also clears 80/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the OX11 postcode district.

50
OUT OF 100
Average
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.

Harwell scores 50 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Harwell.
Or compare:
OX11 0AA OX11 1DA OX11 6AA OX11 7AA OX11 8AB OX11 9AA OX11

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
90
46.5 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 33 crimes
↓ 24% below national average
Public order 7 crimes
↓ 18% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 6 crimes
↓ 70% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 5 crimes
↓ 44% below national average
Burglary 3 crimes
↓ 34% below national average
other 7 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 The Park 15 crimes
  2. 2 Ash Crescent 6 crimes
  3. 3 The Styles 6 crimes

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

Environment
62
Air Quality NO₂ 7.43 · PM2.5 6.682 · PM10 12.418 µg/m³
72
Green Space 39
Parks Ample 19
Sports Pitches Adequate 2
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 5

Services

Schools
41
4 schools in area · 19 within 4km
3Good1Ungraded
  • Didcot Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Harwell Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • UTC OxfordshireSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Aureus SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded

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
18
A&E departmentsJohn Radcliffe Hospital11.4 mi
Royal Berkshire Hospital17.4 mi
Great Western Hospital18.8 mi
Hospital waitsBerkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust2 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks100%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99%
Nearest GP surgeryWoodlands Medical Centre1.5 mi
GP capacity2,379 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
59
Full fibre (FTTP)66.3%
available across Vale of White Horse
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
80.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
80.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 81 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
58
Employment rate58.9%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed58.9%Unemployed2.2%Retired23.5%Student3.6%Other inactive11.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial49.3%Skilled & technical30.6%Routine & elementary20%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)11.4%Level 3 (A levels)14.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)45.1%Apprenticeship4.8%Other (incl. vocational)1.3%
Home ownership64.5%
Among the least-deprived 31% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
35
Council tax Vale of White Horse · 2026-27
A £1,718
B £2,004
C £2,291
D £2,577
E £3,150
F £3,722
G £4,295
H £5,154
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
32
Didcot Parkway 2.3 mi
Appleford 3.5 mi
Culham 4.5 mi
J13 M4 10 mi
J13 M4 10.2 mi
J8A M40 12.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
41
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Some 2
Takeaways None
Fitness Ample 6

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £517,500 18
Detached £552,500 14
5-year monthly trend
All Detached
£411k £484k £559k £632k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Milton Hill 37 1.2 mi away ⇄
West Hagbourne 55 1.5 mi away ⇄
Milton (Vale of White Horse) 48 1.7 mi away ⇄
Chilton (Vale of White Horse) 42 1.9 mi away ⇄
Upton (Vale of White Horse) 38 2.0 mi away ⇄
East Hendred 39 2.0 mi away ⇄
Didcot 62 2.0 mi away ⇄
East Hagbourne 51 2.4 mi away ⇄
Steventon 36 2.4 mi away ⇄
West Hendred 45 2.6 mi away ⇄
Sutton Courtenay 48 2.8 mi away ⇄
Blewbury 42 3.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Harwell a nice place to live?

Harwell is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Harwell is 50/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Harwell?

Harwell is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 90/100. There were 61 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Harwell?

Among the top-rated schools in Harwell are Didcot Primary Academy, Harwell Primary School and UTC Oxfordshire, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Harwell in total.

What are house prices like in Harwell?

The current median house price in Harwell is £517,500, around 82% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £552,500. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 13%.

Harwell in context

See the best places to live in Oxfordshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Harwell

OX11 60 ⇄

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