Town Pop. 361

Living in Houghton (Test Valley): Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Houghton (Test Valley) scores 41/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is economic health: 86/100 against a national town median of 67/100. Healthcare falls furthest short: 3/100 where the typical UK town reaches 18/100.

That makes it the 5th highest-scoring of the 11 places in the SO20 postcode district. Its economic health score runs 9 points above the SO20 district's 77/100. That is 9 points below the national benchmark of 50, the middle half of all UK towns and villages. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the SO20 postcode district.

41
OUT OF 100
Below Avg
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.

Houghton (Test Valley) scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Houghton (Test Valley).
Or compare:
SO20 6AA SO20 8AA SO20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
93
157.9 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 15 crimes
↑ 25% above national average
Vehicle crime 14 crimes
↑ 708% above national average
Burglary 11 crimes
↑ 771% above national average
Other theft 6 crimes
↑ 168% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 6 crimes
↑ 144% above national average
other 5 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Spitfire Lane 13 crimes
  2. 2 Paynes Lane 5 crimes
  3. 3 Chapel Lane 4 crimes

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

Environment
74
Air Quality NO₂ 4.61 · PM2.5 5.547 · PM10 8.726 µg/m³
78
Green Space 64
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 6
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
9

School inspection data is not available for this area.

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsRoyal Hampshire County Hospital8.1 mi
Southampton General Hospital10.7 mi
Salisbury District Hospital11.8 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust2.3 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66%
A&E seen within 4 hrs72.5%
Nearest GP surgeryStockbridge Practice2.1 mi
GP capacity960 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
53
Full fibre (FTTP)55.2%
available across Test Valley
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
80.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
80.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.2%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 16 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
86
Employment rate56.3%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.3%Unemployed2.2%Retired28.8%Student3.6%Other inactive9.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial48.9%Skilled & technical37.1%Routine & elementary14%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications11.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.5%Level 3 (A levels)14.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)46.5%Apprenticeship4.6%Other (incl. vocational)1.9%
Home ownership70.7%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
51
Council tax Test Valley · 2026-27
A £1,537
B £1,794
C £2,050
D £2,306
E £2,818
F £3,331
G £3,843
H £4,612
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 Wessex Water
Average bill regional £581/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
12
Mottisfont & Dunbridge 4 mi
Dean 6.1 mi
Romsey 6.6 mi
J11 M3 9.1 mi
J12 M3 9.2 mi
J11 M3 9.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
10
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Ample 8

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Houghton (Test Valley) 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

King's Somborne 43 1.4 mi away ⇄
Broughton (Test Valley) 41 2.0 mi away ⇄
Stockbridge 39 2.1 mi away ⇄
Longstock 42 3.3 mi away ⇄
Nether Wallop 34 3.7 mi away ⇄
West Tytherley 40 4.4 mi away ⇄
Timsbury (Test Valley) 41 4.4 mi away ⇄
Middle Wallop 37 4.5 mi away ⇄
Braishfield 42 4.8 mi away ⇄
Kentsboro 37 5.1 mi away ⇄
Westley 47 5.2 mi away ⇄
Awbridge 41 5.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Houghton (Test Valley) a nice place to live?

Houghton (Test Valley) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Houghton (Test Valley) is 41/100, placing it among a below-average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Houghton (Test Valley)?

Houghton (Test Valley) is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 93/100. There were 57 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Houghton (Test Valley) in context

See the best places to live in Hampshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Houghton (Test Valley)

SO20 38 ⇄

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