Town Pop. 1,414

Living in Lower Shiplake: Liveability Score 46/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Lower Shiplake is 46/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, economic health stands out most: 86/100 where the typical UK town scores 67/100. That makes it the 6th highest-scoring of the 13 places in the RG9 postcode district.

Safety (95) also clears 80/100. Healthcare (12), schools (22), lifestyle (25) and transport (26) all fall below 30/100. On the national picture that lands Lower Shiplake in the middle half of all the places we score. For the surrounding area, see RG9 postcode district.

46
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.

Lower Shiplake scores 46 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Lower Shiplake.
Or compare:
RG9 1AA RG9 2AA RG9 3AA RG9 4AA RG9 5AA RG9 6AA RG9 9BL RG9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
95
62.2 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 35 crimes
↓ 26% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 11 crimes
↑ 15% above national average
Public order 10 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 7 crimes
↓ 19% below national average
Burglary 7 crimes
↑ 43% above national average
other 18 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Park/Open Space 13 crimes
  2. 2 Long Dean 10 crimes
  3. 3 Devil'S Hill 6 crimes

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

Environment
60
Air Quality NO₂ 8.1 · PM2.5 6.9 · PM10 10.6 µg/m³
71
Green Space 32
Parks Adequate 4
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Ample 9
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
22
1 school in area · 12 within 4km
1Good
  • Shiplake Church of England SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good

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

Healthcare
12
A&E departmentsRoyal Berkshire Hospital4.7 mi
Wexham Park Hospital13.2 mi
Frimley Park Hospital14.1 mi
Hospital waitsBerkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust1.4 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks100%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99%
Nearest GP surgeryWargrave Practice1.4 mi
GP capacity1,422 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
61
Full fibre (FTTP)68%
available across South Oxfordshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 54 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
86
Employment rate55.8%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.8%Unemployed1.5%Retired26.4%Student7.9%Other inactive8.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial58%Skilled & technical30.7%Routine & elementary11.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications8.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)5.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.3%Level 3 (A levels)13.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)52%Apprenticeship3%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership75.8%
Among the least-deprived 15% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
33
Council tax South Oxfordshire · 2026-27
A £1,732
B £2,021
C £2,309
D £2,598
E £3,175
F £3,753
G £4,330
H £5,196
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
26
Shiplake 0.3 mi
Wargrave 1 mi
Henley-on-Thames 1.6 mi
J9B A404(M) 5.3 mi
J9B A404(M) 5.4 mi
J10 M4 5.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
25
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Lower Shiplake 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

Shiplake 49 0.9 mi away ⇄
Wargrave 49 1.1 mi away ⇄
Binfield Heath 38 1.7 mi away ⇄
Henley-on-Thames 55 1.8 mi away ⇄
Crazies Hill and Cockpole Green 45 1.8 mi away ⇄
Hare Hatch 56 2.2 mi away ⇄
Charvil 53 2.4 mi away ⇄
Twyford (Wokingham) 53 2.4 mi away ⇄
Knowl Hill 42 2.7 mi away ⇄
Sonning 47 3.0 mi away ⇄
Greenlands 28 3.6 mi away ⇄
Waltham St Lawrence 46 3.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Lower Shiplake a nice place to live?

Lower Shiplake has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Lower Shiplake is 46/100, 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 Lower Shiplake?

Lower Shiplake is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 95/100. There were 88 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Lower Shiplake?

Among the top-rated schools in Lower Shiplake is Shiplake Church of England School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Lower Shiplake in total.

Lower Shiplake in context

See the best places to live in Oxfordshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Lower Shiplake

RG9 49 ⇄

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