Town Pop. 1,548

Living in Sonning: Liveability Score 47/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Sonning is 47/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, schools stands out most: 41/100 where the typical UK town scores 23/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 18/100 versus a median of 60/100.

That makes it the 5th highest-scoring of the 8 places in the RG4 postcode district. It scores 20 points below the RG4 postcode district as a whole, which averages 67/100. On schools specifically, Sonning sits 17 points below the RG4 district figure of 58/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: RG4 postcode district.

47
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.

Sonning scores 47 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Sonning.
Or compare:
RG4 5AA RG4 6AA RG4 7AA RG4 8AA RG4 9AA RG4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
93
82 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 52 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Burglary 17 crimes
↑ 214% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 14 crimes
↑ 32% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 10 crimes
↓ 57% below national average
Other theft 9 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 25 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Park/Open Space 13 crimes
  2. 2 Long Dean 10 crimes
  3. 3 Heath Drive 6 crimes

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

Environment
60
Air Quality NO₂ 9.5 · PM2.5 7.1 · PM10 10.9 µg/m³
70
Green Space 37
Parks Ample 7
Sports Pitches Adequate 4
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Ample 12
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
41
7 schools in area · 37 within 4km
2Outstanding4Good1Ungraded
  • Addington SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Outstanding
  • Sonning Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • WaingelsSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Willow Bank Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Willow Bank Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • The Bulmershe SchoolSecondary
    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
17
A&E departmentsRoyal Berkshire Hospital1.9 mi
Frimley Park Hospital12.1 mi
Wexham Park Hospital14.7 mi
Hospital waitsBerkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust1 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks100%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99%
Nearest GP surgeryWoodley Centre Surgery1.1 mi
GP capacity2,315 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
18
Full fibre (FTTP)81.9%
available across Wokingham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
69.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
69.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 43 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
80
Employment rate58.6%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed58.6%Unemployed1.3%Retired26.2%Student4.6%Other inactive9.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial55.7%Skilled & technical31.9%Routine & elementary12.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications10.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)6.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)11.5%Level 3 (A levels)13%Level 4+ (degree & above)51.1%Apprenticeship4.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership70.5%
Among the least-deprived 18% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
42
Council tax Wokingham · 2026-27
A £1,665
B £1,943
C £2,220
D £2,498
E £3,053
F £3,608
G £4,163
H £4,996
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
36
Earley 2 mi
Twyford 2.1 mi
Winnersh Triangle 2.4 mi
J10 M4 3.6 mi
J10 M4 3.7 mi
J11 M4 4.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
30
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Sonning 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

Charvil 53 1.2 mi away ⇄
Woodley 68 1.2 mi away ⇄
Shiplake 49 2.1 mi away ⇄
Twyford (Wokingham) 53 2.2 mi away ⇄
Binfield Heath 38 2.4 mi away ⇄
Caversham 69 2.7 mi away ⇄
Winnersh 59 2.9 mi away ⇄
Wargrave 49 2.9 mi away ⇄
Hurst 45 3.0 mi away ⇄
Lower Shiplake 46 3.0 mi away ⇄
Hare Hatch 56 3.3 mi away ⇄
Chalkhouse Green 45 3.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Sonning a nice place to live?

Sonning has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Sonning is 47/100, 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 Sonning?

Sonning is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 93/100. There were 127 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Sonning?

Among the top-rated schools in Sonning are Addington School and St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 7 rated schools in Sonning in total.

Sonning in context

See the best places to live in Berkshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Sonning

RG4 67 ⇄

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