Town Pop. 4,926

Living in Sonning Common: Liveability Score 52/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Sonning Common scores 52/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Healthcare is where Sonning Common most outperforms the national norm: 40/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. That makes it the 3rd highest-scoring of the 8 places in the RG4 postcode district.

Against the wider RG4 district average of 67/100, that is 15 points below. On healthcare specifically, Sonning Common sits 22 points below the RG4 district figure of 62/100. Safety (93) and economic health (85) sit at 80/100 or above. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the RG4 postcode district.

52
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.

Sonning Common scores 52 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Sonning Common.
Or compare:
RG4 5AA RG4 6AA RG4 7AA RG4 8AA RG4 9AA RG4 RG9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
93
52.4 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 111 crimes
↓ 32% below national average
Other theft 25 crimes
↓ 18% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 24 crimes
↓ 68% below national average
Burglary 21 crimes
↑ 23% above national average
Public order 21 crimes
↓ 34% below national average
other 56 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Stoke Row Road 16 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 16 crimes
  3. 3 Reades Lane 12 crimes

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

Environment
63
Air Quality NO₂ 6.5 · PM2.5 6.7 · PM10 10.1 µg/m³
73
Green Space 40
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
32
5 schools in area · 6 within 4km
4Good1Inadequate
  • Kidmore End Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Maiden Erlegh Chiltern EdgeSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Peppard Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Sonning Common Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Bishopswood SchoolSpecial · inspected 2025
    Inadequate

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

Healthcare
40
A&E departmentsRoyal Berkshire Hospital4 mi
Frimley Park Hospital16.3 mi
Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital16.6 mi
Hospital waitsBerkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust0.6 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks100%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity1,425 patients per GP
1dentist1pharmacy

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
54
Full fibre (FTTP)68%
available across South Oxfordshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
79.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
79.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.2%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 134 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
85
Employment rate56.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.1%Unemployed2%Retired29.5%Student3.9%Other inactive8.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial53.6%Skilled & technical32.8%Routine & elementary13.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications10.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.5%Level 3 (A levels)15.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)46.2%Apprenticeship5%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership80.5%
Among the least-deprived 12% 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
27
Henley-on-Thames 3.8 mi
Tilehurst 3.9 mi
Reading 4.3 mi
J12 M4 6.5 mi
J12 M4 6.6 mi
J11 M4 7.3 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
25
Pubs & Bars Adequate 4
Restaurants & Cafes Some 3
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 5
Retail Shopping Adequate 9
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness Adequate 2

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £550,000 30
Detached £800,000 15
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi
£448k £605k £766k £923k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Rotherfield Peppard 53 0.8 mi away ⇄
Kidmore End 45 1.0 mi away ⇄
Gallowstree Common 48 1.0 mi away ⇄
Shepherd's Green 38 1.7 mi away ⇄
Chalkhouse Green 45 1.7 mi away ⇄
Tokers Green 42 1.9 mi away ⇄
Stoke Row 43 2.7 mi away ⇄
Binfield Heath 38 2.8 mi away ⇄
Checkendon 42 2.9 mi away ⇄
Caversham 69 3.1 mi away ⇄
Bix 40 3.2 mi away ⇄
Henley-on-Thames 55 3.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Sonning Common a nice place to live?

Sonning Common is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Sonning Common is 52/100, 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 Sonning Common?

Sonning Common is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 93/100. There were 258 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Sonning Common?

Among the top-rated schools in Sonning Common are Kidmore End Church of England Primary School, Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge and Peppard Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 5 rated schools in Sonning Common in total.

What are house prices like in Sonning Common?

The current median house price in Sonning Common is £550,000, around 93% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £800,000. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 15%. There were 30 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Sonning Common in context

See where Sonning Common ranks among the best places to live in Oxfordshire

Postcode districts in Sonning Common

RG4 67 ⇄
RG9 49 ⇄

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