Linton & Balsham
South Cambridgeshire 016 · 6 sub-areas · 9,359 residents
South Cambridgeshire 016 is a rural stretch of South Cambridgeshire, home to around 9,400 people and sitting firmly in owner-occupied territory — nearly three in four households own their home. A typical two-bedroom lets for about £1,270 a month, broadly in line with the national average, though rents have risen around 4% in the past year.
Linton & Balsham is a mid-density neighbourhood of South Cambridgeshire in the East of England region. It sits between busier and quieter parts of the local authority and isn't dominated by a single use — there's a mix of workplaces, housing and local services. The population skews older, with a long-settled feel and a high share of retirees; most homes are owner-occupied, so turnover is low and many residents have been here a long time.
Overview
What's it like to live in Linton & Balsham?
Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; there's effectively nothing within walking distance — eating out, drinking and shopping mean a drive; The streets feel safe by national standards — police-recorded crime is well below the country-wide median; Transport links are limited — a car or e-bike is a practical assumption for most regular trips; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,399 a month for a typical home.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 6 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Linton & Balsham in South Cambridgeshire
Living in Linton & Balsham
South Cambridgeshire 016 is quieter and more settled than the university city on its doorstep. The character here is distinctly rural-residential: a relatively low ethnic diversity index of 7.7, a high rate of home ownership, and a working-from-home rate that stands at roughly 41% — one of the defining features of life in this part of the district. Nearly half the working population commutes by car, which tells you something about how spread out this area is and how dependent it is on personal transport.
Rents are modest by East of England standards. A two-bedroom property runs around £1,270 a month, which is close to the UK median and substantially below what you'd pay in Cambridge itself. That relative affordability is partly a function of location — public transport connections are limited, and the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 8 km away in a straight line, around a 100-minute walk or a short drive. For anyone without a car, that changes the calculus considerably.
Demographically, this is an older, established community. Around a quarter of residents are 65 or over, and the 50–64 age bracket is the second largest. That's noticeably more mature than inner Cambridge or many comparable districts. Degree-level qualifications are held by around 43% of residents — well above the national average — reflecting the broader South Cambridgeshire catchment of professional and academic households.
For practical decisions, note that greenspace is reasonably accessible: the average distance to green space is under 600 metres, and around 40% of residents can reach it on foot. Council tax (Band D) runs to about £2,536 a year. See the streets and sub-areas below for more.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is South Cambridgeshire 016 a nice place to live?
- It's a quiet, rural-residential area with low crime, good greenspace access, and a settled, professional community. The trade-off is limited public transport and a below-average share of highly rated schools nearby. If you have a car and value space and calm over convenience, it works well.
- What is the rent in South Cambridgeshire 016?
- A one-bedroom runs around £1,000 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,270, and a three-bedroom roughly £1,520. These are estimates scaled from district-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose around 4% over the past year.
- Is South Cambridgeshire 016 safe?
- Yes — the crime rate is around 43 per 1,000 residents annually, well below the national average of roughly 80. It's one of the lower-crime parts of the East of England, consistent with the area's low deprivation profile.
- What's the commute from South Cambridgeshire 016 to the city centre?
- Public transport options are limited here — only around 3% of residents commute that way. The nearest mainline rail station is approximately 8 km away. Most residents drive, and the working-from-home rate is around 41%, suggesting many have reduced their commute significantly.
- Who lives in South Cambridgeshire 016?
- Predominantly older, owner-occupying households — about a quarter are 65 or over, and nearly half the population is over 50. Degree-level qualifications are held by around 43% of residents, reflecting a professional demographic. It's a low-diversity, high-ownership, settled community.
- What schools are near South Cambridgeshire 016?
- There are 12 schools within typical catchment distance, but only around 12% are rated Good or Outstanding — well below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding school is approximately 10 km away. Families should check current Ofsted ratings directly, as inspections are updated regularly.