Longstanton, Swavesey & Oakington
South Cambridgeshire 003 · 7 sub-areas · 11,928 residents
South Cambridgeshire 003 is a rural and semi-rural neighbourhood within South Cambridgeshire, home to around 11,900 people. A typical two-bedroom lets for about £1,270 a month — noticeably above the national average — and nearly three-quarters of residents own their homes, making this one of the more settled, owner-occupied parts of the district.
Longstanton, Swavesey & Oakington 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 demographic profile leans family-aged, with a clear share of households with school-age children; 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 Longstanton, Swavesey & Oakington?
The area is unusually green for its density — 5 parks and 1 playgrounds sit within five minutes' walk of the centroid; 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; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 7 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Longstanton, Swavesey & Oakington in South Cambridgeshire
Living in Longstanton, Swavesey & Oakington
This part of South Cambridgeshire sits at the lower-density, countryside end of the district — villages and semi-rural settlements rather than suburban streets. With just under 12,000 residents spread across the area, it feels quieter and more spaced out than the edges of Cambridge itself, and that's largely the point for people who choose it.
Rent here runs roughly 6% above the UK median for a two-bed, which puts it in noticeably-above-average territory. That's the trade-off for the surroundings: you're paying a premium for space and greenery compared with what the same money would buy in a cheaper northern or midland equivalent. Council tax (Band D) comes to around £2,536 a year — typical for the South Cambridgeshire district.
The resident profile is strongly owner-occupied: about 72% of households own their home, well above the national average, and the demographic mix reflects that. Around a quarter of residents are under 18 and the 35–49 age group is the single largest adult cohort — this is family territory. More than half of working-age residents hold a degree-level qualification, one of the higher shares in the East of England.
Getting around leans heavily on the car. Nearly 43% of residents drive to work, and almost 47% work from home — one of the highest remote-working rates in the region, which partly explains why this area works for people whose employers are based elsewhere. The nearest mainline rail station is around 10.6 km away in a straight line, so for regular rail commuters, a car to the station is the realistic assumption. There's no metro or tram service within practical reach. See the streets and sub-areas below for more detail on specific parts of the neighbourhood.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is South Cambridgeshire 003 a nice place to live?
- It's a quiet, rural and semi-rural area with strong owner-occupation and low deprivation — one of the least deprived 20% of neighbourhoods in England. The trade-off is limited public transport and a reliance on the car. It suits families and remote workers well; less so people who need to commute regularly by rail.
- What is the rent in South Cambridgeshire 003?
- A one-bed runs around £1,000 a month, a two-bed around £1,270, and a three-bed around £1,520. Rents rose about 4.3% over the past year. These are estimates scaled from district-level data using local sale prices.
- Is South Cambridgeshire 003 safe?
- Broadly yes. Crime runs at around 86 per 1,000 residents annually — slightly above the UK average of roughly 80, but the area sits in the least-deprived fifth of English neighbourhoods. South Cambridgeshire district as a whole has a low-crime reputation.
- What's the commute from South Cambridgeshire 003 to Cambridge or London?
- The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 10.6 km away in a straight line, so most residents drive to it. The public-transport journey to London takes around 3 hours 8 minutes. Nearly half of residents work from home, which is unusually high and reduces the daily commute burden for many.
- Who lives in South Cambridgeshire 003?
- Mostly families and established owner-occupiers. The 35–49 age group is the largest adult cohort, under-18s make up nearly a quarter of the population, and over 70% of households own their home. More than half of working-age residents hold a degree — consistent with the Cambridge professional commuter belt.
- What schools are near South Cambridgeshire 003?
- There are 20 schools within typical catchment distance, though only around 54% are rated Good or Outstanding — well below the national share of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is approximately 2.9 km away. Given the rural setting, it's worth checking individual catchment boundaries carefully before choosing an address.