South Bersted
Arun 014 · 5 sub-areas · 7,809 residents
Arun 014 sits within the Arun district of the South East, home to around 7,800 people. A typical two-bedroom home lets for about £1,130 a month — close to the UK median for a 2-bed — but nearly two-thirds of residents commute by car, and the rail journey to London runs close to two hours. Ownership rates are solid and greenspace is genuinely close for most residents.
South Bersted is a settled residential pocket of Arun. The bigger gravitational centre is London, around 120 minutes away by direct train, but most days don't require leaving — local life is what people are here for.
Overview
What's it like to live in South Bersted?
Day-to-day life sits close to greenery — a park or playing field is within easy walking distance of most addresses; Crime sits around the national average — neither a notable concern nor a notable selling point; Public transport is genuinely strong; most errands and a fair share of social life don't need a car; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,217 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 5 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
South Bersted in Arun
Living in South Bersted
This part of Arun has the feel of a settled coastal-adjacent community rather than a commuter suburb. Most households own their homes, the streets are relatively quiet, and the nearest green space is under 250 metres away for a typical resident — which puts it in meaningfully better shape than many English neighbourhoods on that measure. It's the kind of area where people stay once they arrive.
Rents sit close to the national average for a 2-bed, which is more affordable than much of the South East. The median house price of around £252,000 is also moderate by regional standards, and a deposit is within reach in roughly four years on local earnings — though at 64.8% of take-home pay going on rent, renters here are stretched. That rent-to-income ratio is a real pressure point worth knowing before you commit.
The population skews broadly across age groups, with no single cohort dominating. Around one in five residents is under 18, suggesting families with children are a meaningful presence, and nearly one in five is 65 or older — it's not a young professional enclave. About a third of households are single-person, which is fairly typical. The ethnic diversity index of 9.1 is low, reflecting the predominantly UK-born population of over 82%.
Practically, you'll want a car. Just under 4% of residents use public transport to get to work, while nearly two-thirds drive. The nearest rail station is roughly a kilometre away — about a 13-minute walk — but the public transport commute to London takes around two hours, so this area works best for those whose work is local or who can work from home. Broadband coverage is a bright spot: gigabit-capable infrastructure reaches 100% of premises. See the streets and sub-areas below for more.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Arun 014 a nice place to live?
- It depends on your priorities. Greenspace is close — within 250 metres for most residents — and homeownership is high, giving it a settled, community feel. The trade-off is a stretched rent-to-income ratio, a below-average Ofsted picture, and heavy car dependency. It suits people who value space and quiet over urban convenience.
- What is the rent in Arun 014?
- A one-bedroom runs around £840 a month, a two-bedroom about £1,130, and a three-bedroom closer to £1,380. Rents rose around 3.6% in the past year. Note these are estimates scaled from council-level data using local sale prices, rather than direct neighbourhood survey figures.
- Is Arun 014 safe?
- The recorded crime rate is around 108 per 1,000 residents annually, above the UK national rate of roughly 80. The area sits in the third deprivation decile in England, which tends to correlate with higher crime figures. It's worth checking specific crime categories for the street you're considering before making a decision.
- What's the commute from Arun 014 to the nearest major city?
- The public transport journey to London takes close to two hours. Most residents drive — nearly two-thirds commute by car — and only around 4% use public transport. The nearest rail station is about a kilometre away on foot. This area works best for those with local employment or the flexibility to work from home.
- Who lives in Arun 014?
- A broad mix of ages, with families, older residents, and single-person households all well represented. Around one in five residents is 65 or over, and just under one in five is under 18. Over 82% were born in the UK. About half of residents own their home, and a fifth are in social housing.
- What schools are near Arun 014?
- There are 56 schools within typical catchment distance, but only around 32% are rated Good or Outstanding — significantly below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 3.8 km away. Parents should check individual Ofsted ratings and admissions criteria directly with Arun council.
- How good is broadband in Arun 014?
- Excellent. Gigabit-capable broadband covers 100% of premises in the area, and no homes fall below the minimum universal service obligation speed. If fast, reliable home internet matters — particularly for remote workers — this is one area where Arun 014 has no weaknesses.