Islip, Arncott & Chesterton
Cherwell 016 · 8 sub-areas · 13,673 residents
Cherwell 016 is a largely residential area within Cherwell district, South East England, home to around 13,700 people. A typical two-bedroom home lets for about £1,200 a month — roughly in line with the UK national median but well below what you'd pay in Oxford or London. Owner-occupation is high, and nearly half of working residents work from home.
Islip, Arncott & Chesterton is a mid-density neighbourhood of Cherwell in the South East 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. Most homes are owner-occupied, so turnover is low and many residents have been here a long time; a high share of adults are degree-educated, which often shows up in the kind of jobs people commute to.
Overview
What's it like to live in Islip, Arncott & Chesterton?
Greenspace is reachable but isn't on the immediate doorstep — most residents walk a few blocks to reach a park; 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 £1,289 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 8 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Islip, Arncott & Chesterton in Cherwell
Living in Islip, Arncott & Chesterton
Cherwell 016 sits within the Cherwell district in Oxfordshire, and its defining characteristic is how settled and owner-occupied it feels. Around seven in ten households own their home — a notably high share — and with under a quarter of residents aged under 18, it has the feel of an area where families have put down roots rather than a transient rental market.
The cost picture is more accessible than much of the wider South East. A two-bedroom home runs about £1,200 a month, sitting broadly at the UK median rather than the inflated Oxfordshire average. That said, buying is a different story — the median house price is around £445,000, which at current rents means you'd typically need over six years of saving a deposit before getting on the ladder.
The workforce profile here is striking. Nearly 43% of residents work from home, which is well above the national norm and shapes the area's rhythm — quieter during the day, with less of the morning-rush feel you'd find in a commuter-heavy suburb. Only around 3% use public transport to get to work, while close to half drive. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 3.3 km away — about a 40-minute walk, so most people drive to it. The public-transport rail journey to London takes around an hour and 40 minutes.
Educationally, residents are well-qualified — nearly 46% hold a degree-level qualification, which is well above the national average. That pattern fits a district that draws professional households, many of whom may have moved out from Oxford or further afield for more space at a lower price point. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on how the neighbourhood breaks down locally.
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Frequently asked
- Is Cherwell 016 a nice place to live?
- It's a settled, predominantly owner-occupied area with relatively low crime and well-qualified residents. The trade-off is that public transport is limited, school ratings nearby are below the national average, and rents take up a large share of take-home pay at around 56%. It suits working professionals and families who drive and work from home.
- What is the rent in Cherwell 016?
- A typical one-bedroom home runs around £963 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,200, and a three-bedroom around £1,450. Rents rose about 4% over the past year. These are estimates scaled from council-level data using local sale prices.
- Is Cherwell 016 safe?
- Yes, relatively. The crime rate is around 64 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, noticeably below the UK national average of roughly 80. Low unemployment and a high owner-occupier rate tend to correlate with safer local environments.
- What's the commute from Cherwell 016 to a major city centre?
- Public transport options are limited — only about 3% of residents use them. By rail, London takes around an hour and 40 minutes and Birmingham around an hour and 50 minutes. Most residents drive, and the nearest rail station is about 3.3 km away.
- Who lives in Cherwell 016?
- Mostly settled, professional families — around 71% own their homes, nearly 46% hold a degree, and almost 43% work from home. It's a relatively established community with a low proportion of private renters and a strong family-household presence.
- What schools are near Cherwell 016?
- There are 23 schools within typical catchment distance, but only around 11% are rated Good or Outstanding — well below the national average. The nearest Outstanding school is approximately 11.7 km away, so it's worth researching specific schools carefully before committing to the area.
- How affordable is Cherwell 016 compared to the rest of the South East?
- More accessible than much of the region — a two-bedroom home runs about £1,200 a month, close to the UK national median. That said, house prices average around £445,000, and rent consumes roughly 56% of typical take-home pay, so it's not cheap in absolute terms.