Tilehurst North
Reading 005 · 5 sub-areas · 8,284 residents
Reading 005 is a settled, predominantly owner-occupied neighbourhood within Reading, home to around 8,300 people. A typical two-bedroom home lets for about £1,400 a month — slightly above the UK national median but broadly in line with the wider Reading market. What stands out is how family-oriented and stable the area feels: more than four in five homes are owner-occupied, and greenspace is rarely more than a short walk away.
Tilehurst North is a mid-density neighbourhood of Reading 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.
Overview
What's it like to live in Tilehurst North?
Day-to-day life sits close to greenery — a park or playing field is within easy walking distance of most addresses; The streets feel safe by national standards — police-recorded crime is well below the country-wide median; 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 £1,579 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.
Tilehurst North in Reading
Living in Tilehurst North
Reading 005 feels more like a suburb than an urban neighbourhood. The housing stock skews towards family homes rather than flat conversions, and with over 80% of residents owning their property, there's a settled, low-turnover feel that's noticeably different from the rental-heavy streets closer to Reading town centre. A crime rate of around 47 incidents per 1,000 residents annually — well below the UK average of roughly 80 — reinforces that sense of quiet stability.
On cost, the area sits in the mid-range for Reading. A two-bedroom home runs about £1,400 a month, which is comfortably above the UK national median of around £1,200 but not dramatically so. What you're paying for is space and a more suburban feel — this isn't the cheapest way into Reading, but it's not the priciest either. Rents have risen around 3% over the past year, a moderate pace compared to some other South East markets.
The demographic picture is notably even across age groups. Under-18s make up around 21% of residents, similar to the over-65 share, and the 18-to-34 cohort is relatively modest at just under 20%. That distribution points to an area shaped by families and longer-term residents rather than students or young professionals. Couples with children account for around 22% of households, above what you'd typically see in more urban Reading postcodes.
Practically, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 1.2 km away — about a 15-minute walk — and connects Reading to London Paddington in under an hour. Nearly half of residents commute by car, and a substantial 42% work from home, which helps explain why the area attracts households that value space over proximity to the town centre. For sub-areas and street-level breakdowns, see the streets and sub-areas below.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Reading 005 a nice place to live?
- It's a settled, family-friendly neighbourhood with low crime, strong greenspace access, and high owner-occupation. It won't suit everyone — it's quieter and more suburban than central Reading — but for families or those who work from home and want space, it's a solid choice in the South East.
- What is the rent in Reading 005?
- A one-bedroom home runs around £1,120 a month, a two-bedroom about £1,400, and a three-bedroom closer to £1,670. These are estimates scaled from Reading-wide data using local sale prices, as official rent data doesn't go below council level.
- Is Reading 005 safe?
- Yes, by most measures. The crime rate is around 47 incidents per 1,000 residents a year — well below the UK average of roughly 80. It's one of the calmer parts of Reading, with a predominantly owner-occupied, low-turnover population.
- What's the commute from Reading 005 to central London?
- The public-transport journey to London is around 56 minutes. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 1.2 km away — about a 15-minute walk. Reading has fast services to Paddington, making it a workable London commute for those happy with that length of journey.
- Who lives in Reading 005?
- The neighbourhood is unusually mixed in age — each age group from children to over-65s makes up roughly a fifth of residents. Most households own their home, and around 22% are couples with children. It's a multigenerational, settled community rather than a young-professional or student area.
- What schools are near Reading 005?
- There are 97 schools within 2 km of typical residents, with around 57% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is just over 1.2 km away. The local mix is more varied in quality than the national average, so it's worth researching individual schools carefully.
- How much does it cost to buy in Reading 005?
- The median sale price is around £400,000. On typical local earnings, saving a 10% deposit takes about 5.6 years — demanding, but broadly in line with other well-connected South East towns outside London.