Swaythling
Southampton 005 · 5 sub-areas · 8,485 residents
Southampton 005 is a densely populated corner of Southampton, home to around 8,500 people and one of the city's most renter-heavy neighbourhoods. A typical two-bedroom flat runs about £1,100 a month — roughly in line with the national median for a 2-bed, and a fraction of what you'd pay in the South East's pricier commuter towns. Nearly half of residents rent privately, and the area skews noticeably young.
Swaythling is a mid-density neighbourhood of Southampton 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. The population skews young, with a high concentration of 18- to 34-year-olds; the rental market is active and turnover is high — people move through rather than stay.
Overview
What's it like to live in Swaythling?
Day-to-day life sits close to greenery — a park or playing field is within easy walking distance of most addresses; food and drink within walking distance is workable but not dense — around 10 restaurants and 0 pubs in five minutes; Recorded crime is higher than the national norm — common for built-up urban areas, but worth weighing if you're looking for a quieter base; 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 £1,246 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.
Swaythling in Southampton
Living in Swaythling
Southampton 005 has a distinctly student-and-young-professional feel. With nearly 44% of residents aged 18–34 — one of the highest shares in Southampton — this is an area built around people at the start of their careers or finishing degrees, rather than settled families or retirees. That shapes everything from the rental market to the pace of the streets.
On cost, it's more accessible than much of the South East. A two-bedroom comes in at around £1,100 a month, and a one-bedroom at roughly £870 — both broadly in line with national medians, which is unusual for anywhere in the South East coastal corridor. The median sale price sits at just under £304,000, giving a deposit-saving timeline of around 4.6 years for a typical earner — tighter than many northern cities, but reasonable for a southern coastal one.
The tenure mix reflects the age profile. Just under half of homes are privately rented, social housing accounts for roughly one in five, and owner-occupation is relatively low at around 31%. That's a meaningful difference from the surrounding suburban Southampton average, and means the neighbourhood feels transient by design — people move in, settle briefly, move on.
Practically, the nearest mainline rail station is under a kilometre away — about an 11-minute walk — giving decent access into the rest of Southampton and onward rail connections. There's no metro or tram service in the area. Broadband coverage is strong, with 100% gigabit availability across the neighbourhood. For streets, schools and sub-areas in more detail, see the breakdown below.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Southampton 005 a nice place to live?
- It depends what you're after. It's a young, energetic area with solid broadband, reasonable rents for the South East, and a mainline station within walking distance. It's less suited to families wanting a quiet suburban feel — the 18–34 population dominance gives it a transient, urban edge. Crime is slightly below the national rate, which is reassuring for the density.
- What is the rent in Southampton 005?
- A one-bedroom typically runs around £870 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,100, and a three-bedroom around £1,340. These are estimates scaled from city-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose about 3.5% over the past year. Council tax (Band D) adds roughly £2,380 a year.
- Is Southampton 005 safe?
- The recorded crime rate is around 75 per 1,000 residents annually — slightly below the UK national average of roughly 80 per 1,000. For a densely populated, high-renter-turnover urban neighbourhood, that's a reasonable result. Antisocial behaviour and theft are likely the main drivers; quieter residential streets within the area will feel calmer than busier thoroughfares.
- What's the commute from Southampton 005 to Southampton city centre?
- The nearest mainline rail station is about 850 metres away — an 11-minute walk. From there you have direct rail access into central Southampton. Around half of residents commute by car, and roughly a quarter work from home. Public transport mode share is low at about 9%, so having a car or cycling option helps.
- Who lives in Southampton 005?
- Mostly young renters — nearly 44% of residents are aged 18–34, the highest concentration in Southampton. The area is around 45% privately rented and 22% social housing, with owner-occupation at just 31%. It's ethnically mixed, with 65% UK-born residents. Degree holders account for around 31% of the population.
- What schools are near Southampton 005?
- There are 70 schools within 2 kilometres. Around 63% are rated Good or Outstanding — below the national average of roughly 89%, so provision is mixed. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is under 870 metres away. Check Southampton City Council's admissions portal for current catchment boundaries before making decisions.
- How affordable is buying a home in Southampton 005?
- The median sale price is just under £304,000. For a typical resident earning around £32,900 a year, saving a 10% deposit takes roughly 4.6 years — tight but not unusual for a southern coastal city. Renting first while saving is the norm here given the high private-rental share.