Woolston
Southampton 031 · 6 sub-areas · 9,925 residents
Southampton 031 is a mid-sized residential neighbourhood within Southampton, home to around 9,925 people. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £1,100 a month — slightly below the UK national median for a two-bed — making it one of the more affordable corners of the city. Around three in ten households work from home, and the nearest rail station is less than ten minutes' walk away.
Woolston 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.
Overview
What's it like to live in Woolston?
Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; 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 £1,246 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 6 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Woolston in Southampton
Living in Woolston
Southampton 031 sits in a part of the city where the housing stock is a genuine mix: over half of residents own their homes outright or with a mortgage, while around a quarter rent privately and nearly one in seven are in social housing. That blend gives the area a settled, lived-in feel that's less transient than some of Southampton's student-heavy zones, without being especially affluent. Crime runs at roughly 98 incidents per 1,000 residents annually — noticeably above the UK average of around 80 — so it's worth factoring that into your thinking, though the city as a whole has pockets that vary considerably.
On costs, the rent picture is genuinely competitive. A two-bedroom property comes in around £1,100 a month — roughly in line with the UK median — and a three-bed averages about £1,340. That said, with a median resident salary of around £32,900 a year, renters here are spending close to 57% of take-home pay on rent, which is a significant stretch. Buying is more within reach than in much of the South East: the median sale price sits at just over £256,000, and you could expect to save a deposit in under four years on a typical local wage.
The neighbourhood skews younger than you might expect from its owner-occupier share. About 28% of residents are aged 18–34, and nearly one in five is under 18 — so there are plenty of families alongside the young professionals. Around a third of residents hold a degree, broadly in line with English averages. One in three households is a single-person home, pointing to a mix of young singles and older residents living alone.
Practically speaking, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 600 metres away — about a seven or eight-minute walk — which is a real asset. Public transport mode share is low at 8%, and just over half of residents drive to work, so access to a car still helps. Broadband coverage is excellent: 100% of premises can get gigabit speeds. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on how conditions vary across the neighbourhood.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Southampton 031 a nice place to live?
- It's a solid, settled neighbourhood with a genuine mix of owners and renters. The rail station is close, rents are competitive for the South East, and most households have owned their homes for a while — which tends to mean stable, well-maintained streets. Crime is above the UK average, so it's not without rough edges, but the deprivation score sits around the national middle rather than the bottom.
- What is the rent in Southampton 031?
- A one-bedroom typically runs around £870 a month, a two-bed around £1,100, and a three-bed around £1,340. Rents rose about 3.5% over the past year. These figures are estimates scaled from city-level data using local sale prices, so treat them as a guide rather than a precise quote.
- Is Southampton 031 safe?
- Crime runs at around 98 incidents per 1,000 residents annually, which is noticeably above the UK average of roughly 80. It's not the highest-crime part of Southampton, but it's worth researching specific streets before committing. The area's IMD decile of around 5 suggests it's in the middle of the national deprivation range.
- What's the commute from Southampton 031 to Southampton city centre?
- The nearest mainline rail station is about 600 metres away — a seven or eight-minute walk. Most residents drive rather than use public transport, with around 51% commuting by car and only 8% using buses or trains regularly. Broadband is 100% gigabit-capable, which helps the 30% who work from home.
- Who lives in Southampton 031?
- A mix of families, young professionals, and longer-established residents. Around 28% of the population is aged 18–34, and nearly one in five is under 18. Just over half of households own their home, a quarter rent privately, and around 14% are in social housing — giving it more economic diversity than many comparable neighbourhoods.
- What schools are near Southampton 031?
- There are 73 schools within 2 kilometres of typical residents. Around 34% of those are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is just over 2 kilometres away. Families should review individual school inspection reports carefully given the wide spread of quality nearby.
- Is Southampton 031 affordable to buy in?
- More affordable than much of the South East. The median sale price is just over £256,000, and on a typical local salary of around £32,900 a year you'd expect to save a deposit in under four years. That's a relatively fast timeline by regional standards, though renters currently spending close to 57% of take-home on rent will find saving a challenge.