Andover Central
Test Valley 004 · 5 sub-areas · 7,507 residents
Test Valley 004, in the Test Valley district of the South East, is home to around 7,500 people. A typical two-bedroom home here lets for about £1,114 a month — close to the UK median for a two-bed — and with nearly three in five households owning their home, this is notably more owner-occupied than many comparable areas. A reasonable rail connection to London sets it apart from more isolated rural neighbours.
Andover Central is a mid-density neighbourhood of Test Valley 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 Andover Central?
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 £1,203 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.
Andover Central in Test Valley
Living in Andover Central
Test Valley 004 sits within Test Valley in the South East, and its defining characteristic is a settled, owner-occupier feel that puts it firmly at the suburban end of the district's spectrum. More than 60% of households own their home outright or with a mortgage, and that shows in the streets — there's a stability and quietness here that renters weighing up their options will either welcome or find limiting, depending on what they're after.
The cost picture is broadly in line with the national average for this type of area. A two-bed runs around £1,114 a month — roughly in line with the UK median — while a one-bed comes in at about £864 and a three-bed at £1,369. Rents rose around 7% over the past year, which is above the long-run average, so anyone hoping prices will ease soon shouldn't bank on it. The median house price sits at just under £263,000, and first-time buyers saving a deposit are looking at roughly three and a half years at typical local salaries, which is manageable by South East standards.
The population is fairly evenly spread across age groups — no single decade dominates. Around one in five residents is over 65, and families with children make up a meaningful share of households. About a fifth of housing is social rented, which is notably higher than you'd expect in a predominantly owner-occupied area, suggesting a mix of tenures that gives the neighbourhood a less homogeneous character than its headline ownership rate implies.
Practically speaking, the nearest mainline rail station is less than 700 metres away — roughly a nine-minute walk — which makes this area meaningfully more connected than many Test Valley postcodes. Public transport use is low at just over 2% of commuters, with the majority driving; but for those who do need London, the rail journey runs at about 71 minutes. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on how different pockets of the neighbourhood vary.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Test Valley 004 a nice place to live?
- It's a settled, predominantly owner-occupied area with good rail access and green space within walking distance. The trade-off is that rents absorb a high share of local income — around 54% at median earnings — and the proportion of nearby schools rated Good or Outstanding is well below the national average. Whether it suits you depends a lot on your commute pattern and household size.
- What is the rent in Test Valley 004?
- A one-bed runs around £864 a month, a two-bed around £1,114, and a three-bed around £1,369. Rents rose roughly 7% over the past year. These are estimates scaled from council-level data using local sale prices, so treat them as a guide rather than a guarantee.
- Is Test Valley 004 safe?
- The recorded crime rate is around 131 per 1,000 residents a year — above the UK national figure of roughly 80 per 1,000. The area sits in the middle of the national deprivation index (decile 6.4), suggesting moderate rather than acute risk. Check the street-level data on this page for the specific crime categories driving that figure.
- What's the commute from Test Valley 004 to London?
- The rail journey to London takes around 71 minutes by public transport, and the nearest station is less than 700 metres away — about a nine-minute walk. Most residents drive rather than take public transport, but the rail link makes London accessible for hybrid workers commuting two or three days a week.
- Who lives in Test Valley 004?
- A broad mix of age groups — no single cohort dominates — with a notable combination of long-term owner-occupiers (60%) and social housing tenants (21%). Private renters make up only 17%. The population is predominantly UK-born, with relatively low ethnic diversity and a degree-level rate of around 25%.
- What schools are near Test Valley 004?
- There are 82 schools within 2km of typical residents, but only around 32% are rated Good or Outstanding — well below the national share of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is under 800 metres away. Families should check current Ofsted ratings directly, as inspection grades can change between cycles.
- Is it worth buying in Test Valley 004?
- The median sale price is just under £263,000, and saving a typical deposit takes around three and a half years at median local salaries — manageable by South East standards. With 60% of households already owning, there's strong demand. Rents rising at 7% a year also makes buying look more attractive relative to renting over the medium term.