Test Valley SP11
Test Valley 017 · 5 sub-areas · 8,509 residents
Test Valley 017 is a residential area within Test Valley, in the South East, home to around 8,500 people. A typical two-bedroom property lets for about £1,100 a month — broadly in line with the national median — though rents have climbed around 7% over the past year. Owner-occupation is notably high, and families with children make up a significant share of households.
Test Valley SP11 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. The demographic profile leans family-aged, with a clear share of households with school-age children.
Overview
What's it like to live in Test Valley SP11?
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 £1,203 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.
Test Valley SP11 in Test Valley
Living in Test Valley SP11
Test Valley 017 has the feel of a settled, family-oriented area rather than a transit hub or student quarter. Owner-occupation sits at nearly 60%, which gives the streets a relatively stable, rooted character — this isn't a place people pass through on the way somewhere else. Around a third of households are couples with children, and almost three in ten residents are under 18, so the rhythm of the area is shaped by school runs and family life more than nightlife or student churn.
Costs are moderate by South East standards. A typical two-bed runs about £1,100 a month — roughly in line with the UK median — though that picture has shifted: rents rose around 7% in the past year, which is meaningful for anyone budgeting. The median house price sits at around £317,000, and a typical buyer could save a deposit in roughly four and a half years on local earnings, which is tighter than the national average but not unusual for the South East.
The demographic profile skews younger than you might expect for an owner-occupied, family-heavy area: the 18–34 cohort accounts for nearly 29% of residents, almost matching the under-18 share. That combination — young adults alongside families with children — suggests a mix of first-time buyers and young renters alongside more established households. Social housing accounts for roughly one in five tenures, which is above the private-rented share of around 10%, an unusual balance for a largely owner-occupied area.
Practically, the area is car-dependent. Over half of residents commute by car, and fewer than 2% use public transport for the journey to work — a function of the nearest mainline rail station being around 3.5 km away (roughly a 44-minute walk, so realistically a drive or taxi). If you're car-free, factor that in before committing. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on how access and character vary across the neighbourhood.
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Frequently asked
- Is Test Valley 017 a nice place to live?
- For families and owner-occupiers, it's a settled, relatively safe area with a community feel. Crime is well below the UK average at around 53 incidents per 1,000 residents annually. The main trade-off is car dependency — public transport is limited, and you'll need to drive for most journeys. School ratings within catchment distance are lower than the national average, which is worth investigating if you have children.
- What is the rent in Test Valley 017?
- A one-bedroom property runs around £865 a month, a two-bed around £1,115, and a three-bed around £1,370. Rents have risen roughly 7% over the past year. These are estimates scaled from council-level data using local sale prices — the official figures don't break down to neighbourhood level.
- Is Test Valley 017 safe?
- Yes, relatively. The area records around 53 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, which is comfortably below the UK national rate of around 80 per 1,000. It sits in the lower-risk half of English neighbourhoods, which is one of the more reassuring features of the area for families considering a move.
- What's the commute from Test Valley 017 to the nearest city centre?
- The nearest major employment hub is around 106 minutes away by public transport — and with fewer than 2% of residents using public transport for commuting, most people drive. The nearest mainline rail station is around 3.5 km away. If you're relying on trains, factor in the time to get to the station first.
- Who lives in Test Valley 017?
- Mostly families and younger adults — around 28% of residents are under 18 and another 29% are aged 18–34. Nearly 60% of households own their home, and about a third are couples with children. Social housing accounts for roughly one in five tenures, a higher share than private rentals, which make up only around 10% of the housing stock.
- What schools are near Test Valley 017?
- There are 30 schools within 2 km of the typical resident, so choice isn't the issue — but only around 36% are rated Good or Outstanding, which is well below the national average of around 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is roughly 1.9 km away. It's worth looking up individual school ratings on the Ofsted website before making a decision.
- How car-dependent is Test Valley 017?
- Very. Around 56% of residents commute by car, and only 1.5% use public transport. The nearest rail station is about 3.5 km away — too far to walk regularly. That said, nearly 34% of residents work from home, and gigabit broadband covers almost the entire area, which reduces the daily commute pressure for many households.