Highworth
Swindon 001 · 6 sub-areas · 8,447 residents
Swindon 001 is a residential area of Swindon, home to around 8,400 people with a notably older age profile than much of the town. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £974 a month — noticeably below the UK national average for a 2-bed — and over seven in ten households own their home outright or with a mortgage.
Highworth is a mid-density neighbourhood of Swindon in the South West 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 older, with a long-settled feel and a high share of retirees; 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 Highworth?
2 parks and 1 playgrounds are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; 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 £1,082 a month for a typical home; broadband infrastructure is patchy — worth checking the specific postcode.
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.
Highworth in Swindon
Living in Highworth
Swindon 001 sits at the quieter, more settled end of Swindon's housing market. It's overwhelmingly owner-occupied territory — nearly three quarters of households own their home — which gives it a more stable, residential feel than the town's more transient rental pockets. Just over a quarter of residents are aged 65 or over, so this isn't a neighbourhood dominated by young professionals or students; it has the rhythm of an established community rather than a place in flux.
The cost picture is one of the more compelling arguments for renting here. A two-bedroom home runs around £974 a month, and a three-bedroom comes in at roughly £1,200 — broadly in line with the national median for a 3-bed, which is notable given Swindon's location in the South West. Private renting accounts for only about one in eight households, so the rental supply is tighter, but so is competition from other renters.
About three in ten residents hold a degree-level qualification, which is broadly in line with the national picture rather than a standout either way. The unemployment claimant rate sits at 3.4%, suggesting a working population that's mostly in stable employment — a significant share, around 31%, work from home, which has become a defining feature of daily life here.
Getting around relies heavily on the car: over half of residents drive to work, and public transport use is low at just over 3%. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 9 km away. Greenspace is within reach for most residents, with the average distance to open space sitting at around 450 metres. For more on specific streets and sub-areas, see the sub-areas list below.
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Frequently asked
- Is Swindon 001 a nice place to live?
- It depends what you're after. It's quiet, stable, and relatively affordable — with low crime and a strong owner-occupation rate. The trade-off is that it skews older, has limited public transport, and no nearby Outstanding schools within catchment. If you want a settled, car-friendly residential area without London prices, it works well.
- What is the rent in Swindon 001?
- A one-bedroom flat runs around £809 a month, a two-bedroom around £974, and a three-bedroom around £1,200. These figures are estimates scaled from council-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose roughly 3.3% over the past year, which is moderate compared to many parts of the South West.
- Is Swindon 001 safe?
- Yes, relatively. The crime rate is around 48 incidents per 1,000 residents per year — well below the UK national average of roughly 80 per 1,000. The area's older age profile and high owner-occupation tend to correlate with lower crime levels, and the deprivation score sits comfortably in the less deprived half of England.
- What's the commute from Swindon 001 to Swindon centre?
- Most residents drive — over 56% commute by car, and public transport use is very low at around 3%. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 9 km away, so you'd need a car or bus connection to reach it. Around 31% of residents work from home, which reduces the daily commute pressure for a significant share of the population.
- Who lives in Swindon 001?
- Predominantly older, settled owner-occupiers. Over a quarter of residents are aged 65 or over, and the 50–64 group adds another 22%. Nearly three quarters own their home. It's a low-turnover neighbourhood with a stable, long-established community feel rather than a revolving door of younger renters.
- What schools are near Swindon 001?
- There are 24 schools within roughly 2 km, which is good for local choice. However, none within that distance are currently rated Good or Outstanding. The nearest Outstanding school is about 7.9 km away, so families prioritising school quality may need to look carefully at transport and catchment boundaries.
- How does Swindon 001 compare to other Swindon neighbourhoods for affordability?
- It's one of the more affordable parts of Swindon for renters, with a 2-bed at around £974 a month sitting below the UK national median. The deposit-to-income ratio of roughly 4.8 years is challenging but not extreme. The rent-to-take-home ratio of around 50% is high, though, suggesting affordability is tighter than the headline rent figure implies.