South Oxfordshire: population and statistics
South Oxfordshire has a population of 158,084 (2025) across 678.5 km², or 233 people per km². It ranks 164 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +12.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 158,084 residents
- 678.5 km²
- 233 people/km²
South Oxfordshire in numbers
Population of South Oxfordshire over time
South Oxfordshire had 140,260 residents in 2015 and 158,084 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 146,844 |
| 2021 | 150,002 |
| 2022 | 151,770 |
| 2023 | 153,986 |
| 2024 | 156,315 |
| 2025 | 158,084 |
All indicators for South Oxfordshire
Value for the area, then the regional average and the UK median (for counts: regional and UK totals). The gauge places the area between the lowest and highest value in the UK.
Population
| Indicator | South Oxfordshire | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.6% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 145 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.9% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 152 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | South Oxfordshire | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 68,090 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 158 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 23.2% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 244 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 22.4% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 79 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 61,498 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 159 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 86.9% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 131 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 11.6% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 208 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 72.1% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 66 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 15.9% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 214 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 12.0% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 246 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £476,026 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 43 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.0% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 134 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | South Oxfordshire | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.9% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 242 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 70.7% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 233 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.1% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 141 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 7.1% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 69 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | South Oxfordshire | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 8,790 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 131 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 55.6 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 63 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,950 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 117 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £48,525 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 22 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | South Oxfordshire | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 83.7% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 26 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 1.8% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 349 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | South Oxfordshire | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 10.8% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 308 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, South Oxfordshire ranks 23 by population.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 1.8% in South Oxfordshire, compared with an average of 3.1% in South East and 3.8% across the UK.
Households without a car or van: 10.8% in South Oxfordshire, compared with an average of 16.8% in South East and 23.5% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 20.0% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Households without a car or van”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”: higher than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 95,028 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Oxford, 17.3 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Buckinghamshire (584,296 residents), 22 km away.
Business sectors: South Oxfordshire
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Professional, scientific and technical20.0% ×1.4
- Construction12.8% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade12.7% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services8.6% ×1.1
- Information and communication7.8% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services5.3% ×0.8
- Health and social work4.7% ×0.8
- Manufacturing4.2% ×1.0
Where is South Oxfordshire?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of South Oxfordshire?
South Oxfordshire has 158,084 residents (2025), ranking 164 of 361 local authorities.
How big is South Oxfordshire?
South Oxfordshire covers 678.5 km², with a density of 233 people per km².
Is the population of South Oxfordshire growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of South Oxfordshire went from 140,260 to 158,084, a change of +12.7%.
Where is South Oxfordshire?
South Oxfordshire is in South East (region). Latitude 51.650, longitude −1.050.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for South Oxfordshire?
In South Oxfordshire, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 1.8% (2026), ranking 349 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Households without a car or van: what is the figure for South Oxfordshire?
In South Oxfordshire, “Households without a car or van” stands at 10.8% (2021), ranking 308 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.5%.
Which local authorities border South Oxfordshire?
The nearest to South Oxfordshire are Oxford (17 km), Buckinghamshire (22 km), Reading (22 km), Wokingham (30 km), Vale of White Horse (32 km).