A Guide to Living in Oxfordshire

Where is Oxfordshire?

Oxfordshire is a county in England. It has an area of 1,611 square miles and a population of 657,600 people. Oxfordshire is one of the wealthiest areas in Britain with it being ranked as the fourth wealthiest region outside London.

The county borders Warwickshire to the west, Buckinghamshire to the north-west, Berkshire to the north-east, Wiltshire to its south-east corner and Gloucestershire across much of its southern border.

Areas in Oxfordshire

There are many areas in Oxfordshire that make it a great place to live.

The Cotswolds – The area south of Banbury and Burford, west of Chipping Norton, The Cotswolds famous for its rolling hills covered with lush green grass, stone walls (dry-stone walls), hedgerows and little villages like Castle Eaton. 

Oxford – One of the world’s most famous university cities and is home to over 38 colleges which are spread throughout the city centre, Oxford has a population of 155,900 living within 15 miles (24 km), making it easy for commuters looking to work here without having to deal with long commutes daily into London.

This makes Oxford popular among those working in management roles or skilled professions such as finance & insurance, education and research or even medicine.

Witney – located around 12 miles (19 km) west of Oxford – is the largest town in Oxfordshire with a population of 28,000. Witney offers an excellent range of high street shops, supermarkets and restaurants as well as popular pubs and leisure facilities.

Banbury – Banbury is a historic market town located on the River Cherwell which flows through West Oxfordshire before meandering towards Warwickshire to join up with The Thames near Cricklade. There’s plenty for visitors here including the impressive 14th century St Mary’s Church, made from white limestone quarried locally at Kirtlington.

Universities in Oxfordshire

There are three universities located in Oxfordshire: the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes and The Oxford School of Drama.

Oxford University – The University of Oxford is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world, with over 22,000 students enrolled. It is ranked first in the UK for employability and second in Europe.

Oxford Brookes – Oxford Brookes is situated about eight miles south of Oxford, between the River Thames and the A40. It has over 16,000 students enrolled studying across three campuses in Oxfordshire and specialises in art, design and media.

The Oxford School of Drama – is part of the University of Oxford and is a world-class drama school that trains actors for stage, film and television. It also runs two theatre companies: the Young Players (for children) and OUDS (the University Dramatic Society).

Top Schools in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire plays host to some excellent schools, some of which are ranked in the top ten in the UK, including:

The Cherwell School – This secondary school is located in Oxford and was founded in 1571. It has over 1500 students and is regularly ranked as one of the best schools in the country.

Radley College – A prestigious independent boarding school, Radley College is situated just outside Abingdon-on-Thames. The college dates back to 1847 and has a current enrolment of just over 900 boys.

King’s School – Situated in Witney, King’s School is an all-boys preparatory school that caters for pupils from ages three to thirteen. The school has been educating young people since 1653 and boasts a large sports department with over forty different teams.

Population of Oxfordshire

The population of Oxfordshire is around 620,000 people. The county is predominantly rural, with a number of market towns and villages dotted throughout. Major towns in Oxfordshire include Abingdon-on-Thames, Banbury, Bicester, Didcot, Henley-on-Thames, Thame and Witney.