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Reading Counts

Reading, in numbers

Your area

Reading council area. Every figure carries its own date.

Neighbourhood differences

Homes rented privately

9.1% to 67%

Homes rented privately ranged from 9.1% in Caversham Heights to 67% in Abbey — a gap of 57.9 percentage points.

21 March 2021 · 16 of 16 current wards with comparable figures.

A larger private-rented sector changes the mix of housing advice, enforcement and tenant support needed. It does not tell us whether individual homes are affordable or safe.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

Homes rented privately · 21 March 2021
WardShareCountPopulation or households covered
Caversham Heights9.1%3313,622
Emmer Green12.5%4763,793
Tilehurst14.3%5633,934
Church16.6%6994,211
Kentwood17.5%6093,488
Southcote19.5%8944,573
Caversham21.7%1,0134,672
Norcot24.1%1,1044,587
Whitley25.5%1,1514,509
Coley34.3%1,5834,621
Thames42.5%1,4973,525
Battle45%1,9474,327
Park45.1%1,7253,823
Redlands51.9%2,3834,594
Katesgrove52.9%2,4544,640
Abbey67%3,1934,763
Source and method →
What could respond to this pattern →

People reporting bad or very bad health

2.4% to 5.1%

People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 2.4% in Caversham Heights to 5.1% in Southcote — a gap of 2.7 percentage points.

21 March 2021 · 16 of 16 current wards with comparable figures.

Residents described their own health. Differences in age matter, so this is a prompt to investigate needs, not a score for local health services.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

People reporting bad or very bad health · 21 March 2021
WardShareCountPopulation or households covered
Caversham Heights2.4%2279,528
Redlands2.4%35914,713
Abbey2.7%27710,153
Park3%34711,444
Battle3.1%35011,445
Emmer Green3.1%2939,564
Katesgrove3.2%38211,931
Caversham3.3%37111,411
Thames3.4%2697,808
Coley3.9%43211,028
Kentwood4%3679,250
Tilehurst4.1%4039,870
Norcot4.9%55911,419
Whitley5%57411,506
Church5%61212,161
Southcote5.1%55510,988
Source and method →
What could respond to this pattern →

People aged 65 or over

5.6% to 21.8%

People aged 65 or over ranged from 5.6% in Abbey to 21.8% in Emmer Green — a gap of 16.2 percentage points.

21 March 2021 · 16 of 16 current wards with comparable figures.

Age helps locate demand for accessible homes, transport and support. Being older does not itself mean someone needs care.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

People aged 65 or over · 21 March 2021
WardShareCountPopulation or households covered
Abbey5.6%57110,153
Battle6.4%73511,443
Katesgrove6.5%77011,928
Redlands7.3%1,07114,714
Thames8.6%6747,808
Park9.9%1,13211,444
Whitley10.5%1,20311,506
Coley10.9%1,20111,029
Church11.9%1,45312,161
Norcot12.5%1,43111,418
Caversham14.7%1,67611,415
Kentwood15.8%1,4599,249
Southcote16.2%1,78310,985
Tilehurst19%1,8729,871
Caversham Heights19.6%1,8669,533
Emmer Green21.8%2,0849,566
Source and method →
What could respond to this pattern →

People aged 16+ with no qualifications

8.4% to 26.5%

People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 8.4% in Caversham Heights to 26.5% in Church — a gap of 18.1 percentage points.

21 March 2021 · 16 of 16 current wards with comparable figures.

Formal qualifications are only one part of someone's skills. Training decisions also need current vacancies, employment and residents' experience.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

People aged 16+ with no qualifications · 21 March 2021
WardShareCountPopulation or households covered
Caversham Heights8.4%6317,498
Redlands8.7%1,14513,104
Thames11.2%7346,547
Caversham11.7%1,0549,005
Emmer Green12.3%9537,753
Abbey13.9%1,2248,795
Katesgrove14.8%1,50510,149
Park15.1%1,4119,335
Coley15.9%1,4248,938
Kentwood16.7%1,2337,379
Tilehurst18.3%1,4277,810
Southcote19.1%1,6808,806
Battle19.6%1,7628,980
Norcot20.4%1,7968,820
Whitley21%1,9019,073
Church26.5%2,4819,365
Source and method →
What could respond to this pattern →

People aged 16+ with a degree or equivalent

26.5% to 56.5%

People aged 16+ with a degree or equivalent ranged from 26.5% in Church to 56.5% in Thames — a gap of 30 percentage points.

21 March 2021 · 16 of 16 current wards with comparable figures.

Qualifications show local skills, not whether people have secure jobs or use those skills at work.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

People aged 16+ with a degree or equivalent · 21 March 2021
WardShareCountPopulation or households covered
Church26.5%2,4839,365
Tilehurst29.1%2,2767,810
Kentwood32%2,3627,379
Norcot32.6%2,8768,820
Southcote34.1%3,0038,806
Battle35.2%3,1628,980
Whitley35.7%3,2369,073
Redlands39%5,11213,104
Park41.4%3,8669,335
Emmer Green41.7%3,2347,753
Katesgrove43.2%4,38510,149
Coley45.1%4,0288,938
Caversham50.6%4,5569,005
Abbey53.2%4,6828,795
Caversham Heights55.8%4,1857,498
Thames56.5%3,7006,547
Source and method →
What could respond to this pattern →

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages

7.3% to 26.3%

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 7.3% in Caversham Heights to 26.3% in Church — a gap of 19 percentage points.

21 March 2021 · 16 of 16 current wards with comparable figures.

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages · 21 March 2021
WardShareCountPopulation or households covered
Caversham Heights7.3%2643,623
Emmer Green9.6%3653,791
Kentwood13.1%4583,489
Caversham13.3%6204,672
Thames13.3%4693,523
Abbey15%7154,763
Park15.4%5883,821
Redlands15.9%7324,593
Coley17.4%8024,621
Tilehurst17.5%6893,937
Katesgrove18%8334,640
Battle18.4%7944,326
Whitley20.2%9124,511
Norcot20.5%9384,586
Southcote20.5%9364,568
Church26.3%1,1064,211
Source and method →
What could respond to this pattern →

Homes rented from a council or housing association

4.8% to 36%

Homes rented from a council or housing association ranged from 4.8% in Caversham Heights to 36% in Church — a gap of 31.2 percentage points.

21 March 2021 · 16 of 16 current wards with comparable figures.

The share of social housing describes the homes already here. It does not show the current waiting list or whether enough suitable homes are available.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

Homes rented from a council or housing association · 21 March 2021
WardShareCountPopulation or households covered
Caversham Heights4.8%1753,622
Emmer Green5.8%2213,793
Park5.9%2263,823
Kentwood9.7%3383,488
Abbey10.9%5194,763
Battle11.2%4864,327
Caversham12.8%5984,672
Redlands13%5994,594
Tilehurst13.9%5463,934
Katesgrove14.2%6594,640
Thames18.6%6553,525
Coley19.9%9194,621
Norcot23.4%1,0734,587
Southcote25.7%1,1744,573
Whitley27%1,2194,509
Church36%1,5184,211
Source and method →
What could respond to this pattern →
AbbeyBattleCavershamCaversham HeightsChurchColeyEmmer GreenKatesgroveKentwoodNorcotParkRedlandsSouthcoteThamesTilehurstWhitley
16 mapped electoral wards · May 2026. The same wards are available in the named list below. These are council boundaries, not police neighbourhoods.

Choose a ward

These are electoral wards or the explicitly labelled statistical equivalents. They do not necessarily match villages, parishes or police neighbourhoods.

Abbey →10,153 people · census date in profileBattle →11,445 people · census date in profileCaversham →11,411 people · census date in profileCaversham Heights →9,531 people · census date in profileChurch →12,161 people · census date in profileColey →11,029 people · census date in profileEmmer Green →9,563 people · census date in profileKatesgrove →11,931 people · census date in profileKentwood →9,247 people · census date in profileNorcot →11,419 people · census date in profilePark →11,445 people · census date in profileRedlands →14,714 people · census date in profileSouthcote →10,985 people · census date in profileThames →7,808 people · census date in profileTilehurst →9,869 people · census date in profileWhitley →11,508 people · census date in profile