Is Didcot a nice place to live in Oxfordshire?

Located in the gorgeous county of Oxfordshire, Didcot is a railway town that’s the best of both worlds in terms of urban and rural living. Sitting in heart of the English countryside, Didcot is also a short enough distance from big cities like Reading and Oxford that it never feels completely out of the loop.
 

What are the transport links like in Didcot?

Served by Great Western Railway, Didcot Parkway Station is on a well connected railway line that can get commuters to Oxford in 15 minutes, Reading in 20 minutes, and London Paddington in 40 minutes. Trains from the station also go directly to Cardiff, Swansea and Bristol Temple Meads. The local bus station also offers connections to the nearby towns of Wallingford and Henley.

The A34 passes just outside of the town, allowing easy access to the M3 and M4 motorways. Through the M4 you can access Heathrow Airport in an hour by car, and under an hour and a half by public transport.
 

Are there any good schools in Didcot?

There are a number of highly rated schools in the Didcot area including Aureus Primary School, Willowcroft  Community School, St Birinus School, and Didcot Girls’ School. In terms of further education, Didcot Sixth Form College and UTC (University Technical College) Oxfordshire offer excellent post-16 education courses. The world leading Oxford University is also only 20 miles away, along with the nearby Oxford Brookes University.
 

What is there to do in Didcot?

One of the things Didcot is most famous for, and its biggest attraction, is the Didcot Railway Centre. A railway museum that carries a collection of Great Western Railway steam trains and artefacts, it does regular 'Steam days' where you can take unlimited steam train rides. There are also a number of National Trust sites around the area for you to explore, including Greys Court, Basildon Park, and White Horse Hill.

In terms of shopping, Didcot’s Orchard Centre has a wide range of high street shops including Argos, H&M, and Waterstones. There are also a number of food outlets as well as a Cineworld cinema and a monthly farmer’s market.

For those wanting a more active day out, the Didcot Leisure Centre is a family-friend, fully-equipped sports hall and gym that offers a range of fitness classes as well as basketball, football and badminton courts. There is also Didcot Wave Leisure Centre which contains a 25 metre swimming pool that includes a wave machine, indoor flume ride and beach area.
 

What is the housing market like in Didcot?

According to Rightmove:

‘Properties in Didcot had an overall average price of £343,220 over the last year.

The majority of sales in Didcot during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £380,331. Terraced properties sold for an average of £301,610, with detached properties fetching £469,197.

Overall, sold prices in Didcot over the last year were 1% down on the previous year and 7% up on the 2019 peak of £321,259.’

If you're interested in moving to Didcot, check out all the properties listed in the area, and contact our local branch for more information.