Abingdon-on-Thames is a historically rich, vibrant town just six miles south of Oxford in the Vale of White Horse. With transport links in abundance and proximity to important A roads, it’s no surprise that Abingdon is so popular with young and old families.
This comprehensive guide will tell you what it’s like to live in Abingdon, from the characteristics of the town to shopping, eating, leisure, and more, so you can decide whether it’s the right fit for your next home.
Why People Want to Move to Abingdon
Oxford is becoming more and more oversaturated with tourists and crowds so it’s understandable that people are looking for alternatives in the surrounding areas. In-step Abingdon – a beautiful town chock full of history with eclectic architecture, instant access to one of the most picturesque stretches of the Thames, and unique townhouses, Victorian semis, and cottages.
Throw in a range of independent shops, traditional pubs, and a village aesthetic just an hour from London, and it isn’t hard to see why people want to move to Abingdon.
What is it Like to Live in Abingdon?
Life in Abingdon is a slower pace than in Oxford or London, but it’s a charming town that’s growing in popularity. According to locals, it’s the oldest, continuously inhabited town in England and while the significance of the past is on show at every turn, there are lots of things to do if you’re planning a move to the area in the future.
Attractions in Abingdon
Abingdon-on-Thames offers lots of things to do for families and individuals alike.
The River Thames
With opportunities for serene riverside walks and the oldest lock chamber in the country, one of the main attractions of Abingdon is access to the River Thames.
Canoeing is popular in this part of the world and there are lessons available for beginners, and paddleboarding and punting are also increasingly prevalent with locals. There are many river cruises and other water-based activities to make the most of too.
Markets
Being a market town, many regular markets in Abingdon-on-Thames have been running since medieval times and you can find almost everything you need at one point or another in the month.
The most popular markets in Abingdon are the Abingdon Farmers’ Market, the Local Excellence Market, the Monday Charter Market, and the Abingdon Craft Fair. They each offer something unique and run at different times of the month, with families and bargain lovers flocking to find something unique or practical for their homes.
Abingdon is also the location for the famous Michaelmas Fair, which is the oldest fair in Europe. Held over two days in October, the Michaelmas Fair started in the 1300s during the Black Death, which is historic, to say the least! Originally a place to hire rural farmworkers, today, Michaelmas Fair has lots of carnival rides, exciting music, and food to enjoy.
Museums and Historical Landmarks
Abingdon County Hall Museum
Abingdon County Hall Museum is Abingdon’s most popular museum and is run by the council. A Grade I listed building; it provides a unique insight into local history and fascinating insights into the past of the wider area.
Pendon Museum
Pendon Museum plays host to scale models representing parts of Vale of White Horse in the 1920s and 1930s. Displaying the beautiful English countryside in the Inter-War years, the models are incredibly detailed, and many people visit the Pendon Museum to enjoy them throughout the year.
Abingdon Abbey Buildings
Abingdon Abbey Buildings are a series of cherished landmarks that have been a tourist hotspot since the Middle Ages. Despite countless setbacks throughout the centuries, the remains are a prestigious, precious heritage site devoted to the town of Abingdon.
As well as group and self-guided tours, Abingdon Abbey Buildings hosts social events, weddings, festivals, concerts, and plays.
St Helen’s Church, St Helen’s Wharf
Abingdon’s principal church is St Helen’s, and the spire of the church is perhaps Abingdon’s most famous landmark. Open to visitors and photography enthusiasts, the spire sets Abingdon apart from towns in the rest of the UK and dates back to 1634.
Employment Opportunities in Abingdon
The largest employment sector in Abingdon is professional services, in which 29.83% of the town is employed. Professional services include lawyers, doctors, accountants, and other similar roles.
Skilled tradespeople are the second most common in Abingdon, making up 17.5% of the current population, with many coming in the form of engineers and architects.
Associate professionals and technical occupations are the third most popular professions, making up 15.4% of the population of Abingdon. Most people in these roles are scientists, government researchers, finance professionals, or those specialising in medicine.
Only 2.8% of the ~25,000 Abingdon residents are unemployed with 77.1% actively employed and 12.3% retired, meaning that competition is fierce if you’re trying to enter the job market.
However, with close proximity to Oxford and Reading, and the fact that London is an hour and a half away on the train, (and maybe a bus) employment opportunities are plentiful if you’re willing to travel, which brings us to our next aspect of living in Abingdon.
Transport Links
The nearest train station to Abingdon is two miles away in Radley, which has hourly trains to well-connected Oxford and Didcot, taking 11 minutes to travel the seven or eight-mile journey. Reading is a 44-minute train journey from Radley Station, too, and you can get to London Paddington in an hour.
Driving is popular for people living in Abingdon and the A34 takes you to the M40 in half an hour and the M4 in around 45 minutes. It’s easy to drive to Oxford in terms of distance, but traffic can be pretty heavy, particularly around rush hour times.
Property Prices in Abingdon
Below is some highly useful information into property prices in Abingdon.
Average Property Prices
As of July 2024, the average price of a property in Abingdon over the last 12 months was £413,507.
The average price by property type is as follows:
- Detached: £606,328
- Semi-detached: £390,648
- Terraced: £323,334
- Flat/apartment: £214,246
Please bear in mind that these are average property prices. If you are thinking about moving to Abingdon, please explore our properties for sale in Abingdon, with options to suit a range of budgets.
Average Rental Prices
As of July 2024, the average monthly rental price in Abingdon is £1,341.
Over the last 12 months, the average monthly rental price by property type is as follows:
- Detached: £1,773
- Semi-detached: £1,659
- Terraced: £1,300
- Flat/apartment: £1,121
Explore our properties to rent in Abingdon.
Eating And Drinking
The food and drink scene in Abingdon is on the rise and there are new places cropping up every year. Here are some of the most popular restaurants and pubs/bars in Abingdon:
Where to Eat in Abingdon
Bella Napoli Abingdon is a popular Italian restaurant, as is Limoncello, and Dorindo’s is the place to go for Mexican cuisine.
Then, there are the likes of Chaba Thai Restaurant and Takeaway for vibrant Thai dishes, Mezzeh House to satisfy your Lebanese food urges, and Tiffin’s Tandoori for a taste of India.
The Nag’s Head is probably the most popular pub and restaurant in the area, and not only does it stand overlooking the River Thames, but its Honeycomb House design is a sight to behold.
Where to Drink in Abingdon
As well as The Nag’s Head, Abingdon locals have many drinking establishments such as The Broad Face, a popular gastropub in the town.
There’s also The Merry Miller which has a rustic interior, great pub grub, drinks, and outdoor seating, and The Spread Eagle, a traditional, whitewashed pub with real ales on tap and a steak specialist in the kitchen. Then, there’s The White Horse, another one of the many old-fashioned British pubs with a beer garden in Abingdon.
Away from the pub scene comes The Tipsy Mercer, which offers cocktails and other exotic drinks, and Que Pasa, a tapas bar famous locally for its espresso martinis and delicious Spanish sharing plates.
Shopping Options in Abingdon
Abingdon High Street is one of the most vibrant in the UK and offers access to popular chain stores like Waitrose and New Look. There’s also a vast selection of independent shops and businesses like Mostly Books, The Finishing Touch, and more.
Abingdon is a “Fair Trade Town” and the first town in Southern England to formalise a Fair-Trade initiative, which means that the local Chamber of Commerce specialises in fairly traded merchandise and food wherever possible.
This is reflected in the many independent shops in the town, which is somewhat of a rarity in the UK as high streets around the country are becoming less popular.
Leisure and Sport
Abingdon Leisure Centres
The Sports Centre is very popular in Abingdon and connected to Abingdon School. It has a gym, swimming pool, squash courts, badminton courts, and a multi-difficulty “Walltopia” climbing wall, making it perfect for kids and adults looking to learn something new and test their athletic abilities.
Abingdon is also home to White Horse Leisure and Tennis Court, a leisure centre run by Better, a charitable social enterprise. The facility includes:
- A gym
- Fitness class studio
- 8-lane swimming pool
- Squash courts
- Badminton courts
- Sauna and steam room
- Indoor tennis courts and four artificial grass courts.
White Horse Leisure and Tennis Court also hosts junior and adult sports courses, a soft play area, spaces for children’s parties, and swimming lessons.
Abingdon Sports Clubs
Sports clubs are growing in popularity in Abingdon and there’s something for almost everybody. Options for sports include Abingdon Athletics & Running Club, Abingdon Cycling Club, Abingdon Kyushindo Karate, and Abingdon Eagles Basketball Club.
There’s also the Kingfisher Canoe Club of Abingdon and boxing training for ages 8 and up at ABC. This is in addition to Abingdon Vale Cricket Club, Abingdon Atoms Korfball Club, a netball club, and Abbey Sailing Club.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sports in the area, and you can check out the full list of council-associated sports clubs in Abingdon here.
Cost of Living in Abingdon
The cost of living in Abingdon is quite reasonable considering its proximity to major transport links to London. However, for those moving from areas that don’t boast the style of architecture and standard of living that make Abingdon famous, it may be testing to your budget.
Everyday Costs in Abingdon
Of course, prices and costs will depend on your lifestyle, but according to Numbeo, basic utilities for an 85m2 apartment are around £150 per month, rising to £500, depending on your usage and situation.
When it comes to eating out, you can pay between £45 and £100 for a mid-range, three-course meal in a restaurant in Abingdon, on average.
Shop prices for essentials like milk, bread, and fruit and veg generally reflect the rest of the UK, and childcare costs in Abingdon range from £900 to £1600 per month, per preschool-age child.
Transport Costs in Abingdon
Taxis can be anywhere from £3 to £20, depending on the distance travelled, and transportation varies depending on your preferences. For example, a monthly bus pass costs £35 whereas a one-way ticket for local transport costs £3 a trip.
Green Spaces and Surrounding Countryside in and Around Abingdon
The River Thames is the most popular place of natural beauty in Abingdon and a great area for bird spotting (and canoe spotting). Abbey Meadows is a park just off the river with climbing frames for the kids and beautiful views and Abbey Gardens is popular with tourists and visitors.
Radley Lakes is home to various trails and areas of beautiful British scenery, not to mention wildlife, and it provides the perfect place to unwind and enjoy some nature on a weekend. It’s dog-friendly, too, but visitors are advised to keep their dogs on a lead, so they don’t ground-nesting birds and other animals in their natural habitat.
Being so close to Oxfordshire, Abingdon is surrounded by beautiful landscapes and countryside, giving residents the perfect opportunity to explore and enjoy nature. Most of the countryside areas on the outskirts of Abingdon are accessible via car with some bus routes also available.
Abingdon Schools
Abingdon has some of the most highly rated private schools in the country such as Our Lady’s Abingdon and Abingdon School, with Thom Yorke and David Mitchell both alumni of the latter.
State schools in the area include Thomas Reade Primary School, Caldecott Primary School, Fitzharrys School, and Larkmead School, all of which are rated as “good” or “outstanding” by Ofsted.
Of course, the internationally renowned, incredibly exclusive Oxford University is just eight or so miles from the town of Abingdon and Abingdon is also home to Abingdon and Witney College.
Pros And Cons of Living in Abingdon
Pros of Living in Abingdon
Abingdon is incredibly close to vast areas of natural beauty thanks to being nestled close to the Oxfordshire countryside. It also boasts the opportunity to be near larger cities such as Oxford, London, and Reading, whilst enjoying a village aesthetic and historically rich culture dating back hundreds of years.
Having access to a quaint and delightful stretch of the River Thames is also enticing to potential residents, as well as the opportunity to join boat clubs from canoeing to paddleboarding, sailing, and more.
Schools are another huge benefit of living in Abingdon and the mixture of well-rated private and state schools deliver excellent opportunities for raising families.
Cons of Living in Abingdon
The cost of living in Abingdon is low compared to Oxford and London, but not the rest of the country. This is unsurprising given the historical importance and beauty of the area, not to mention the sizes of the homes and unique architecture. However, price is still a negative aspect of living in Abingdon and many people may struggle to afford it.
Abingdon is also extremely quiet and while this is appealing to those who live there, if you’re looking for vibrant nightlife or lots of diversity, you might want to look elsewhere for your next property purchase.
Are You Thinking of Moving to Abingdon?
Abingdon is a uniquely positioned British town boasting plenty of heritage and historical significance. It’s also a fantastic place to call home if you can afford it, and with excellent links to some of the most important cities in Southern England, there are lots of reasons to move to Abingdon, particularly for families.
If you’re looking for a move to Abingdon, we can help. Our Abingdon estate agents are well-versed in all things Abingdon and are on hand to support every step of your journey to becoming a buyer or renter in the area. We also offer services for landlords and sellers in Abingdon and the surrounding areas.
