River Gardens is in Purley On Thames, Reading and in Newbury district. RG8 8BX is located in the Tilehurst & Purley electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Reading West. This postcode has been in use since 1980-01-01.
StreetScan combines information about River Gardens, Purley On Thames, Reading, RG8 8BX and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: RG8 8BU, RG8 8AQ, RG8 8AG, RG8 8BS, RG8 8BT, RG8 8BH, RG8 8BG, RG8 8BP.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. However, the area surrounding RG8 8BX, has a female population slightly higher than UK average, with 52.3% of residents being female. Several factors can contribute to this. Women generally live longer than men, resulting in a higher proportion of women in neighborhoods with significant elderly populations. Typically, as people grow older, they tend to relocate from city center addresses to suburban areas, smaller towns, and rural locations. Consequently, these areas often have a higher number of females. A higher female population can also be found in areas with industries that employ more women, such as healthcare, education, and retail.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 47.8% | 52.3% | 4.5% | 51.0% | 1.3% |
| Male | 52.2% | 47.7% | -4.5% | 49.0% | -1.3% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
In the immediate vicinity of RG8 8BX there is a very large concentration of residents that are married - 54.7% of the resident population. In contrast, the average marriage rate across the census is about 44%.
Areas with a high percentage of married residents are typically suburban neighborhoods, towns with good schools and family-friendly amenities, and regions with affordable, spacious housing options. Additionally, such areas can be popular among retirees.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 24% | 28% | 4.0% | 37.9% | -9.9% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 55.1% | 54.7% | -0.4% | 44.2% | 10.5% |
| Married: Same sex | 0% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Separated | 2.7% | 0.8% | -1.9% | 2.2% | -1.4% |
| Divorced | 10.7% | 10.3% | -0.4% | 9.1% | 1.2% |
| Widowed | 7.6% | 5.3% | -2.3% | 6.1% | -0.8% |
Across the UK, the average 48.4% rated their health as Very Good, 33.6% as Good, 12.7% as Fair, 4% as Bad, and 1.2% as Very Bad.
Population age significantly impacts residents' health. Additionally, socioeconomic status plays a crucial role: higher income levels and lower poverty rates are linked to better health outcomes. Affluent areas benefit from higher living standards, access to private healthcare, and healthier lifestyle choices.
This area has a high percentage of residents reporting their health as Good or Very Good (87.7%) compared to the average (82%). This typically indicates either a younger population or more affluent area.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good health | 53.2% | 54.1% | 0.9% | 48.4% | 5.7% |
| Good health | 33.8% | 33.6% | -0.2% | 33.6% | 0.0% |
| Fair health | 9.4% | 12% | 2.6% | 12.7% | -0.7% |
| Bad health | 3.6% | 0.4% | -3.2% | 4.0% | -3.6% |
During the 2021 census, the educational qualifications of residents across the UK were as follows: 18.2% had no qualifications, 9.6% had 1-4 GCSEs, 13.4% had 5 or more GCSEs and 1-2 A/AS Levels, 16.9% had 2 or more A Levels, 33.8% held a degree (or equivalent), and 5.4% had completed an apprenticeship.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 16.4% | 12.9% | -3.5% | 18.2% | -5.3% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 10.7% | 5% | -5.7% | 9.6% | -4.6% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 17.3% | 12.9% | -4.4% | 13.4% | -0.5% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.2% | 6.6% | 0.4% | 5.3% | 1.3% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 10.2% | 19.1% | 8.9% | 16.9% | 2.2% |
| Degree or Similar | 36% | 41.9% | 5.9% | 33.8% | 8.1% |
| Other | 3.1% | 1.7% | -1.4% | 2.8% | -1.1% |
This area closely mirrors the overall ethnic composition of the UK, with 86.5% of the population identifying as white, with UK average of 81.4%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladeshi | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1.1% | -0.8% |
| Chinese | 0% | 1% | 1.0% | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Indian | 0.4% | 1.4% | 1.0% | 3.1% | -1.7% |
| Pakistani | 0% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.7% | -0.6% |
| Other Asian | 0.7% | 1% | 0.3% | 1.6% | -0.6% |
| Black African | 1.8% | 2.8% | 1.0% | 2.5% | 0.3% |
| Other Black | 1.8% | 0% | -1.8% | 0.5% | -0.5% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 1.8% | 1% | -0.8% | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| Mixed White and African | 0.7% | 1.4% | 0.7% | 0.4% | 1.0% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 0.4% | 0% | -0.4% | 0.9% | -0.9% |
| Mixed Other | 1.4% | 0.3% | -1.1% | 0.8% | -0.5% |
| White | 89.9% | 86.5% | -3.4% | 81.4% | 5.1% |
| Gypsy or Irish Traveller | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Other | 0.4% | 1.4% | 1.0% | 1.6% | -0.2% |
In this area, 83% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is similar to the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 89.2% | 83% | -6.2% | 83.2% | -0.2% |
| European Union | 2.2% | 4.6% | 2.4% | 6.1% | -1.5% |
| Rest of Europe | 0% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Africa | 4.7% | 3.5% | -1.2% | 2.7% | 0.8% |
| Middle East and Asia | 1.4% | 5.3% | 3.9% | 5.6% | -0.3% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 2.2% | 2.1% | -0.1% | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Oceania | 0.4% | 0% | -0.4% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 89.2% | 82.7% | -6.5% | 83.2% | -0.5% |
| 10+ Years | 1.1% | 12% | 10.9% | 9.8% | 2.2% |
| 5-10 Years | 1.4% | 2.5% | 1.1% | 2.9% | -0.4% |
| 2-5 Years | 1.4% | 1.8% | 0.4% | 2.2% | -0.4% |
| Less than 2 years | 6.8% | 1.1% | -5.7% | 1.9% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 92.1% | 76.7% | 15.4% |
| Ireland | 1.4% | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| France | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Germany | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Lithuania | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Central and Western Africa | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Eastern Asia | 1.1% | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Southern Asia | 0.4% | 1.2% | -0.8% |
| South-East Asia | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Central and South America | 0.7% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| No passport held | 2.5% | 13.5% | -11.0% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 39.2% | 37.2% | 2.0% |
| Christian | 45.2% | 46.2% | -1.0% |
| Muslim | 4.2% | 6.5% | -2.3% |
| Sikh | 0.7% | 0.9% | -0.2% |
| Other religion | 2.5% | 0.6% | 1.9% |
| Not answered | 8.1% | 6.0% | 2.1% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around River Gardens was 24.2 per 1,000 residents, which is 60.2% lower than the Pangbourne average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
River Gardens has the 7th lowest crime rate of 21 local areas in Pangbourne and the 133rd lowest crime rate of 490 local areas in West Berkshire .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 13.8 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -60.6%.

Households in this area have a much higher level of wealth compared to the average household in England and Wales. 94% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 River Gardens, Reading, West Berkshire Detached, an established residential building | £310,000 | 2024-05-23 | £328,522 |
| 7 River Gardens, Reading, West Berkshire Detached, an established residential building | £950,000 | 2022-11-30 | £980,051 |
| 16 River Gardens, Reading, West Berkshire Detached, an established residential building | £780,000 | 2022-06-06 | £822,294 |
| 26 River Gardens, Reading, West Berkshire Detached, an established residential building | £710,000 | 2021-02-12 | £838,563 |
| 25 River Gardens, Reading, West Berkshire Detached, an established residential building | £1,010,000 | 2019-06-13 | £1,202,721 |
RG8 8BX area has a very high level of entrepreneurship. Only 10% of streets have higher percent of entrepreneur residents. 15% of population in this area is self-employed, while the average in the UK is 9.7%. High number of entrepreneurs usually leads to relatively high economic growth, higher paid jobs and better quality of life in the area.
RG8 8BX area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 2% residents of this area were unemployed, while the average in the UK was 4.83%. A low level of unemployment in an area indicates a strong job market, where most people who are seeking work can find employment. This generally reflects a healthy economy in the area.
| Full-Time Employee | 85 |
| Retired | 55 |
| Self-Employed | 36 |
| Part-Time Employee | 32 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 11 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 9 |
| Unemployed | 5 |
| Other | 4 |
| Looking after home or family | 3 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 2 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 25 |
| Information and communication | 20 |
| Education | 17 |
| Construction | 15 |
| Human health and social work activities | 15 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 15 |
| Manufacturing | 10 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 8 |
| Other | 8 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 7 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 5 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 3 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 3 |
| Transport and storage | 1 |
| Real estate activities | 1 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norcot Early Years Centre 82 Lyndhurst Road , Tilehurst RG30 6UB | 4out of 4 | 2,231 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Blagrave Nursery School Recreation Road , Tilehurst RG30 4UA | 4out of 4 | 2,745 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purley CofE Primary School Purley Village , Purley-on-Thames RG8 8AF | 3out of 4 | 709 yd | Voluntary controlled school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Westwood Farm Junior School Fullbrook Crescent , Tilehurst RG31 6RY | 3out of 4 | 1,020 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Westwood Farm Infant School Fullbrook Crescent , Tilehurst RG31 6RY | 4out of 4 | 1,020 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Long Lane Primary School Long Lane , Tilehurst RG31 6YG | 3out of 4 | 1,079 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Downsway Primary School Warbreck Drive , Tilehurst RG31 6FE | 3out of 4 | 1,509 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denefield School Long Lane , Tilehurst RG31 6XY | 3out of 4 | 1,716 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Little Heath School Little Heath Road , Tilehurst RG31 5TY | 3out of 4 | 3,489 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| King's Academy Prospect Cockney Hill , Tilehurst RG30 4EX | 2out of 4 | 4,405 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre Surley Row , Emmer Green RG4 8LR | 3out of 4 | 4,860 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| The WREN School 61-63 Bath Road , RG30 2BB | 3out of 4 | 5,166 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookfields Special School Sage Road , Tilehurst RG31 6SW | 4out of 4 | 1,123 yd | Community special school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Thames Valley School 2 Conwy Close , Tilehurst RG30 4BZ | 3out of 4 | 3,724 yd | Free schools special | No | Mixed | More About School |
| TLG Reading Empress Road , Calcot RG31 4XR | - not rated | 4,644 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Cranbury College Cranbury Road , RG30 2TS | - not rated | 4,672 yd | Academy alternative provision converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St Edward's Prep 64 Tilehurst Road , Reading RG30 2JH | - not rated | 4,977 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Mad Duck Cafe | 82 - 84 Wintringham Way, Purley On Thames | 141 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purley Park Social Club | 82 - 84 Wintringham Way, Purley On Thames | 141 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Bucknells Meadow WINTRINGHAM WAY | grass pitches | 546 yd |
| Westwood Farm Junior School FULLBROOK CRESCENT | grass pitches | 1,043 yd |
This statistics are based on Active Places Data - Contains Data © Sport England
| Percentage of premises that have Superfast Broadband (30Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (100Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 78.3% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 78.3% |
| Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband | 78.3% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 2Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 5Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 10Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 30Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Median download speed | 40 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 102.4 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 7.3 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 9.9 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 50 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.