What's the air quality in South Oxfordshire? NO₂ 9.3 µg/m³
In 2025 the average resident of South Oxfordshire lived with background NO₂ of 9.3 µg/m³, Very High for England and Wales and below the WHO guideline of 10. PM2.5 was 8.3 µg/m³, Very High for England and Wales and 1.7 times the WHO guideline of 5. The typical area in England and Wales has NO₂ of 7.2 and PM2.5 of 7.4 µg/m³.
- PM2.5
- 8.3 µg/m³
- NO₂ for England and Wales
- Very High
- Figures for
- 2025 annual average
Modelled background levels averaged over where residents live (Census 2021), not roadside levels. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Defra modelled background pollution, 2025. How we calculate this
All house prices in South OxfordshireIs the air quality good in South Oxfordshire?
Background NO₂ in South Oxfordshire is 9.3 µg/m³, below the WHO guideline of 10, and higher than the typical area (7.2). That puts it in the Very High band. Background PM2.5 in South Oxfordshire is 8.3 µg/m³, 1.7 times the WHO guideline of 5, and higher than the typical area (7.4). That puts it in the Very High band. Most of England and Wales is above the WHO guideline for PM2.5, so the bands compare places with each other rather than giving a pass or fail.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂): 9.3 µg/m³
NO₂ level is Very High, on a scale from Very Low to Very High.
Very High means the highest fifth of areas in England and Wales for NO₂.
| Very Low | up to 4.7 |
|---|---|
| Low | 4.7 to 6.5 |
| Typical | 6.5 to 7.7 |
| High | 7.7 to 9.2 |
| Very High | over 9.2 |
WHO guideline: 10 µg/m³ (in the Very High band). UK legal limit: 40 µg/m³.
Fine particles (PM2.5): 8.3 µg/m³
PM2.5 level is Very High, on a scale from Very Low to Very High.
Very High means the highest fifth of areas in England and Wales for PM2.5.
| Very Low | up to 6.0 |
|---|---|
| Low | 6.0 to 7.2 |
| Typical | 7.2 to 7.7 |
| High | 7.7 to 8.2 |
| Very High | over 8.2 |
WHO guideline: 5 µg/m³ (in the Very Low band). UK legal limit: 20 µg/m³, with a target of 10 µg/m³ in England by 2040.
The bands split every area we cover into fifths by its level, from Very Low to Very High. The map uses the same colours.
Which part of South Oxfordshire has the cleanest air?
Swyncombe has the lowest background NO₂ of the 85 areas of South Oxfordshire, at 6.8 µg/m³. Sandford-on-Thames has the highest, at 12.5 µg/m³. Average house prices are shown alongside, so you can weigh air quality against cost.
| Area | NO₂ | PM2.5 | NO₂ band | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SwyncombeTypical | 6.8 | 7.7 | Typical | £1,000,000 |
| Pishill with StonorTypical | 6.8 | 7.7 | Typical | £1,575,000 |
| NuffieldTypical | 6.9 | 7.7 | Typical | £1,064,425 |
| Stoke RowTypical | 7.1 | 7.8 | Typical | £1,120,000 |
| CrowellTypical | 7.1 | 7.8 | Typical | £445,000 |
| NettlebedTypical | 7.1 | 7.8 | Typical | £737,045 |
| CheckendonTypical | 7.2 | 7.8 | Typical | £776,730 |
| ChinnorTypical | 7.2 | 7.9 | Typical | £489,831 |
| HighmoorTypical | 7.3 | 7.9 | Typical | £940,000 |
| WatlingtonTypical | 7.3 | 7.9 | Typical | £509,144 |
| ShirburnTypical | 7.4 | 7.8 | Typical | £500,000 |
| Britwell SalomeTypical | 7.5 | 7.9 | Typical | £1,519,999 |
| Aston RowantTypical | 7.5 | 7.8 | Typical | £686,083 |
| PyrtonTypical | 7.6 | 7.9 | Typical | — |
| WoodcoteTypical | 7.6 | 7.9 | Typical | £500,122 |
| IpsdenHigh | 7.8 | 7.9 | High | £475,200 |
| SydenhamHigh | 7.8 | 7.9 | High | — |
| Cuxham with EasingtonHigh | 7.9 | 8.0 | High | £850,000 |
| Rotherfield PeppardHigh | 7.9 | 8.0 | High | £1,066,687 |
| Brightwell BaldwinHigh | 8.0 | 8.0 | High | £1,000,000 |
| Bix and AssendonHigh | 8.1 | 8.0 | High | £1,092,584 |
| TowerseyHigh | 8.1 | 8.1 | High | £497,500 |
| Rotherfield GreysHigh | 8.2 | 8.1 | High | £1,808,750 |
| Stoke TalmageHigh | 8.2 | 8.1 | High | — |
| West HagbourneHigh | 8.3 | 8.2 | High | £725,000 |
| Aston TirroldHigh | 8.3 | 8.1 | High | £817,250 |
| Aston UpthorpeHigh | 8.3 | 8.2 | High | £460,250 |
| EwelmeHigh | 8.4 | 8.1 | High | £845,000 |
| Sonning CommonHigh | 8.4 | 8.2 | High | £603,583 |
| ChalgroveHigh | 8.5 | 8.2 | High | £401,758 |
| Goring HeathHigh | 8.5 | 8.1 | High | £677,888 |
| Kidmore EndHigh | 8.6 | 8.2 | High | £902,000 |
| ThameHigh | 8.6 | 8.3 | High | £475,122 |
| Great HaseleyHigh | 8.8 | 8.3 | High | £777,916 |
| Stanton St JohnHigh | 8.9 | 8.2 | High | £387,933 |
| East HagbourneHigh | 8.9 | 8.4 | High | £641,461 |
| Cuddesdon and DentonHigh | 8.9 | 8.3 | High | £336,142 |
| Beckley and StowoodHigh | 9.0 | 8.2 | High | £884,000 |
| HorspathHigh | 9.0 | 8.3 | High | £548,333 |
| Waterperry with ThomleyHigh | 9.1 | 8.3 | High | — |
| Little MiltonHigh | 9.1 | 8.3 | High | £917,571 |
| Berrick SalomeHigh | 9.2 | 8.3 | High | £692,000 |
| South MoretonHigh | 9.2 | 8.3 | High | £227,000 |
| GarsingtonVery High | 9.2 | 8.3 | Very High | £465,557 |
| StadhamptonVery High | 9.3 | 8.2 | Very High | £742,500 |
| MapledurhamVery High | 9.3 | 8.2 | Very High | £477,497 |
| WheatleyVery High | 9.3 | 8.4 | Very High | £474,145 |
| NewingtonVery High | 9.3 | 8.3 | Very High | — |
| Binfield HeathVery High | 9.4 | 8.3 | Very High | £815,357 |
| North MoretonVery High | 9.4 | 8.3 | Very High | £310,000 |
| WaterstockVery High | 9.4 | 8.4 | Very High | — |
| HoltonVery High | 9.5 | 8.4 | Very High | £378,750 |
| DidcotVery High | 9.5 | 8.6 | Very High | £349,640 |
| Great MiltonVery High | 9.6 | 8.4 | Very High | £770,166 |
| Toot BaldonVery High | 9.6 | 8.3 | Very High | — |
| Drayton St. LeonardVery High | 9.6 | 8.3 | Very High | £683,333 |
| BensonVery High | 9.6 | 8.4 | Very High | £540,600 |
| MoulsfordVery High | 9.6 | 8.3 | Very High | £570,000 |
| Goring-on-ThamesVery High | 9.7 | 8.3 | Very High | £651,448 |
| Marsh BaldonVery High | 9.7 | 8.3 | Very High | £647,500 |
| Forest Hill with ShotoverVery High | 9.7 | 8.3 | Very High | £586,182 |
| WoodeatonVery High | 9.7 | 8.3 | Very High | — |
| Tiddington-with-AlburyVery High | 9.8 | 8.4 | Very High | £600,500 |
| LewknorVery High | 9.8 | 8.0 | Very High | £527,500 |
| Whitchurch-on-ThamesVery High | 10.0 | 8.3 | Very High | £616,515 |
| CrowmarshVery High | 10.0 | 8.4 | Very High | £497,350 |
| ElsfieldVery High | 10.1 | 8.3 | Very High | — |
| South StokeVery High | 10.1 | 8.3 | Very High | £763,833 |
| Brightwell-cum-SotwellVery High | 10.2 | 8.5 | Very High | £990,384 |
| Eye and DunsdenVery High | 10.2 | 8.4 | Very High | £867,500 |
| BerinsfieldVery High | 10.2 | 8.4 | Very High | £310,750 |
| HarpsdenVery High | 10.2 | 8.5 | Very High | £1,183,666 |
| CholseyVery High | 10.2 | 8.4 | Very High | £431,061 |
| Long WittenhamVery High | 10.3 | 8.4 | Very High | £691,666 |
| Little WittenhamVery High | 10.3 | 8.4 | Very High | — |
| Henley-on-ThamesVery High | 10.4 | 8.5 | Very High | £758,545 |
| Nuneham CourtenayVery High | 10.6 | 8.4 | Very High | £612,500 |
| CulhamVery High | 10.6 | 8.4 | Very High | — |
| WallingfordVery High | 10.7 | 8.6 | Very High | £470,922 |
| DorchesterVery High | 10.7 | 8.4 | Very High | £831,558 |
| WarboroughVery High | 10.8 | 8.5 | Very High | £641,386 |
| Clifton HampdenVery High | 11.0 | 8.4 | Very High | £739,500 |
| TetsworthVery High | 11.1 | 8.3 | Very High | £583,727 |
| ShiplakeVery High | 11.1 | 8.6 | Very High | £1,653,000 |
| Sandford-on-ThamesVery High | 12.5 | 8.6 | Very High | £346,291 |
Levels in µg/m³, 2025 annual average.
How does air quality in South Oxfordshire compare with nearby areas?
Background NO₂ in South Oxfordshire compared with the 4 nearest other areas in Oxfordshire.
South Oxfordshire vs Oxford
- South Oxfordshire
- NO₂ 9.3 µg/m³
- Oxford
- NO₂ 11.6 µg/m³
Open comparison
South Oxfordshire vs Vale of White Horse
- South Oxfordshire
- NO₂ 9.3 µg/m³
- Vale of White Horse
- NO₂ 9.2 µg/m³
Open comparison
South Oxfordshire vs West Oxfordshire
- South Oxfordshire
- NO₂ 9.3 µg/m³
- West Oxfordshire
- NO₂ 7.9 µg/m³
Open comparison
South Oxfordshire vs Cherwell
- South Oxfordshire
- NO₂ 9.3 µg/m³
- Cherwell
- NO₂ 9.2 µg/m³
Open comparison
Does this include busy roads?
No. These are background levels: yearly averages over 1 km squares, away from the immediate influence of roads. Right beside a busy road in South Oxfordshire, NO₂ can be much higher. Councils publish roadside monitoring in their annual air quality reports.
What else do people ask about South Oxfordshire?
More quick answers on house prices, sales, areas, green space, crime, air quality and listed buildings in South Oxfordshire.
- What is the average house price in South Oxfordshire?
- When did average house prices in South Oxfordshire reach their peak?
- How many properties are being sold in South Oxfordshire?
- What type of properties are sold in South Oxfordshire?
- What price range do most homes sell for in South Oxfordshire?
- What is the most expensive (and cheapest) area of South Oxfordshire?
- How many parks and green spaces are in South Oxfordshire?
- What is the crime rate in South Oxfordshire?
- How many listed buildings are in South Oxfordshire?
- How do South Oxfordshire house prices compare with another area?
Where does this data come from?
Price information is from HM Land Registry, location boundaries are from OpenStreetMap, and households and population are from Nomis Census 2021 postcode estimates (21 March 2021). Parks and green space are from OS Open Greenspace. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Crime is from police.uk street-level data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: police.uk. Listed buildings and scheduled monuments are from Historic England and Cadw, and conservation areas from planning.data.gov.uk. © Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Source: planning.data.gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Air quality is from Defra modelled background pollution maps. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Defra modelled background pollution, 2025.
Last updated 11 November 2026 at 01:23 with the latest Land Registry data (September 2026). The South Oxfordshire dataset covers 8,828 postcodes.
Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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