Moving to Reading
One of the largest towns in the UK, Reading is a diverse and lively town in Berkshire. Well known for its annual Reading Festival, the town attracts artists and fans from around the world. From having the longest railway viaduct in the UK to being the place where Jane Austen received her education, Reading is filled with amazing history and intriguing stories.
A mere 30 minutes away from London, Reading is the perfect home for those who wish to leave the bustling city life whilst also being provided with vast amounts of entertainment. Living in Reading will provide residents with great nightlife and a warm community feel.
Compare My Move has created this ultimate guide for your move to Reading to help with your house hunt. Before searching for the most reliable Reading house removals on offer, browse our guide to discover everything you need to know.
Property in Reading
We’ve researched Reading property prices to help with your house hunt. The town is a sought after area to live, which is reflected in its property prices. The average house price in Reading is £276,130, according to the UK House Price Index.
A detached house will cost you £561,186 and semi-detached houses are averaging at £349,450. Terraced properties are on the market at £274,859, whilst flats and maisonettes are going for £201,493.
For those looking to rent in Reading, the average asking rental price is £1,021 pcm. A 2-bedroom house will cost you £1,091 and a 3-bedroom house will cost £1,302 pcm. If you’re looking to move to Reading alone, a 1-bedroom flat will cost £697 pcm.
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Best Places To Live in Reading
Compare My Move has researched some of the best areas of Reading to live to help with your house hunt. We’ve included 5 areas with the cost of buying a house and the average rental price. We’ve also included some important information about each area.
| Area | Average Property Price | Average Rent Price (pcm) |
|---|---|---|
Earley | £415,163 | £1,253 |
Caversham | £485,182 | £861 |
Woodley | £383,083 | £818 |
Winnersh | £437,493 | £1,197 |
Reading Town Centre | £272,978 | £1,021 |
1. Earley
Earley is a highly popular area amongst young families with gorgeous lakesides and a variety of family-friendly activities to enjoy like football, hockey and squash. With 20th-century or 1930s bay-fronted houses on offer, the properties are an added bonus. According to Zoopla, the average value for detached properties in the area is £529,252 with semi-detached houses averaging at £416,500. The average asking price for a flat is £220,615.
2. Caversham
Just a mile out of Reading, Caversham is a perfect suburb for those looking to live out of town but with easy access. With charming pubs, gorgeous architecture and spectacular lakes, you’ll love the community atmosphere. The local Caversham Artisan and Farmers' Market and country trails ensure you and the family are never bored. One of the more expensive areas, the average asking price for a detached property is £658,070 and £443,957 for semi-detached properties.
3. Woodley
The largest suburb in Reading, Woodley is just 4 miles east of the town centre and contains a lively leisure centre to keep the whole family entertained. For those who love to shop, Woodley Town Centre is the place for you with a range of shops, cafes and supermarkets to visit. Woodley is a thriving community with lots to explore. For those interested in semi-detached properties, the average asking price is £367,324.
4. Winnersh
With 75 allotments and a local Community Hall, there are plenty of activities to get involved in. Winnersh is one of the best places to live in Reading if you enjoy living in the country-side whilst still having easy access to the town. With Oxford being a 35-minute journey by train and London one hour journey, commuting is fairly easy. Detached houses in Winnersh have an asking price average of £437,493 with semi-detached averaging at £374,583. For a cheaper option, flats averaged at £247,341.
5. Reading Town Centre
Great for students or those who love being amongst the action, the Reading town centre is full of life and is about a 35-minute train journey from London for those wishing to commute Students and artisans can enjoy a variety of live music, poetry and art in this creative community. The flats available have an average asking price of £240,312 and terraced houses are available at an average of £300,236. Whilst the large, detached Victorian houses average at £640,402.
Schools and Education in Reading
If you’re moving to Reading with children, or you one day plan to start a family, it’s important to know if the area has schools suitable for your requirements. There are many primary and secondary schools in Reading that have achieved an Ofsted rating of “outstanding” or “good”.
5 Best Primary Schools in Reading:
| Primary School | Location | Age Range | Most Recent Ofsted Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
All Saints Junior School | Reading | 7-11 | Outstanding |
Oxford Road Community School | Reading | 3-11 | Good |
E P Collier Primary School | Reading | 3-11 | Good |
Thameside Primary School | Reading | 5-11 | Good |
St Anne's Catholic Primary School | Reading | 2-11 | Good |
5 Best Secondary Schools in Reading:
| Secondary School | Location | Age Range | Most Recent Ofsted Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
Reading School | Reading | 11-18 | Outstanding |
Kendrick School | Reading | 11-18 | Outstanding |
Maiden Erlegh School | Reading | 11-18 | Outstanding |
UTC Reading | Reading | 14-19 | Outstanding |
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre | Reading | 11-18 | Good |
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Where to Work in Reading
Reading has been voted one of the best places to make a living and work in the UK. With its history of huge involvement in the information technology sector, there’s no surprise that big tech companies like Microsoft and Oracle have its headquarters in Reading.
The average salary in Reading is £33,000, according to PayScale. The most popular occupations in Reading are Software Engineers, Project Managers and Software Developers which pay between £20k and £65k per year. The most popular employers in Reading are AWE, Thames Water, and Oracle Corp.
Information technology, the creative sector, business and financial/legal services, energy and renewables and bio-pharma and biotech are among the most popular job sectors in Reading. Reading is also a university town with the University of Reading offering employment in a range of subjects.
Transport in Reading
Reading offers well-connected transport links with trains, buses and its close proximity to major airports. As well as plenty of train and bus connections around Reading, the town is also closely situated to Heathrow Airport as well as Luton and Southampton airports.
Reading has one of the busiest train stations outside of London, with First Great Western, CrossCountry and South West Trains all operating to many locations around the UK. You can be in London Paddington within 30 minutes by train, making Reading an ideal commuter town as well as allowing people to commute to Reading too.
Entertainment in Reading
If you’re moving to Reading without visiting the town prior, we’ve got you covered. We’ve researched some of the best things to keep you busy in Reading. From shopping to arts, Reading has something for everyone.
Reading is a university town, so there’s no shortage of independent and well-loved bars, pubs and restaurants. Harris Arcade is filled with independent boutiques whilst Broad Street boasts high street favourites.
There is also a strong arts community in Reading, from the Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC) to the South Street Arts Centre, the town is filled with creative individuals.
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Crime in Reading
Most towns and cities are at risk of some sort of crime. Reading’s crime rate is at 80% compared to the national crime rate, according to Plumplot. Most of Reading’s crime is made up of violent crime, taking up 32.9% of all crime recorded. This has increased by 11% in a year.
Weapons, theft and robbery have the lowest crime level in Reading, whilst violent crime and anti-social behaviour remain at the highest level of risk. Rest assured, Reading Police work hard to ensure a safe and reassuring daily life in Reading.
Moving to Reading with Compare My Move
Once you’ve chosen your perfect area, it’s time to begin the moving process. Fill out our quick and easy form to get connected with up to 6 trusted and verified removal companies, saving you valuable time and money. To be fully prepared for your move, take a look at the average house removal costs.
