Postcode · Reading

RG4 8LY area guide

Who lives in RG4 8LY, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Neighbourhood: Caversham Balmore Park
Council: Reading
Region: South East
Neighbourhood population: 1,873 (2024)

RG4 8LYReading

At a glance

What RG4 8LY is like

RG4 8LY is a postcode in the Caversham Balmore Park area of Reading. Because census and crime data isn’t published for single postcodes, the figures here cover the surrounding neighbourhood of about 1,873 people. 70.6% of households own their home, 12.4% rent privately and 16.4% are in social housing. The largest age group is 40–44, and 57.2% of adults are in work. It ranks among the more affluent parts of England. Higher-harm crime is well below the England and Wales average. Homes in RG4 8 sold for a median of £412,500 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How RG4 8LY compares

Headline figures for RG4 8LY, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

8.0/ 10

Less deprived than most. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore

4/ 10

Around the middle: 18.8 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£412,500

Median over 156 sales in RG4 8, −3.8% on the year before.

TransportMore

3.0/ 10

Limited: 0 stations within a mile, 29 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

Rated good or better across 10 inspected schools within 1 mile.

Household incomeMore

£76,198

Average annual income before tax, higher than 90% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where RG4 8LY differs most from the national average.

01
Among the more affluent placesPositive
Scores 8.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, making it less deprived than most of England.
02
An older population
22.4% of residents are 65 or over, against 18.4% across England.
03
Well-rated schoolsPositive
100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better.
04
Few private renters
Only 12.4% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England.
05
Mostly owner-occupied
70.6% of households own their home, against 61.3% across England.

Questions

RG4 8LY FAQs

Is RG4 8LY a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 8.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 18.8 per 1,000 people a year, band 4 of 10 nationally. 100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 3.0 out of 10 (limited).

How much does a house cost in RG4 8LY?

The median sale price over the last year was £412,500.

Homes in RG4 8 sold for a median of £412,500 across 156 sales in the year to August 2026, −3.8% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is RG4 8LY safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 18.8 offences per 1,000 people a year around RG4 8LY, well below the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 4 of 10.

Who lives in RG4 8LY?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 40–44, at 8.6% of residents. 70.6% of households own their home. The most common property type is semi-detached (34.2%).

Which council covers RG4 8LY?

The local authority for RG4 8LY is Reading.

RG4 8LY comes under Reading in the South East. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is RG4 8LY?

Connectivity scores 3.0 out of 10.

There are 29 bus stops within 800m and 0 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 3.0 out of 10 (limited). The nearest station is Reading Rail Station, 1.3 miles away.

Sources: Census 2021 (ONS); ONS mid-year population estimates; police recorded crime; the English, Welsh and Scottish indices of deprivation; ONS small area income estimates; ONS private rents; DfE, Welsh and Scottish school registers and Ofsted; DfT NaPTAN; ORR estimates of station usage; HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.

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