Postcode · Southampton

SO16 3BY area guide

Who lives in SO16 3BY, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Neighbourhood: Swaythling
Council: Southampton
Region: South East
Neighbourhood population: 1,507 (2024)

SO16 3BYSouthampton

At a glance

What SO16 3BY is like

SO16 3BY is a postcode in the Swaythling area of Southampton. Because census and crime data isn’t published for single postcodes, the figures here cover the surrounding neighbourhood of about 1,507 people. 31.2% of households own their home, 33.7% rent privately and 34.3% are in social housing. The largest age group is 20–24, and 46.7% of adults are in work. It ranks among the more deprived parts of England. Higher-harm crime is below the England and Wales average. Homes in SO16 3 sold for a median of £310,001 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How SO16 3BY compares

Headline figures for SO16 3BY, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

3.0/ 10

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

CrimeMore

6/ 10

Around the middle: 26.9 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£310,001

Median over 71 sales in SO16 3, −3.1% on the year before.

TransportMore

5.0/ 10

Good: 1 station within a mile, 43 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

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

Household incomeMore

£50,251

Average annual income before tax, higher than 42% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where SO16 3BY differs most from the national average.

01
A big private rental marketPositive
33.7% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
02
A student area
23.7% of adults are full-time students, against 7.9% across England. Expect HMO demand and term-time turnover.
03
A young populationPositive
30.2% of residents are aged 20 to 34 (the peak renting age), against 19.6% across England.
04
More deprived than mostLook closer
Scores 3.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (where 1 is most deprived). Yields can be higher, but check tenant demand street by street.
05
A lot of social housingLook closer
34.3% of homes are social housing, against 17.1% across England.

Questions

SO16 3BY FAQs

Is SO16 3BY a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 3.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 26.9 per 1,000 people a year, band 6 of 10 nationally. 100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 5.0 out of 10 (good).

How much does a house cost in SO16 3BY?

The median sale price over the last year was £310,001.

Homes in SO16 3 sold for a median of £310,001 across 71 sales in the year to August 2026, −3.1% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is SO16 3BY safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 26.9 offences per 1,000 people a year around SO16 3BY, below the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 6 of 10.

Who lives in SO16 3BY?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 20–24, at 15.1% of residents. 31.2% of households own their home. The most common property type is semi-detached (63.2%).

Which council covers SO16 3BY?

The local authority for SO16 3BY is Southampton.

SO16 3BY comes under Southampton in the South East. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is SO16 3BY?

Connectivity scores 5.0 out of 10.

There are 43 bus stops within 800m and 1 station or tram stop within a mile, scoring 5.0 out of 10 (good). The nearest station is Swaythling Rail Station, 0.6 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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