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Central

Interactive map displaying Central

About

Central ward encompasses much of Swindon's core urban area, including the primary shopping district and the historic Railway Village. The area is defined by its mix of retail spaces, commercial offices, and residential streets, creating a busy environment during the day. Key landmarks include the Brunel Centre mall and the adjacent bus station, which serve as major hubs for transport and commerce.

A notable aspect is the ward's direct connection to the town's railway heritage, with the Grade II listed Mechanics' Institute building standing as a prominent feature. Residential areas consist largely of Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing, particularly near the former railway works. The ward also contains several public parks and the main civic offices for the Borough of Swindon.

Area overview

On average Central has high deprivation and high crime levels, with around 188 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, roughly 2.2× the South West average of 85 per 1,000. Approximately 16.7% of homes in this area are social housing provided by a local council or housing association. The average income per household in Central is £48,026 per year. There are 4 schools in Central: 2 primary (0 Outstanding and 1 Good) and 2 secondary (0 Outstanding and 1 Good). Central is home to around 15,425 people, with a population density of about 5,994.2 per km².

Crime rate
7/10
Crimes per 1k residents
188
Deprivation level
7/10
Income level
4/10
Social housing
16.7%
Connectivity
N/A

Area Profile

Central Population
15,425
Population density
5,994.2 per km²

Crime

Crime per 1,000 population

Violence and sexual offences
87(+161%)
Anti-social behaviour
65.54(+340%)
Shoplifting
29.24(+342%)
Public order
24.96(+282%)
Criminal damage and arson
16.6(+156%)
South West average

Demographics

Ethnic groups

Indian
6,312
40.91%
British
5,076
32.9%
Other White
1,286
8.33%
Other Asian
468
3.03%
Other
387
2.51%
Total population: 15,429

Economics

Education (age 16+)

Level 4 qualifications or above
3,340
26.88%
No qualifications
2,465
19.84%
Level 1 (GCSEs 3-1)
2,010
16.17%
Level 2 (GCSEs 9-4)
1,682
13.54%
Level 3 (A level)
1,387
11.16%
Total 16+ residents: 12,427

Housing

Housing tenure

Private landlord or letting agency
2,363
41.49%
Owns with a mortgage
1,503
26.39%
Owns outright
848
14.89%
Social rents from council
526
9.23%
Other social rented
258
4.53%
Total households: 5,696

Property prices in Central

Median price£220,000
Price per sq ft£247
Sales (last 12 months)97
Typical range (middle 50%)£180K – £250K

Based on 97 recent sales, the median property price is £220,000 (about £247 per square foot) in Central area, with individual transactions ranging from £74,000 up to £510,000.

Prices by property typelast 12 months

Median sale price, median price per square foot, sales count, and percentile information for each property type in Central over the last year.
TypeSalesMedian£/sq ft
Detached8£400,500£339
Semi-Detached10£300,000£321
Terraced64£220,000£244
Flats15£110,000£205

10-year price trendmedian sale price in Central

Sale price

Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in Central.
YearDetachedFlatsSemi-DetachedTerraced
2016£265,000£119,875£240,000£157,750
2017£300,500£118,250£254,000£174,000
2018£325,000£113,000£241,000£185,000
2019£320,000£121,500£232,000£180,000
2020£300,000£110,000£240,000£180,500
2021£316,000£119,995£260,000£185,000
2022£385,000£110,000£245,000£211,500
2023£342,500£122,499£287,500£220,000
2024£381,000£122,500£277,900£220,000
2025£374,000£110,000£305,000£210,000
2026£381,000£85,000£315,000£235,000
Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in Central.

Price per sq ft

Ten year median sale price per square foot trend for each property type in Central.
YearDetachedFlatsSemi-DetachedTerraced
2016£252£252£240£183
2017£273£240£245£193
2018£276£219£222£202
2019£273£241£245£201
2020£266£234£282£198
2021£298£219£263£209
2022£317£214£304£242
2023£340£244£320£241
2024£318£221£301£235
2025£339£213£276£246
2026£356£205£318£269
Ten year median sale price per square foot trend for each property type in Central.

Price distribution by property typelast 12 months

Price distribution by property type for Central in the last year.

Data Sources

All data is sourced from official UK government agencies and public datasets. Last updated: 16/07/2026. Read more about how our statistics are calculated.