What it's like to live in Alton

Across East Hampshire, 73% of homes are owner-occupied, 13% privately rented and 12.5% socially rented, split between housing associations at 10.8% and council homes at just 1.7%. That social rented share is below the England figure of 17.1%, so social homes here are in demand and a mutual exchange is often the most direct way to move.

Abri Group is by far the biggest social landlord in the area with around 4,941 homes, followed by Sovereign Network Group with 772, Vivid Housing with 418, The Swaythling Housing Society with 374 and PHA Homes with 279. Check who manages any home you are considering, as policies and repairs services differ.

Average weekly social rents in the council area for 2024/25 were £115 for a one bed, £137 for two beds and £156 for three beds. For context, 1,699 households were on the council's housing register at 31 March 2025 and 337 social homes were let through the council in 2024-25; a register is not a simple queue.

Alton is well served for a town of its size. Within half a mile of the centre you have Saint Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Alton Infant School, Anstey Junior School and The Butts Primary School, plus HSDC Alton for post-16 study. That means most families can get to school on foot.

For older children, Amery Hill School is a third of a mile out and Eggar's School just over a mile. Alton School and Treloar School are also within a mile and a half, giving an unusually wide choice locally. Always check admissions and catchment areas for the exact address you are considering, as places are not guaranteed by distance alone.

Outside school, Alton Town Park and The Public Gardens are both a short walk from the centre, with Flood Meadows, The Butts and Greenfields Park giving more room to run about. Alton Library is right in town, and the Community Centre and Alton Maltings Centre host local groups. Across East Hampshire, 17.3% of residents are under 16, close to the England average.

Alton station is about half a mile from the town centre, at the end of its line, so trains are a genuine option for commuting or days out rather than an afterthought. The Watercress Line heritage railway also runs from here, which is more of a day-out thing than transport.

The town itself is compact and flat enough in the centre that walking covers most of it. The library, pharmacies, supermarkets, pubs and community centres are all within half a mile of each other, and the schools are clustered close in too. If you do not drive, that matters: you are not dependent on a car for a loaf of bread or a prescription.

A car still helps for reaching the surrounding villages, the bigger out-of-town supermarkets and jobs further afield, and roads out of Alton connect into the wider Hampshire network. Bus services operate in the area, but check current timetables for your specific route before you commit, especially for evening and Sunday travel.

Green space is Alton's quiet strength. The Public Gardens and Alton Town Park are both a couple of minutes from the centre, Flood Meadows gives you riverside walking, and The Butts and Greenfields Park sit on the western side. For bigger walks, the countryside around the town starts almost immediately.

The town centre has a decent run of pubs for its size, including The Swan, The Wheatsheaf, the Market Hotel and The Bakers Arms, plus Cassidy's Bar, all within a few minutes of each other. Alton Library is in the middle of town, and Chawton House & Library, a mile and a half away, is worth the trip for its grounds and collection.

For exercise, Energique Health Club and SPA is under a mile out. Alton Community Centre and the Alton Maltings Centre are the places to look for clubs, classes and events, and Shalden Village Hall covers the villages a couple of miles north. The Watercress Line steam railway, running from Alton station, is a reliable day out with children.

Figures here are for the wider East Hampshire council area rather than Alton alone, but they paint a strong picture. At the 2021 Census, 59.5% of adults were in work, above the England figure of 57.4%, and unemployment stood at 2.3% against 3.5% nationally.

That pattern has held. In September 2026, 2.2% of 16 to 64 year olds in East Hampshire were claiming unemployment-related benefits, compared with 4% across England. It is one of the lower rates in the country, which usually means work is findable, though it does not tell you about pay or hours.

Alton itself supports local jobs in its shops, schools, community hospital and services, and the town's station makes commuting out a practical option for people whose work is elsewhere. The age profile across the council area skews older than England, with 29.1% aged 45 to 64 and 23.1% over 65, so care, health and education roles are a steady part of the local picture.