What it's like to live in Havant

Havant borough is a mostly owner-occupied area: 67.9% own their home, 12.4% rent privately and 18.6% rent socially, slightly above the England figure of 17.1%. The social homes split almost evenly between council housing at 9.4% and housing association at 9.2%, so swaps can come from either side.

The biggest social landlord by far is The Guinness Partnership, with around 3,767 homes, followed by Vivid Housing with 1,344. Southern Housing, Aster Communities and The Swaythling Housing Society each hold smaller numbers. Average weekly social rents in 2024/25 were about £104 for a one bed, £122 for two beds and £143 for three, though your own rent depends on your landlord and property.

The population skews older than England as a whole: 27.3% are aged 45 to 64 and 24.3% are 65 or over, with 17.1% under 16. Demand for social housing is real here, with 1,486 households on the council's register at March 2025 and 209 homes let through the council in 2024-25, which is one reason a mutual exchange can be a faster route.

Families have plenty of choice close in. Within half a mile of the town centre you have Trosnant Infant and Junior schools, Fairfield Infant School, St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Bidbury Infant and Junior Schools and Bosmere Junior School. That means most central addresses sit within a walk or short bus ride of more than one primary.

For older children, Warblington School is under a mile away, with Park Community School about a mile, Prospect School 1.4 miles and Havant Academy 1.6 miles. Check current admissions and catchment for the specific address you are swapping into, as places are allocated by the local authority rather than by distance alone.

Outside school, there is a good spread of free and low-cost things to do. Havant Park is handy for after school, Bidbury Mead Recreation Ground and Westleigh Park give room to run about, and Staunton Farm and Gardens and Staunton Country Park are popular family days out. Havant and Leigh Park libraries run as community spaces too, and community centres including The Pallant Centre and Leigh Park Community Centre are worth checking for children's groups.

Havant is well placed for trains. Havant station is about a third of a mile from the town centre, with Bedhampton and Warblington stations also within a mile, Emsworth around two miles east and Rowlands Castle under three miles north. That gives you a choice of stops if one is closer to the home you swap into.

Buses run from Havant Bus Station, right by the centre, which makes travelling without a car realistic for shopping, school runs and appointments. Routes serve the surrounding estates and nearby towns, though as anywhere, check the timetable for your exact street and the times you need, especially evenings and Sundays.

On foot, the central part of town is flat and compact: station, bus station, library, Meridian Shopping Centre, supermarkets and Havant Park are all within half a mile of each other. Further out, on the larger estates, you will rely more on a bus or a car. Drivers benefit from the town's position on the main east-west and north-south routes through south Hampshire, with Portsmouth, Waterlooville and Chichester all short drives.

Green space is the easiest win here. Staunton Country Park and Staunton Farm and Gardens sit a mile or so from the centre, and Havant Park, Bidbury Mead Recreation Ground and Westleigh Park are closer still. Between them you have everything from a quick dog walk to a full afternoon out, which matters when money is tight.

For culture, The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre is the main venue in town, half a mile from the centre, and Havant Library and Leigh Park Library add talks, groups and computer access. The Pallant Centre, The Stride and the SYRCH Centre host community activity.

Eating and drinking centres on the town's pubs: From Beer to Eternity, The Parchment Makers, the Robin Hood, the Prince of Wales and the Bear Hotel are all within half a mile. Shopping is based around the Meridian Shopping Centre, with Purbrook Chase Shopping Precinct a couple of miles away. If you like the gym, the nearest options, including PureGym and a boxing club, sit around 2.5 miles out towards Waterlooville.

Figures for the wider Havant council area show 54.8% of adults in work, a little below the England average of 57.4%, with unemployment at 2.9% against 3.5% nationally. In August 2026, 3.3% of 16 to 64 year olds were claiming unemployment-related benefits, below the England figure of 4%. In short, work is not abundant but the area is not struggling unusually either.

Part of that lower employment rate reflects the age profile: 24.3% of residents in the borough are 65 or over, well above the England figure of 18.4%, so more people are retired rather than out of work.

For jobseekers, the town's transport matters as much as its own economy. With Havant station and good road links, commuting to Portsmouth, Chichester or further along the coast is realistic, and the bus station helps for jobs in nearby towns. Locally, the shopping centre, supermarkets, schools and health services including Elmleigh Hospital and the Spire Hospital Portsmouth are all employers worth watching.