What it's like to live in Princes Risborough

Housing in Buckinghamshire leans heavily towards ownership: 70% of homes are owned, 15.7% privately rented and 13% socially rented, below the England figure of 17.1%. Of that social housing, 10.3% is housing association and only 2.6% council. Practically, that means most swap opportunities here come through housing associations.

The biggest social landlords in the county are Fairhive Homes with around 8,534 homes, Paradigm Homes Charitable Housing Association with 7,056, Red Kite Community Housing with 5,367, London & Quadrant Housing Trust with 3,105 and Hightown Housing Association with 1,494. Average weekly social rents for 2024/25 were £117 for one bed, £134 for two and £151 for three.

The age profile across the council area is close to the national picture, with slightly more 45 to 64 year olds at 27.3% and 18.8% aged 65 and over. For context, 2,729 households were on the Buckinghamshire housing register at 31 March 2025 and 1,370 social homes were let through the council in 2024-25, which is why mutual exchange is often the quicker route.

Families are well served for a town this size. St Teresa's School is right in the centre, Princes Risborough Primary School is under half a mile away, and Monks Risborough CofE Primary School is a short walk or quick drive. Longwick Church of England Combined School and Great Kimble Church of England School sit within two miles for anyone looking at the villages nearby.

For older children, Princes Risborough School is the local secondary, about half a mile from the centre. Having a secondary in the town itself matters: no long bus journey, and teenagers can get themselves home.

Outside school, there's plenty of outdoor space. Wades Park and King George V Recreational Ground are close in, with St Dunstan's Recreation Ground and Longwick Playing Field a bit further out. Princes Risborough Library is handy for younger children, and Risborough Community Centre, St Mary's Church Hall and White Cross Hall are the sort of places where clubs and groups tend to meet. Across Buckinghamshire, under-16s make up 19.7% of the population, slightly above the England figure.

Trains are the town's strongest card. Princes Risborough station is about three quarters of a mile from the centre, with Monks Risborough station a similar distance and Little Kimble just over two miles away. Having three stations within three miles gives real flexibility if you work shifts or travel at odd hours.

By car, the town sits between Aylesbury and High Wycombe, so bigger shopping, hospitals and workplaces are a manageable drive. Roads out of town quickly turn into country lanes, which is pleasant but can be slow in bad weather or at school run times.

On foot, the centre works well. The library, pharmacy, supermarkets and several pubs are all within a few minutes of each other, and the nearest primary school is barely a hundred metres away. Buses serve the town and surrounding villages, but if you'd rely on them entirely it's worth checking current timetables for your own route before you commit to a swap.

This is a town for people who like being outdoors. The Chiltern hills start on the edge of the town, and closer in there are five parks and recreation grounds within three miles, including Wades Park, King George V Recreational Ground, Earl Mitchell, St Dunstan's Recreation Ground and Longwick Playing Field. Walking and dog-walking are part of normal life here.

For evenings out, the choice is pub-shaped rather than club-shaped. The George and Dragon and The Whiteleaf Cross are right in the centre, with The Bell and Dukes Wine Bar within a few minutes and The Bird in Hand half a mile out. It's a decent spread for a town of this size.

Princes Risborough Library sits in the middle of town, and the community halls host the sort of local activity that keeps a small place ticking. For bigger cinemas, shopping centres and leisure complexes you'll be heading to Aylesbury or High Wycombe, which is easy enough by car or train.

Across the Buckinghamshire council area, 61.6% of adults are in work, comfortably above the England figure of 57.4%. Unemployment stands at 2.8% against 3.5% nationally, and unemployment-related benefit claims were 3% of 16 to 64 year olds in August 2026, compared with 4% across England. On paper, this is a strong local jobs market.

That said, Princes Risborough itself is a small town. Plenty of people here commute, and the three nearby stations plus road links to Aylesbury and High Wycombe are what make that practical. If you're moving for work, think about the journey as much as the job.

Locally, the town supports the usual mix you'd expect from its shops, schools, The Paddocks Hospital, pharmacy, library and pubs. It's worth checking current vacancies in your own field before you commit, because a tight labour market across the county doesn't always mean openings on your doorstep.