RG Postcode Area for the Reading Region

A wide range of spatial data has been analysed to present this overview. If you would like anything added, please contact us.

This section of the site is all about the RG Postcode area, also known as the Reading Postal Area. Explore links to the next level to learn more about specific postcode districts such as RG1.

Map of the RG Postcode Area

Map of The RG Postcode
Terrain Map of the RG Reading Postcode.
Detailed map of RG Reading Postcode Area
Detailed map showing districts and posttowns in the RG Area

Map of the RG Reading Postcode Area

Explore the postcode area by using our interactive map.

Quick Facts about the RG Postcode

RG Area Statistics
Width from East to West 40.18 mi
Height from North to South 33.63 mi
Area of RG 750.72 mi²
Maximum Width 40.65 mi
Perimeter of Postcode Area 181.61 mi
Number of Postcode Districts 30
Number of Postcode Sectors 143
Number of Post Towns 12
Number of Postcodes 23,295

The RG postcode area represents a group of 30 postal districts in the Reading area of the United Kingdom. The area code stands for the letters r and g in ReadinG. The area has a population of 778,677 and covers an area of 1,944,376 hectares. Fun fact: 1.20% of the population of Great Britain lives in this area.

The postcode area falls within the following counties: Berkshire (69.99%), Hampshire (22.40%), Oxfordshire (6.91%), Buckinghamshire (0.56%), Wiltshire (0.14%).

Where is the RG Postcode Area?

The RG Reading Postcode is in the South East of England. The postal area borders the following neighbouring postal areas: GU - Guildford, SN - Swindon, SO - Southampton, SP - Salisbury, OX - Oxford, SL - Slough and HP - Hemel Hempstead, and is located inland.

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Map Showing Location of the postcode area
Where is the postcode area?
A word cloud for the postcode area
A word cloud for the area

How built up is the Postcode Area?

I've calculated the total area covered by building footprints within the postcode area.
By analyzing this against the total area, I've determined the percentage of the area that's developed, this will give you an idea of how urban or rural the postcode region is.
The higher the percentage the more urban the area is. For example the least urban district is RG25 and the most urban is RG1.

Building Area Summary
Postcode District Total Area (m²) Footprint Area (m²) Built Percentage %
RG25 148,665,789 814,703 0.55%
RG28 75,465,638 411,725 0.55%
RG20 264,103,861 1,774,308 0.67%
RG17 188,797,848 1,316,153 0.70%
RG9 158,103,059 1,825,416 1.15%
RG29 49,908,485 586,025 1.17%
RG8 113,038,843 1,438,352 1.27%
RG27 119,391,007 1,716,987 1.44%
RG7 189,363,349 2,846,011 1.50%
RG26 88,483,921 1,372,621 1.55%
RG18 69,662,162 1,093,703 1.57%
RG23 32,701,254 643,300 1.97%
RG10 57,611,545 1,237,007 2.15%
RG19 36,246,601 1,125,574 3.11%
RG4 51,377,247 1,857,022 3.61%
RG42 33,816,592 1,409,991 4.17%
RG40 44,142,659 1,863,304 4.22%
RG24 32,571,632 1,770,199 5.43%
RG45 11,296,590 818,891 7.25%
RG30 23,164,454 1,681,441 7.26%
RG14 28,816,940 2,160,217 7.50%
RG2 28,066,570 2,317,778 8.26%
RG41 18,832,287 1,668,851 8.86%
RG12 22,932,180 2,306,145 10.06%
RG31 10,184,471 1,157,954 11.37%
RG5 8,071,600 1,072,716 13.29%
RG22 11,914,233 1,684,578 14.14%
RG6 10,949,548 1,619,730 14.79%
RG21 8,126,349 1,399,591 17.22%
RG1 8,565,201 1,697,033 19.81%
Total 1,944,371,915 (m²) 44,687,326 (m²) 2.3%
Map of the RG Postcode Area

A map showing the boundary of RG in relation to other areas

There are 12 towns within the Reading postcode area.

Map of the RG Reading Postcode Area
Map of Reading Postcode Area RG
Map showing modern RG postcode districts for the RG Postcode Area.

How the RG Postcode area was numbered

The RG Reading postcode was originally created out of a trio of towns. Reading is the main town and where the first and last letter of the area code comes from. Newbury and Basingstoke were the two significant postal towns that were intended to share the limelight with Reading. Both are well connected to the hub of Reading by road and rail.

Looking at a map of the postcode area today, it looks confusing and difficult to see a logical order. Once you apply the original numbering of districts as seen before 1995, it begins to make sense.

Why is there no RG3 district?

RG3 used to be the district for West Reading and Tilehurst. It was split and renamed RG30 and RG31.

Original Districts

Reading

  1. Reading
  2. Whitley, Shinfield and Arborfield Green
  3. Tilehurst and West Reading (now RG30 and RG31)
  4. Caversham, Sonning and Sonning Common
  5. Woodley
  6. Earley and Lower Earley
  7. Aldermaston, Mortimer, Silchester, Spencers Wood and Swallowfield
  8. Goring on Thames, Pangbourne
  9. Henley on Thames
  10. Twyford
  11. Wokingham, Winnersh, Finchampstead, Crowthorne (now RG40, RG41, and RG45)
  12. Bracknell (Part Split to create RG42)

In addition to Reading, there are post towns of Henley on Thames, Wokingham, Bracknell, and Crowthorne.

Newbury

  1. Newbury
  2. Hungerford (now RG17)
  3. Thatcham (now RG18 and RG19)
  4. Hermitage and Cold Ash
  5. Greenham Common and Ashford Hill
  6. Compton, Woolton Hill, Highclere, Burghclere and Kingsclere

New post towns of Hungerford and Thatcham were created to the east and west of the Newbury area.

Basingstoke

  1. Basingstoke
  2. South Ham, Brighton Hill, Hatch Warren, Kempshott and Buckskin
  3. Oakley, Winklebury and Wootton St Lawrence
  4. Popley, Chineham, Rooksdown, Sherborne St John, Lychpit and Old Basing
  5. Overton, North Waltham, Dummer, Preston Candover, Ellisfield, Cliddesden, Upton Grey, Weston Patrick and Mapledurwell
  6. Tadley, Hannington and Bramley
  7. Hook, Hartley Wintney, Sherfield on Loddon, Sherfield Park, Mattingley and Rotherwick
  8. Whitchurch and Hurstbourne Priors
  9. Odiham, RAF Odiham, North Warnborough, South Warnborough and Long Sutton

The numbering in the Basingstoke Area remains intact however new post towns of Tadley and Hook were formed in areas with expanding populations.

RG Reading Postcode Original Numbering

Map of RG Reading Postcode with Original Numbering

Map of Posttowns in the RG
Map of Posttowns in the RG Postal Area
Area of the RG postcode area
Unit Area²
Hectares 1,944,376²
Miles 7,507²
Feet 209,290,688,264²
Kilometres 19,444²

Postal Delivery Offices Serving the Postcode Area

  • Basingstoke Delivery Office
  • Bracknell Delivery Office
  • Checken Delivery Office N Scale Payment Delivery Office
  • Compton Scale Payment Delivery Office
  • Crowthorne Delivery Office
  • East Reading Delivery Office
  • Goring Delivery Office
  • Henley On Thames Delivery Office
  • Hook Delivery Office
  • Hungerford Delivery Office
  • Kingsclere Scale Payment Delivery Office
  • Lambourn Scale Payment Delivery Office
  • Newbury Delivery Office
  • Pangbourne Delivery Office
  • Reading Delivery Office
  • Southend (reading) Scale Payment Delivery Office
  • Tadley Delivery Office
  • Thatcham Delivery Office
  • West Reading Delivery Office
  • Whitchurch (rg) Delivery Office
  • Wokingham Delivery Office

Tourist Attractions within the Area

Nearby Postcodes

Towns and Villages within the Area