The 12 Safest Areas In London To Move To In 2022
- September 15, 2022
Author
Where Are The Safest Places In London?
In this article, we are going to discuss :
Despite How Big The City Is, There Are Many Safe Places To Live In London, Even In Areas Where It Might Seem There Are More Crimes Being Committed.
People move to London all the time from all over the world- it is one of the greatest cities you can live in! But the question of where to live in London, is normally followed by “Where are the safest areas in London to live in?”.
Whilst London is a wonderful and safe place to live, as you may expect from a city with so much life and things to do, there is also a higher crime rate. Additionally, London’s crime is not all in one area, it is spread out across many parts of the city. But this doesn’t leave London short of wonderful and safe neighbourhoods to live in!
Due to the way crime is measured by the local authorities across the city’s many districts, some areas are given far higher crime rates than others even when the crimes being reported can be less severe. For instance, a neighbourhood of West London, (which is very wealthy and historically safe to live in) with higher levels of petty crime could appear to be less safe to live in than an area of South London with a historically, much worse reputation for crime in the neighbourhood!
Using current statistics combined with our own extensive personal and professional knowledge of London, we are going to go through our list of what we view as the safest places in London to live in for anyone considering moving to the city.
Is London A Safe Place To Live?
As we said, London is a city with a large population, more than 12 million if we are considering the total Urban population. Other articles on the internet may choose to only look at the total number of crimes committed in each district but, we prefer to look at the crime rate at the neighbourhood level, for a more accurate picture of how safe an area is to live in. Otherwise, some of the best neighbourhoods in London would be missed and some of the suggestions we see other websites making might not be practical for what would-be movers require.
The average crime rate for London in 2021 was 87 crimes per 1000 people, compared to a UK average of 79 crimes per 1000 people. But does this really make London less safe to live in? What if we looked further into the crime statistics for London and could see a breakdown of crime per area?
As home relocation specialists with extensive professional and personal experience of living in this city and, having placed thousands of tenants in accommodations all over London- we know that some parts of London, are fantastic and perfectly safe places to live in.
So how do we suggest what are the safest areas to live in London, for people looking at moving to the city?
The Safest Places To Live In London
Our approach to this guide is to review the latest crime data from the last year, with a look at in-depth statistics for each neighbourhood and then, combine that with our own experience, with living in these areas. All figures displayed are accurate according to statistics provided by the London Metropolitan Police are accurate as of June 2022. You can see more on individual crime statistics for each area courtesy of the London Metropolitan Police website.
Wimbledon
Wembley might be the home of football in England (for some) but Wimbledon is definitely the home of tennis. It is also a very pretty, green and comparatively, safer part of the city to live in for anyone thinking of moving to London. Wimbledon Village (108.21 crimes per 1000 people) is one of the lowest crime rate areas in the whole of South West London and Wimbledon Park (121.62 crimes per 1000 people), ranks quite well among other neighbourhoods in the borough of Merton.
Historically, Wimbledon has always been a reliable, safe neighbourhood to live in London. The beautiful green area of Wimbledon Common became synonymous with the popular children’s characters, The Wombles, for decades and the Wimbledon area as a whole is obviously, most closely associated with the prestigious tennis tournament that takes place in the town every year.
Wimbledon has plenty of lovely homes to move into that are ideal for families, as well as many fantastic schools for children of all ages. There are plenty of options for shopping and dining in the area, as well as brilliant transport links to Central London and other parts of the city, which makes living in Wimbledon an accessible, convenient and ultimately, safer neighbourhood to live in London.
You can find out more information about living in Wimbledon and the surrounding area on the local government authority website and read more about living in Wimbledon in this fantastic article on our blog.
Fulham
The area around Fulham is certainly more lively than other parts of West London but also offers amazing neighbourhoods to raise a family in. There is no shortage of good school options, incredible homes along the riverside and its leafy-green streets. The main high street of Fulham Broadway offers plenty of options for shopping and dining, whilst the area has a very strong presence in the world of elite club football as the home of Chelsea FC.
Overall, Fulham has always been a charming place to live. But of course, some parts of this very popular area of West London see more crime than others. Perhaps unsurprisingly, living close to the river is not only a chance at a more ideal lifestyle but also, the chance to live in a significantly less active area for crime. With 122 crimes per 1000 people committed in the last year, the riverside area of Fulham is one of the safest parts of the area to live in, as well as one of the prettiest.
A short walk from the river around Sands End, you’ll find a slight drop in crime rates with an average of 113 crimes per 1000 people in the last year. It’s not really surprising that these historically, quieter and prettier parts of Fulham make for safer areas to live in London, which is exactly why this wonderful part of West London is in such high demand.
You can find out more information about living in Fulham and the surrounding area on the local government authority website and read more about living in Fulham in this fantastic article on our blog.
Ealing
Ealing is a fantastic green, spacious and of course, safe borough to live in London. With many fantastic green spaces, beautiful Victorian homes to live in, excellent local shopping and school options for families, as well as first-class transport links to the city centre thanks to the addition of the high-speed Elizabeth Line, is it an ideal place for anyone to make a life for themselves in London.
The borough of Ealing as a whole is one of the safest areas to live in London, with an average of 170 crimes per 1000 people, committed in the last year. However, some parts of Ealing have much higher crime rates than others, particularly areas such as East Acton (238 per 1000) and unfortunately, the very popular and connected area of Ealing Broadway (301 per 1000).
However, there are quieter areas with much lower levels of crime that are close to some of the more popular areas of Ealing to live in. Areas in Northfield, which has an incredibly low rate of just 92 crimes per 1000 people, are very close to Ealing Broadway, whilst neighbourhoods in North Greenford (98 per 1000) also offer plenty of safer areas to live in even though, the area is a little further away from Ealing broadway.
You can find out more information about living in Ealing and the surrounding area on the local government authority website read more about living in Ealing in this fantastic article on our blog.
St. John’s Wood
St. John’s Wood is not only one of London’s most beautiful neighbourhoods, it also happens to be one of the safest places to live in London. and is the safest place in all of Westminster’s neighbourhoods.
The Abbey Road district scores so low for crime statistics with a mere 89 crimes committed per 1000 people in this area. Hardly surprising for a part of London that’s most popular attraction is tourists recreating the cover of the iconic Beatles album taken at the zebra crossing outside Abbey Road Studios! But even the neighbouring area of Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park scores remarkably low (97 per 1000) for such a popular part of London!
With fast train services into nearby Paddington, delightful trips to the zoo or strolls around Regents Park and Little Venice just a short stretch of the legs away, why wouldn’t you want to move to St. John’s Wood? The area has quite easily, one of the most beautiful collections of homes in the whole of London and St. John’s Wood, between the amazing selection of local schools, the beautiful high street filled with incredible independent restaurants and boutique stores, is one of the most idyllic neighbourhoods to live in London for anyone.
You can find out more information about living in St.John’s Wood and the surrounding area on the local government authority website and read more about living in St.John’s Wood in this fantastic article on our blog.
Greenwich
With stunning river views, no shortage of lush parks and green spaces, as well as a great variety of properties in the area it’s no wonder Greenwich is such a lovely place to live. If you’re a parent who’s a little more leaning towards education as being the first word in where you decide to live with your family, you’ll find no shortage of brilliant schools to send your kids to in the area.
Indeed, Greenwich, at least on the surface – ticks many people’s boxes for what they want from living in London. But how safe is the area around Greenwich to live in? The answer is a little less clear. Whilst the Borough of Greenwich as a whole has a rather average ranking for the number of crimes committed in the area (189 crimes per 1000 people ) there is a higher amount of crimes committed in lovely areas like Greenwich Peninsula ( 330 per 1000) and East Greenwich (214 per 1000), which impacts the overall ranking for the area and might put some people off living here but, trust us these are wonderful places to live!
Incidentally, the area around Greenwich Park (78 per 1000) and Blackheath (131 per 1000), two of the most beautiful areas in the borough, appear much safer to live in according to the statistics. If you don’t believe us when we say these are the areas you want to be living in, then you should look at the properties in Blackheath, some of them are incredible!
You can find out more information about living in Greenwich and the surrounding area on the local government authority website and read more about living in Greenwich in this fantastic article on our blog.
Kensington & Chelsea
You’ll struggle to find a nicer area anywhere in London to live in and when we say nice, what we mean is; outstandingly beautiful. The properties in Kensington and Chelsea are amongst some of the best homes you’ll find anywhere in the world, let alone in London, which is no wonder it draws in its fair share of celebrities and billionaires. But, does this make these areas safer to live in or, provide more of an attraction to crime in the neighbourhood?
With a crime rate of 239 crimes committed per 1000 people in the last year, you would think this meant that living in Kensington and Chelsea was not, as safe as other areas. However, as a wealthy part of the city, the number of petty crimes committed is understandably higher than in other areas across London. This doesn’t make this area less safe to live in and indeed, it is actually one of the safer areas you could live in.
Incidents of crimes like these can be avoided very easily with proper security systems, stowing belongings and property correctly and really, just common sense. The riverside area of Chelsea and neighbourhoods like Holland Park and Sloane are incredible places to live in London and the benefits of living there with the quality of life the area offers, far outweigh any of the complaints about crime in the area.
You can find out more information about living in Kensington and Chelsea and the surrounding area on the local government authority website and https://theflexliving.com/west-london-areas/.
Harrow
Harrow is a fantastic neighbourhood and a very safe area to live in London. Although most famous for the prestigious all-boys school in the area, Harrow is a beautiful and much quieter part of North London that offers plenty of safe areas to live in. With just 125 crimes committed for every 1000 people in the last year, Harrow is indisputable, as one of the safest boroughs to live in the whole of London.
With that said, some parts of the borough have higher crime rates than others such as Greenhill (225 per 1000). Harrow On The Hill has an average of 116 crimes committed per 1000 whilst West Harrow has just 88 per 1000 people. Overall, the signs are positive that Harrow is a very safe part of London to consider living in!
There are plenty of wonderful housing options in Harrow, with some beautiful homes available in the area, along with plenty of fantastic schools (aside from the rather obvious one we mentioned at the start!) making it ideal for families. There are good transport links with the city centre to help with those commuting to jobs in the city and overall – Harrow is just a very nice and safe place to live!
You can find out more information about living in Harrow and the surrounding area on the local government authority website.
Kingston
Kingston Upon Thames is a firm contender for one of the most beautiful areas to live in London. There are very few other areas we could recommend living in London that can match Kingston for natural beauty, with some incredible riverside properties, beautiful green parks and pretty neighbourhoods to live in. The borough is quite far south and almost breaking the boundary for what you can consider living in London but unsurprisingly, such a charming place to live is also very safe.
With just 132 crimes committed per 1000 people in the area in the last year, Kingston Upon Thames is obviously, one of the safest boroughs to live in London. Further breaking down the neighbourhood statistics, the area closest to the river and the rest of London, Tudor, has an average of 75 crimes per 1000 people living in this particular area. The further south and out into the borough you look, the similar the picture is, with areas like St. Mark’s clocking 89 crimes per 1000 people and Coombe Vale, having just 59!
This doesn’t mean you should think the entire area is as safe as each neighbourhood we just mentioned. Unsurprisingly, crime rates are far more active in the town centre, With Grove having an astonishingly high average of 521 crimes per 1000 people. Kingston might be a little bit further out from London, but the lower levels of crime when coupled with the outstanding natural beauty of the area and living options, make it one of the safest (and best) places to live in London.
You can find out more information about living in Kingston Upon Thames and the surrounding area on the local government authority website and read more about living in Kingston in this fantastic article on our blog.
Richmond
Richmond can be found at the top of many people’s lists for the best areas to live in London and it isn’t hard to see why. River properties are in abundance, parks are plentiful just like amazing restaurants and boutique stores and, there are more than enough outstanding schools nearby to send the kids off to for families looking to move to the area.
Richmond has its unique feel and sense of community to it. It is distinctly London Esq but, life happens a lot slower down by the river and arguably, that is what contributes to it being such a safe area to live in. With just 116 crimes committed per every 1000 people living in the area, it is comfortably, the safest borough to live in, in London but, how do individual neighbourhoods compare?
The more central areas of Richmond have higher rates of crime (South Richmond has the highest for the area at 261 per 1000 people which is almost double the second highest area!) but the more suburban and riverside communities such as Richmond Riverside (137 per 1000), St. Margaret’s (98 per 1000) and Hampton Wick (87 per 1000) have much lower levels of crime. Indeed, Richmond is consistently ranked as not only the best, but the safest area to live in London each year and people certainly, very much enjoy living there!
You can find out more information about living in Richmond and the surrounding area on the local government authority website and read more about living in Richmond in this fantastic article on our blog.
Limehouse/St.Katherine’s Dock
The area along the River Thames from Limehouse up to St.Katherine’s Dock is one of the prettiest and most affluent areas to live in East London. The wharfs and marinas of this part of the riverside are filled with beautiful boats and fantastic homes to live in, from luxury penthouses to riverside terrace houses.
Living around here is very quiet and has a very different pace of life to the rest of East London. With that said, 136 crimes per 1000 people in these areas may seem significantly higher than some of the other areas we have talked about so far on this list. However, as was the case with Kensington and Chelsea, petty crimes like theft make up more than 33% of the crimes committed in the area, which is again – easily avoided providing you’re sensible living in a city like London!
We really can’t stress enough that living in areas like these is incredibly fulfilling. You have stunning views of the city to enjoy every day, peaceful riverside walks, and a raft of fantastic local restaurants and pubs to enjoy visiting (including one from Michelin-winning Chef Gordon Ramsay and Lord Of The Rings Actor Sir Ian McKellen). St. Katherine’s Dock and Limehouse are amazing and perfectly safe places to live in London.
You can find out more information about living in St.Katherine’s Dock and Limehouse, as well as the surrounding area on the local government authority website and read more about living in St.Katherine’s Dock and Limehouse in this fantastic article on our blog.
Angel
The borough of Islington has always been an incredibly popular area to live in North London for centuries. With many beautiful homes to choose from, as well as fantastic schools and local shopping, it has been ever-popular with families in this particular part of North London. However, the neighbourhood around Angel offers a bit more energy for those wanting to live in the area and great access to popular neighbourhoods such as Camden Town.
Now yes, Angel when looking at the statistics straight away, does appear to have a very high-crime rate of 855 crimes per 1000 people. However, when looking more closely at the statistics, we know that of the 3,142 crimes committed in the area of Angel, the majority of them were petty crimes including 1,785 cases of theft. For a very small yet densely populated area, these statistics seem quite high but, does this mean Angel is less safe to live in than anywhere else on this list?
We say, no, Angel is just as safe to live in as anywhere else we have talked about. Once again, there are easy and sensible steps to take to prevent a person from falling victim to petty crimes in an area like Angel. What’s more, Angel is a fantastic area filled with wonderful independent stores, bars, cafes and restaurants that we and our friends, have enjoyed spending a lot of time in over the years. It is an incredibly popular place to live in North London and as safe to live in as anywhere else on our list.
You can find out more information about living in England the surrounding area on the local government authority website and read more about living in Angel in this fantastic article on our blog.
Do you agree with our list? Are you looking to move to the grand old (and of course, safe!) city of London in the future? Want to read more about different areas of London you can live in? If you’re stuck with options for where to live then we would like to help. Get in touch with us today, and let’s see if we can make your and your family’s dream move to London happen!