Looking for safe areas in London? Here are the safest areas to visit and live in the city, from a Londoner.
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Whether you’re planning to move to London or are fresh to the city, looking for safe areas to live in London is sure to be your top priority.
When it comes to the safest areas to live in London, there’s dozens of neighbourhoods that you could happily live in without every having to worry about walking alone at night or having to clutch your purse, but equally so, there are some neighbourhoods you may want to avoid.
What Makes an Area in London Safe vs Unsafe?
Unsafe incidents can happen anywhere, even the quote ‘safe areas in London (Harry Styles was robbed in Hampstead, one of the nicest areas in London).
On the other end, just because a neighbourhood is labelled ‘unsafe’ doesn’t mean something bad with automatically happen to you.
For my personal experience, I’ve lived in several neighbourhoods across the city — and in the beginning, (without knowing the geography) I definitely lived in places I could look back at and deem as unsafe compared to the neighbourhoods I live in now.
However, outside of being slightly more vigilant at night, I never had any incidents happen to me (again, personally).
With that said, in this post I’ll be sharing the safest and most unsafe areas to live in London, based on the data only this includes the crime rates for each provided by the Metropolitan Police of London.
I’ll also be delving into the crimes most prevalent in the area’s listed so you can make an informed decision on where you choose to call home in the city (for example, in Westminster pick-pocketing is more common than most areas, but it’s mostly because of the high population of tourists). Let’s get into it!
The Safest Areas in London
Richmond
Originally a royal holiday destination, Richmond’s crime rate sits astonishingly low at about 54 crimes per thousand people.
Although it’s not the most Central of destinations it’s consistently somewhere Londoners flock to for a weekend for a sunny walk across the Thames, the village-feel and of course, the beautiful Richmond Park. Even better? It’s only 20 minutes to Waterloo on the fast train!
Kingston-Upon-Thames
Next comes Kingston-Upon-Thames. Similar to Richmond the crime rate is about 57 per thousand people.
The Southwest market town is filled with every shop you can imagine — countered by a relaxing riverside bursting with restaurants and pubs.
You’ll be able to reach Waterloo from here in about 30 minutes by train.
Sutton
Sleepy and quiet Sutton is one of London’s most family-friendly towns, often forgotten by most Londoners. The crime rate here sits low at around 66 per thousand people.
Between an abundance of local pubs, green spaces and the lovely Honeywood Museum, it’s no wonder 90%+ of residents say it’s a great place to live.
Harrow
If you’re living somewhere Sir Winston Churchill used to go to school, you’re probably in a safe area in London. The 80,000 people town is as diverse as it comes, along with a low crime rate of 63 crimes per thousand people.
From lovely afternoon tea spots to an art centre and the Ruislip Woods National Nature Reserve, living here is somewhat of a Suburban dream (London style of course).
Hampstead
Hampstead is the safest area you’ll find in Central London, with a crime rate of 77 per thousand people.
The affluent district is bursting with old money, creatives, musicians and everyone inbetween, often sought after for the 700 acres of Heath to wander (but like anywhere, avoid walking through large green spaces/forests at night). Camden is only a few minutes walk away,
Read More: 19 Amazing Things to do in Hampstead, London: A Local’s Guide
Bexley
The Bexley area sits in South-east London, commonly referred to as ‘Bexley Village’. The crime rate is 64 per thousand people and is a perfect example of London regeneration.
From cycling to roaming lakes and over 90 parks and woodland areas, life here is more like country-living than anything, and it’s an incredibly safe place to live in London.
The Unsafest Areas in London
Croydon
Although Croydon is steadily improving its reputation each year, it’s still widely considered as one of the most unsafe areas in London. The crime rate sits at 82 crimes per 1,000 people with 37 of those crimes being violent related.
However, the majority of crimes are gang-related, so unless you are involved in that world (which I’m assuming you’re not considering you’re reading this post) it’s very unlikely that you’ll be included in that statistic.
Newham
Newham ranks as one of the top 10 most unsafe boroughs in London, with roughly 93 crimes per 1,000 people.
Theft is amongst one of the top crimes in the area, however with the re-generation of the Royal Docks crime rates have continued to fall since 2005.
Southwark
Southwark is home to London’s biggest tourists attractions, which comes with a lot of tourist related crimes.
This leaves the crime rate at 98 per thousand people. Unlike other dangerous boroughs in London most of the crimes here are non-violent related (for example, pick pocketing) so just make sure to stay vigilant with your belongings and you’ll be fine.
Tower Hamlets
Home to St. Katherine’s Dock, Mile End and other East London gems, Tower Hamlets crime rate sits at 97 per thousand people.
In particular, bike theft and burglary are the most common crimes in the area. However, given Tower Hamlets consists of several neighbourhoods, it may be more common in certain parts than others.
Haringey
Although Haringey’s crime rate is decreasing year after year, it’s still considered one of the most dangerous boroughs in London with a crime rate of 106 per thousand people.
Luckily life here will put you close to Alexandra Palace and tons of beautiful North London life.
Surprisingly unsafe areas in London
Despite their more pristine reputation in London, Camden, Kensington & Chelsea & Westminster all have some of the highest crime rates in the whole of the city.
This is because in general, the more tourists that live in an area, the higher chance the area is targeted by thieves and pickpocketers looking to take advantage.
However there’s a generally low chance this would happen to you so just stay mindful of your belongings, same as anywhere!
Final Thoughts on the Safest Areas to Live in London
As you’ll notice, most of the safest areas in London have more of a small town/countryside feel to them. Which proves that point that living in a city automatically comes with a need for higher alert for safety.
However with city life comes a new found confidence that will make you feel safer wherever you go and choose to live in London. Best of luck!
Happy Londoning,
