What you need to know about Barnet
Barnet is the westernmost borough of North London and shares borders with Enfield and Haringey to the east, Camden to the south, and Harrow and Brent to the west. It also shares borders with Hertsmere in Hertfordshire to the north. There are a variety of notable areas within the borough, including Cockfosters, Golders Green, Hendon, Brent Cross, Edgware, and Mill Hill.
Flats are the most commonly sold type of property in the borough and sold for an average price of £410,778. Terraced properties typically fetch an average price of £663,058, with semi-detached homes reaching an average price of £833,039. These figures mean that Barnet has an average property price of £728,290 which is similar to the nearby borough of Haringey. Barnet is a notably more expensive borough than Enfield which has an average property price of £525,388, however it is markedly cheaper than Islington which boasts an average sold price of £796,631.
The least expensive area of Barnet is Grahame Park where the average property fetched £387,662. Conversely, Childs Hill is the most expensive part of the borough, with average property prices sitting at £1,305,757. Overall property prices in Barnet have increased by 9% since 2017 when the average home sold for £670,458.
What is living in Barnet like?
Barnet forms part of Outer London and in addition to being the largest of all London boroughs in terms of population, it is also one of the largest districts in England. The borough benefits from several Grade I listed buildings, including the parish church of Hampstead Garden Suburb, which has a marvellous Gothic spire.
Barnet is home to Barnet F.C. as well as several non-league clubs including Edgware Town and Hendon F.C. Rugby union team Saracens F.C. have also been based in the borough since 2013, which indicates Barnet's commitment to sporting facilities.
Despite not being renowned for its attractions, Barnet is home to the Royal Air Force Museum which allows visitors to see the development of aviation in a family-friendly environment. Additionally, the borough is well-served by a range of facilities including 15 libraries, a home library service, and mobile libraries.
Barnet is served by the very north of the Northern Line, which stops at Mill Hill East, High Barnet, and Edgware. Although the Piccadilly line technically serves the nearby borough of Enfield, it sits close to the Barnet border and there are bus routes that allow Barnet residents to access Piccadilly line stations. Barnet also benefits from two National Rail routes, including the Midland Main Line which is served by Thameslink. The East Coast Main Line also cuts through the north-eastern part of Barnet and with services offered by the Great Northern Route.
Living in Barnet pros and cons
Pro: Lots of green spaces
A significant percentage of the borough is situated within the Metropolitan Green Belt and therefore benefits from a large number of open spaces and parks. Some of the most notable parks include Edgware's Edgwarebury Park, Whetstone's Swan Lane Open Space, and Hendon's Sunny Hill Park. Barnet is also home to eight Local Nature Reserves including Totteridge Fields in Totteridge and Oak Hill Wood in East Barnet as well as more than 60 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation including The Mill Field in Mill Hill and Monken Hadley Common.
Con: Affordability
Despite not being the most expensive borough in North London, the average private rental property in 2018 reached the market at £1,365 per month. An annual income of £40,950 is required to afford this level of rent, which is markedly higher than the median income of £35,594 recorded in the borough during the same period.
Pro: Good road infrastructure
The A5 covers most of the western border of Barnet and a section of the A1 runs through Mill Hill and eventually joins the Great North Road which also passes through the borough east to west. Additionally, junction 2 and junction 4 of the M1 motorway are located in Barnet, offering excellent connections to a variety of locations outside of London.
Con: Air pollution
Good road connectivity comes at a price and over the course of a year, Barnet residents are exposed to air pollution levels that exceed twice the recommended guidelines set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Pro: Education
There are more than 80 primary schools and over 20 secondary schools in Barnet, offering plenty of choice for children of all ages. Woodhouse College is located in North Finchley and Barnet College boasts some five sites across the borough. Additionally, Mill Hill is home to University College London's teaching observatory and Hendon contains the main campus of Middlesex University.
Is Barnet a safe place to live?
The crime rate in Barnet is 20.25, which places the borough in the very low category. Between December 2019 and November 2021, there were 54,809 offences recorded in the borough. More than 15,000 of these offences were categorised as violence against the person crimes, with a further 10,000 being vehicle offences. Instances of theft in Barnet were also relatively high, with 10,159 offences recorded. Conversely, the borough records low rates of crime relating to the possession of weapons.
In November 2021, crime in the borough of Barnet was down by 6.40% when compared to the previous month. A more long-term view also sees a reduction in crime, which has fallen by 3.28% in the 12 months to November 2021 when compared to the previous 12-month period.
Which celebrities live in Barnet?
The friendly ambience of Barnet has attracted a variety of celebrities to its streets over the years, which means that residents may often find themselves in one of the local shops alongside someone with a very famous face.
Although he now divides his time between several locations across the globe, popstar and ex-One Directioner Zayn Malik owns a property in the centre of Barnet. Another popstar resident is Emma Bunton of Spice Girls fame. She grew up in Finchley and now lives in Hadley, which is one of Barnet's most exclusive areas. Another exclusive area of the borough is Totteridge and football manager Arsene Wenger has owned a property here for more than two decades.
Princess Park Manor, which was once an asylum but has since been converted into luxury apartments, is particularly popular amongst celebrities with the likes of Cheryl Tweedy and Liam Payne setting up home here. It also boasts tennis courts, a 24-hour security service and a fitness club, so it isn't difficult to see why it has become a real hotspot with a very long waiting list.
Things to consider when moving to Barnet
Barnet is a beautiful borough in North London with plenty of tree-lined streets and excellent schools. It has a real family-friendly vibe and is also popular amongst older couples looking for a peaceful home to enjoy their retirement in.
Barnet has both very expensive and more affordable areas, so it is important to sit down and really think about how far your budget will stretch and whether your preferred areas contain the type of property you want to call home. It is also important to consider the social scene as while Barnet isn't necessarily known as a hub of culinary excellence, there are a selection of notable eateries, restaurants and pubs if you know where to look.
Although not the most extensive, the borough's travel connections are good which means that commuters shouldn't find it too difficult to make their way into both The City and Central London.