What you need to know about Bexley
One of the greenest areas of the city, with more than 100 parks and open spaces, Bexley became a London borough in 1963, although some of its residents still regard themselves as being from Kent. Danson Park, Hall Place, Lesnes Abbey Woods and Foots Cray Meadows are among the largest of the open spaces in the region. The west of Crayford is the perfect place for sport lovers, with numerous golf courses and sports fields.
This part of the south east London is highly recommended for those looking for an affordable work/balance home and it has become an increasingly popular place to live with below average house prices. But inexpensive houses and beautiful open spaces are not the only things that Bexley has to offer. Art lovers will definitely enjoy the Red House, the iconic Arts and Crafts home of William and Jane Morris and the centre of the Pre-Raphaelite circle.
Bexley is one of the safest boroughs in London, with a crime rate lower than the average in the city. The region has good air quality and is not affected by the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion area. If you don’t have a car, the best way to travel to Central London is by train or bus.
Sidcup, Erith and Crayford are the most popular places in which people look to rent a flat/house, while Northumberland Heath, Albany Park and Bexleyheath are favoured by new buyers. The average private rent is £1,100, according to the 2018/19 Private rental Market summary statistics, and the average house price is £335,925, according to the 2019 House Price Index. Houses in Bexley are 36.77% owned outright, 35.27% owned with a mortgage or loan, 13.52% private rent and 14.44% are social housing, according to the Office of National Statistics. With a population of 247,258 and 2.53 people per dwelling, the region has seen a growth in housing stock of 4.1% from 2008 to 2018, with 13,970 affordable homes. If you would like to rent a house in Bexley, it is estimated that you will need a total annual income of £33,000, according to the rent affordability formula.
The borough of Bexley has approximately 85 primary schools and 42 secondary schools, of which 18 are rated as outstanding by Ofsted. The main hospitals in the area are Queen Mary Hospital and Erith and District Hospital.