What you need to know about Camden
Forming part of North West London alongside the boroughs of Brent and Harrow, Camden also shares borders with Islington, Haringey, Kensington and Chelsea, and Barnet. The borough of Camden is home to a variety of well-known areas in London, including Primrose Hill, Hampstead, Highgate, Kentish Town, Euston, Holborn, and Bloomsbury.
North West London has an average property price of £851,560 which makes it a more expensive area to live than North London, which has an average price of £783,725. However, it is a more affordable area than both Central London which has an average price of £1,544,823, and West London where the average price is £1,265,596. Camden is the priciest borough within North West London, where average property prices sit at £1,218,584 which is markedly higher than the £586,751 average price in the borough of Harrow.
Within Camden itself, flats are the most commonly sold type of property and they fetch an average sold price of £828,177. Terraced properties in the borough sell for an average £2,237,733, with semi-detached homes reaching £3,101,259 on average. Primrose Hill is the most expensive place to live within Camden which has an average sold price of £1,825,452. Conversely, High Holborn is the least expensive area within the borough with its average property price of £565,000.
Since 2018, the price of property in Camden has risen by 8% from £1,127,219.
What is living in Camden like?
Camden forms part of Inner London and is comprised of a variety of very different areas, including the mixed-use district of Kentish Town and the leafy residential area of Hampstead Heath. The diversity of the borough is what continues to attract people from all walks of life, from students to young professionals and families.
When walking around Camden, you will notice a variety of colourful street art, which makes much of the borough feel a bit like an urban outdoor art gallery. It is also home to the world-famous Camden market, which welcomes around 100,000 visitors every single weekend. The canal runs through the heart of the borough and is a wonderful place to pause to enjoy the sights and sounds on a warm afternoon. It is also an excellent place to sample a selection of incredible street food, with everything from authentic Vietnamese to flavourful Mexican, Japanese and Chinese offerings.
There are a significant number of primary, secondary and alternative schools in the borough, offering plenty of choice for families. These include both independent and state schools, many of which have been awarded good or outstanding ratings by Ofsted. The borough also contains a variety of tertiary education institutions, including Central Saint Martins, Birkbeck, and part of the London School of Economics.
In addition to being home to the renowned British Library, Camden also benefits from numerous other libraries including Camden Town Library, Swiss Cottage Library, and Pancras Square Library.
Living in Camden pros and cons
Pro: Lots of attractions
The borough of Camden contains a plethora of attractions including the British Museum, Bloomsbury Theatre, the British Library, London Zoo, the renowned Roundhouse venue, Shaftsbury Theatre and Camden market. Highgate Cemetery is also located within the borough, as is Keats' House, the Jewish Museum, Parliament Hill Lido, and the Foundling Museum.
Con:
Drivers who own vehicles that do not comply with ULEZ emissions standards will be required to pay a fee of £12.50 per day to drive in Camden.
Pro: Plenty of parks and open spaces
Camden is the second-greenest borough in Inner London and contains a large percentage of Hampstead Heath alongside a selection of smaller open spaces including Bloomsbury Square, Waterlow Park, Lincoln Inn's Fields, Russell Square, and part of Regent's Park. Camden is also home to four nature reserves, including Adelaide Nature Reserve, Camley Street Natural Park, and Belsize Wood. Camley Street National Park benefits from woodland, meadow and wetlands which offers habitats for many birds, amphibians, insects and mammals.
Con: Poor air quality
Despite sitting within the expanded ULEZ zone, over the course of a year residents will be exposed to levels of air pollution that are more than twice the recommended guidelines set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Pro: Excellent public transportation connections
There are no motorways running through Camden but it is home to three of London's most significant rail termini, which should give you some indication of the extent of the borough's public transportation connections. St Pancras, Kings Cross and Euston stations are respectively on the Midland, West Coast, and East Coast Main Lines, connecting the borough with the West and East Midlands, the East of England, North Wales, the North East and West of England, and Scotland. These lines also connect the borough with the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.
The North London Overground Line runs through the likes of Kentish Town West, Camden Road and Hampstead Heath, and Thameslink services serve Kentish Town, West Hampstead, and St Pancras. The borough also has a strong Transport for London bus service, which serves all Camden suburbs.
St Pancras, Kings Cross, and Euston are collectively served by the Hammersmith & City, Circle, Northern, Metropolitan, Victoria and Piccadilly London Underground lines. The borough benefits from myriad Underground stations, including Swiss Cottage, Finchley Road, Warren Street, Tottenham Court Road, and Holborn.
Pro: Excellent nightlife
From welcoming pubs to iconic venues such as the Roundhouse, if you enjoy music and nightlife in general, Camden is an incredible place to live. There is always something going on, all right on your doorstep.
Is Camden a safe place to live?
Data from the period between March 2020 and March 2021 illustrates that the borough of Camden recorded a 26.21 crime rate. Anything above 28.77 is classed as being 'very high' which places Camden in the 'slightly higher than average' category.
Between December 2019 and November 2021, there were 58,458 offences recorded in Camden. Of those crimes, more than 20,000 were categorised as theft. A further 12,822 offences were violence against the person crimes. Conversely, during the same time period, the borough recorded relatively low instances of possession of weapons and miscellaneous crimes against society.
The data shows that crime in the borough is decreasing. Reported offences fell by 3.15% in November 2021 when compared to October 2021. When compared to the previous 12-month period, crime fell by 10.67% in the 12 months to November 2021.
Which celebrities live in Camden?
The borough of Camden has been home to a plethora of famous faces throughout the years, particularly in the Primrose Hill area which has seen the likes of Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, Kate Moss, Jude Law, and Gwen Stefani setting up home. Bill Nighy and Charles Dance both live in Kentish Town, and everyone from Charles Dickens to Sylvia Plath and Amy Winehouse made Camden Town their home during their lifetimes.
Things to consider when moving to Camden
If you've ever asked a Camden resident what it's like to live in the borough, we're sure that you've been bombarded with reasons why they think it's one of the best places to live in London. And given the variety of neighbourhoods and the sheer number of places to visit and things to see, we can't disagree.
Its proximity to Central London and excellent transport links to just about anywhere are big draws, which is why property in the borough is so sought after. If your budget stretches to cover the type of property you want, Camden is likely to be able to offer you the lifestyle of your dreams.
