Find the best place to call home in Central London
Houses for Sale & to Rent brings you an overview of the region to help you find the perfect home
With an average house price of £1,574,861, Central London is one of the most expensive parts of London. The area is comprised of two boroughs, the City of London and Westminster, the latter of which is home to some of the most expensive properties in the borough. The average property in Westminster sold for £1,549,671 with the average property in the City of London fetching £885,365.
The borough of Westminster is home to areas including St Johns Wood, Bayswater, Marylebone, Covent Garden, Belgravia and Pimlico. Flats were the most commonly sold type of property and reached an average price of £1,252,742. Terraced properties in the borough sold for an average of £2,941,505, and semi-detached properties reached an average price of £5,009,222. With an average sold price of £5,741,871, Mayfair was the most expensive area of Westminster. Conversely, properties in Chinatown sold for an average price of £600,000 making it the least expensive part of the borough.
The City of London borough includes the areas of Blackfriars, Charterhouse, Temple, Barbican, Moorgate and Houndsditch amongst others. Barbican was officially the priciest part of the borough, with the average property reaching £911,911. Conversely, Smithfield was home to the most affordable properties in the borough, with the average fetching £604,496.
What is living in Central London like?
Forming a core part of Central London, Westminster is home to myriad notable features and buildings including the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, and the West End. In 2017, research illustrated that Westminster was in the top three London boroughs with the highest pay inequality and it placed just behind Kensington and Chelsea as the second-least affordable area in London for private rent. Westminster is home to a variety of open spaces and parks, including St James's Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens.
The City of London is home to London's central business district and the headquarters of the Bank of England as well as a variety of notable locations including St Paul's Cathedral, the Old Bailey, and Smithfield Market. More than 500,000 people are employed within the City of London, however, as of mid-2016 the area had a population of less than 10,000. Although there aren't any notable parks or sizeable green spaces within the City of London itself, there are a selection of formal gardens including Finsbury Circus, Postman's Park, and West Smithfield Garden.
Living in Central London pros and cons
Pro: Excellent transport links
Westminster is served by four National Rail stations and 27 London Underground stations covering 10 of the 11 underground lines. Travel between all areas of London and neighbouring counties including Kent, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire is therefore extremely straightforward. Central London also has excellent connections to the South East and all major airports including Heathrow and Gatwick.
The City of London is served by seven London Underground lines, including Liverpool Street, Aldgate, Blackfriars, and Bank and Monument. A frequent Thameslink service also runs through the City, offering excellent connections to St Pancras International, London Bridge, and Elephant & Castle. Commuters can also get on direct train services to the South East and East Anglia. The City of London also benefits from a strong cycling infrastructure, including multiple sections of traffic-free cycle track.
Con: Affected by ULEZ
Although other forms of transport are excellent, residents with cars that don't conform to the emissions standards set out under the ULEZ scheme will be charged £12.50 per day to use those vehicles. It is important to note, however, that residents with electric vehicles will benefit from the estimated 60 electric vehicle charging locations that are situated in Westminster.
Pro: Plenty of facilities and amenities
From shopping at Leadenhall Market, which you may recognise as Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films, to eating in one of the area's many Michelin-starred restaurants and eateries, the City of London has a lot to offer. You can opt to climb the Monument's 311 steps, explore a range of architecture including modern skyscrapers and the Barbican's Brutalism, and marvel at the beauty of the Sky Garden. In Westminster, you can be a tourist for the day and visit the likes of Buckingham Palace, the Tate Britain, and Westminster Abbey. Notably, Westminster is home to more than 19 libraries and the City of London also houses three lending libraries with membership that is open to all residents.
Con: Air pollution
Although the ULEZ scheme is designed to improve air quality, residents of Westminster are still exposed to more than three times the WHO recommended level of pollutants over the course of the year. The picture is similar in the City of London, which is something to be mindful of.
Pro: Good schools
There are 37 schools located within a mile radius of Westminster, including both private and state institutions. Many of these schools have received 'outstanding' Ofsted ratings, including Harris Westminster Sixth Form, Millbank Academy, and Oasis Academy. There are 30 schools and colleges within a mile radius of the City of London, including many independent institutions. Some of the most notable state schools in the area include The Aldgate School and Central Foundation Boys' School, both of which have received 'outstanding' Ofsted ratings.
Is Central London a safe place to live?
Data from the City of London is unavailable but we can say that Westminster has a reasonably higher than average crime rate, with data from March 2020 to March 2021 illustrating a figure of 35.38. Between November 2019 and October 2021, there were 101,781 crimes reported in Westminster. Of those crimes, 43,709 fell under the category of theft. Violence against the person was the second most common crime in the borough, with 19,177 reported incidents.
Vehicle offences, public order offences, and drug offences were also relatively common, with 7,437, 6,499 and 6,431 incidents reported respectively. Possession of weapons (653) and sexual offences (2,199) were amongst the least reported crimes in Westminster.
Which celebrities live in Central London?
A variety of notable people have been born in Westminster over the decades, including polymath Charles Babbage, former Prime Ministers Pitt the Elder and David Cameron, musician and model Jane Birkin, poet Edward Lear, and musician Cat Stevens.
As you might expect from an area that is home to Abbey Road, St Johns Wood is home to a variety of famous faces, including Sir Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Ewan McGregor, and Damian Lewis. Rumour has it that Tom Cruise was also spotted looking at property in the area as well.
Celebrities past and present have found Marylebone irresistible, which is unsurprising given the area's trendy image. Lord Byron was born in this part of London and Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson lived here for some time. Sir Paul McCartney wrote Yesterday in a property on Wimpole Street, with Marylebone also attracting Ringo Starr, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono. And, fun fact, the iconic Two Virgins album cover was taken at Lennon and Ono's property in Montagu Square.
Madonna spent a lot of time in her home on Conway Street and fellow mucisian Noel Gallagher also calls this part of the city home. Gallagher is also said to frequent local bookshop Daunt Books on a weekly basis.
In terms of celeb-spotting in other areas of Central London, Hakkasan in Mayfair is a renowned celebrity hotspot, attracting the likes of Kanye West, Naomi Campbell, and Will Smith. Similarly, Nobu located in Berkeley Street, Mayfair is also popular amongst famous faces, including Rita Ora and Calvin Harris. Covent Garden's J. Sheekey is another celebrity favourite and regularly welcomes Keira Knightley, Bradley Cooper, and Sienna Miller.
Things to consider when moving to Central London
As property prices in Central London are the some of the highest anywhere in the city, it is important to think very carefully about whether the City of London or Westminster can offer you the lifestyle you want to live.
In the period between 2018 and 2019, average the average private rent in the City of London was £2,210. Similarly, in Westminster this figure was £2,275. Although median earnings information from 2018 is unavailable for the City of London, this figure sat at £44,711 in Westminster, which is well below the £68,250 annual household income required to afford a rental property with a £2,275 monthly price tag.
There are many advantages to living in such a central location, including the sheer number of things to see and do. Plus, there are certain areas of Westminster, in particular, that will even sometimes allow you to feel as though you aren't living right in the middle of one of the world's busiest cities. As you would expect from this part of the city, Central London has a lively atmosphere that attracts young professionals from around the world. One might argue that there are other areas of London that are better suited to family life, however, there are still plenty of family-friendly facilities and parks to be enjoyed.
If you think that Central London might be the perfect place for you to set up home, do spend some time exploring the specific areas that you're most attracted to. Adopt a resident's mind set and ensure that you will be surrounded by everything you need to live well. From shopping to activities, eateries and entertainment, there are few areas that live up to the diversity you'll find in Central London. So, if the busyness suits you and you love living a fast-paced lifestyle, it could well be worth exploring this very unique part of the city further.
