What you need to know about Enfield
Enfield is a borough in North London that shares borders with the boroughs of Barnet and Haringey. The area of Hadley Wood sits at the north west edge of the borough, with Crews Hill and Enfield Lock also located in the northern part of Enfield. Upper Edmonton and Friern Barnet are situated to the south of the borough, with other notable areas including Palmers Green, Winchmore Hill, Oakwood, and Bush Hill Park.
Enfield is the most affordable part of North London with an average price of £523,004, which is markedly lower than the £796,969 average price attained by property in the borough of Islington. Terraced properties make up most of the property sold in Enfield, fetching an average price of £491,212. Flats in the borough fetched £326,516 on average, with semi-detached properties selling for an average price of £666,613.
Hadley Wood in the north east of the borough is the most expensive area, with average property prices sitting at £1,263,389. Conversely, Enfield Lock, which is situated in the north east of the borough, is home to the most affordable house prices in the borough, with property selling for an average price of £354,768.
Overall, property prices in Enfield have increased by 13% since 2017 when the average property sold for £462,810.
What is living in Enfield like?
Enfield is the northernmost borough in London and shares borders with the boroughs of Haringey, Waltham Forest and Barnet. As well as shared borders with the Hertfordshire districts of Broxbourne, Welwyn, Hatfield, and Hertsmere, Enfield also shares a border with the Epping Forest District of Essex to the east. Enfield was recorded in the Domesday Book as Enefelde and the current borough was established in 1965.
The borough is very family-friendly with close proximity to lots of open green space and amenities. In terms of outdoor space, top places include Enfield Town Park, Trent Park, and Chase Green Gardens. In 2007, Enfield Town centre was fully redeveloped which brought a selection of new retail outlets to the area alongside improved roads and a multi-storey car park. Edmonton Green has also received development investment, offering health facilities, a supermarket, leisure centre, and new housing.
The main residential areas of the borough are located to the west with major shopping areas in Cockfosters, Palmers Green, and Southgate. Enfield is home to two NHS hospitals as well as a variety of both private and state schools. You'll also find a trampoline park, indoor go-karting track, and a leisure centre that offers fitness classes and access to a 25-metre swimming pool.
Living in Enfield pros and cons
Pro: Good schools
Enfield Grammar School is renowned, having been founded in 1558 and is still partly located in its spectacular Tudor building called the Old Hall. The borough of Enfield is also home to St Ignatius' College, which is one of the area's best-performing schools as well as the Latymer School, which was founded in 1624. Outstanding primary schools in the borough include Kingfisher Hall and St George's RC. There are also plenty of outstanding secondary schools in Enfield as well, including Ark John Keats Academy and Highlands.
Con: Poor air quality
The borough of Enfield sits outside the expanded ULEZ zone which is good news for vehicle owners but has consequences for air quality. While air quality levels may only exceed WHO guidelines on as few as six days per month, over the course of a year residents will be exposed to almost three times the recommended amount of air pollution.
Pro: Variety of amenities and attractions
In addition to the Whitewebbs Museum of Transport, Enfield is also home to Forty Hall which is a Grade I listed manor house constructed in the 1620s. Its permanent exhibition recounts the history of the estate and its 260 acre grounds contain formal gardens, a lake, and one of London's Great Trees. The Guides and Scouts have a variety of groups within the borough, alongside the Boys' and Girls' Brigade and the Air Training Corps.
Con: Potential affordability issues
Although at £1,275 per month average private rents in the borough were less than the London average of £1,495 in 2018, at the same time average median earnings in Enfield were £31,945 which was below the city-wide average of £35,716.
Pro: Good transport links
The Piccadilly line of the London Underground serves Enfield with stations at Southgate, Cockfosters, Oakwood, and Arnos Grove. In addition to Underground services, London Overground and Great Northern National Rail services are available with stations at Turkey Street, Cheshunt, and Broxbourne. There are also several main road links running through Enfield, including the M25, the A10, and the North Circular Road. Bus links in the borough are also good, with numerous Transport for London services running across several routes.
Is Enfield a safe place to live?
With a rate of 27.25, the crime rate in Enfield is slightly higher than average. Between November 2019 and October 2021, there were 58,084 offences reported in the borough. 17,425 of those offences were categorised as violence against the person, with vehicle offences accounting for a further 11,590 of the total crimes reported.
Although reported offences increased by 5.50% in October 2021 when compared to September 2021, overall crime in Enfield has reduced by 2.73% in the 12 months to October 2021 when compared to the previous 12-month period.
Which celebrities live in Enfield?
With many attractive qualities, it is no surprise that a variety of famous faces have called Enfield home at some point in their lives. The ever-popular Adele once lived in Enfield and has spoken frequently about her time here and the incomparable Amy Winehouse was also born and raised in the borough. Plus, the borough's musical connections don't end there as cockney legends Chas and Dave also hail from this part of London.
Speaking of legends, Sir Bruce Forsyth was from Enfield as is national treasure actor David Jason. Writer and romantic poet John Keats was born in Enfield and his poetry is still widely studied across the world today. Enfield was also once the home of Conservative party leader and two-time Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli as well as 18th century Prime Minister William Pitt the elder.
Things to consider when moving to Enfield
With its Green Belt and variety of property, Enfield ticks a lot of boxes for a variety of prospective residents. Arguably unsurprisingly for such a family-friendly borough, data from 2019 shows that less than 25% of property in Enfield is rented privately. 14.85% is rented socially, while 29.53% is owned with a loan or mortgage and 31.03% is owned outright.
Regardless as to where you are considering moving, it is important to think carefully about whether the areas you're looking at can offer you the lifestyle and overall quality of life you're looking for. Enfield Town benefits from excellent internet connectivity, with many postcodes recording median speeds that are 54% better than the national median across the UK. However, as Enfield is also among the worst-off areas for broadband infrastructure, this won't be the case across the borough.
In addition to being able to afford a property that meets your needs, you should also think about whether its transport connections will allow you to travel with minimal restrictions and whether it has the facilities and amenities you need within easy reach. Prospective residents should also carefully consider the crime rate in specific areas of the borough, particularly as some are more affected by certain offences than others.