Positioned immediately to the north of Camden Town and Calk Farm, Kentish Town forms part of the North West London borough of Camden. Kentish Town benefits from its close proximity to Swiss Cottage, Gospel Oak, Primrose Hill, and Hampstead.
In 2020 property prices in Kentish Town reached an average of £875,005. This makes it significantly more affordable than Primrose Hill, which boasted an average property price of £1,902,317 during the same period. Kentish Town however is markedly more expensive than High Holborn, where average property prices reached £557,500.
The most commonly sold type of property in Kentish Town recently has been flats, fetching an average price of £619,306. Terraced properties in the area sold for an average price of £1,438,972, with semi-detached homes reaching an average of £1,989,769. Since 2019, sold prices in Kentish Town have increased by around 7%.
What is living in Kentish Town like?
Kentish Town occupies quite a large area, stretching from Camden Gardens all the way up to the Highgate Road. Many of the area's classic architecture is still standing, however some of it is unfortunately concealed behind modern facades. It has a distinctive artistic and almost bohemian feel, with independent eateries, cafés, and restaurants at every turn. The area's shopping streets are also peppered with antiques shops and vintage retailers, as well as a solid selection of high street names.
Just past the bustling shopping streets sit a selection of picture-perfect residential streets, some of which are lined with candy-coloured terraced properties that wouldn't look out of place in Notting Hill. In addition to pretty terraces, you'll also find an array of other types of property in the area, including stylish apartments in buildings that were once home to an array of industrial businesses including the old piano works.
As well as being an ideal place for those who are looking to experience life at a bit of a slower pace but aren't ready to give up their busy London lifestyle completely, Kentish Town genuinely has something for everyone. Where else can you enjoy everything from a charming lido that is open all year round, to a range of restaurants offering just about every cuisine you could imagine and a strong caféculture scene that makes catching up with friends, both old and new, a breeze?.
Living in Kentish Town pros and cons
Pro: Lively area with lots going on
There are a range of music venues, bars and pubs in Kentish Town including the Grade II listed Assembly House located on Kentish Town Road and The Forum, which was once a cinema during the 1950s and is now a popular music venue. The trendy streets of Camden Town are a mere 10-minute walk away and the stunning Hampstead Heath is also within easy reach. Kentish Town sports centre benefits from a gym and three swimming pools, and it is an important part of the local community.
Con: Within the ULEZ zone
The ULEZ zone was created to reduce levels of air pollution across London, and all of Kentish Town sits within its boundaries. As a result drivers of vehicles that do not meet the stringent emissions standards of the scheme will need to pay a daily charge to continue using their vehicles within the zone.
Pro: Excellent transport links
With a plethora of transport connections, Kentish Town is an attractive prospect for young professionals keen to put down roots within an area that allows them to commute easily into some of the more central parts of London. In addition to a mainline railway which has links to St Albans, Luton Airport, Gatwick Airport, and Brighton, residents also have easy access to Kentish Town, Camden Road and Kentish Town West stations, as well as several bus routes.
Kentish Town station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, as is Kentish Town West, which also benefits from Overground connectivity. Commuters can get from Kentish Town to Victoria in 16 minutes and to Westminster in a little over 20 minutes.
Is Kentish Town a safe place to live?
There were 2,716 crimes reported between January 2020 and December 2021 in Kentish Town. 787 of those crimes were classified as theft, with a further 739 violent crimes also being recorded. The area also saw 237 public order offences, 233 vehicle offences, and 191 drug offences.
Crime in Kentish Town peaked in December 2020 when there were more than 150 crimes recorded. Two further peaks were seen in March 2021 and in August 2021, however the following months saw crime fall. There was a small increase from November 2021 to December 2021, when 110 crimes were reported.
In November 2021, there were 6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the area. This is markedly lower than the borough of Camden as a whole, where there were 12 crimes per 1,000 residents. It is also lower than across London, which saw 8 crimes per 1,000 residents recorded in the same four-week period.
The area around the Forum is often a hot spot for crime in Kentish Town, as is the immediate area surrounding Kentish Town tube station.
Which celebrities live in Kentish Town?
A plethora of notable names have made Kentish Town their home over the years including writer George Orwell, comedian Noel Fielding, and rapper Akala. The likes of actors Charles Dance, Tom Hiddleston, Roger Lloyd-Pack and Daniel Kaluuya have also resided in the area, as has radio DJ Scott Mills, the leader of the Labour Party Kier Starmer, and television journalist Jon Snow.
So when you're running errands or crabbing a coffee to go from one of the myriad cafés in the area, who knows which of your famous neighbours you might bump into.
Things to consider when moving to Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an appealing area for young families as well as professionals, largely due to the variety of excellent primary schools located within a mile radius. Competition for places at Gospel Oak Primary School on Mansfield Road and Eleanor Palmer Primary School on Lupton Street is high but in addition to these 'Outstanding' schools, Ofsted has awarded 'Good' ratings to many others in the local area, including Fleet Primary School on Fleet Road, Hargrave Park Primary School on Bredgar Road, and Tufnell Park Primary School on Carleton Road.
In terms of secondary education, the Camden School for Girls is widely regarded as one of the best schools in the area. This is supported by its Ofsted ratings as it has never been awarded anything less than an 'Outstanding' rating. It has also seen a number of famous faces grace its corridors over the years, including pop star Geri Halliwell, actors Tamsin Greig and Emma Thompson and comedian Arabella Weir.
Kentish Town perhaps isn't the ideal location for anyone looking for a quiet life, although there certainly are some markedly more serene streets. However, if you are hoping to set up home somewhere that offers a less hectic version of central London life, then this particular part of the city is one you may want to add to your list.
Grove Terrace boasts some beautiful Georgian properties, and the Dartmouth Park conservation area offers a variety of charming Edwardian Victorian properties including petite cottages and larger four-storey houses. Affordable properties do hit the market every so often but you'll need to be ready to show your interest as soon as anything grabs your interest to avoid missing out.