What you need to know about Lambeth
Lambeth forms part of South London, alongside the boroughs of Sutton and Croydon. Vauxhall and Kennington sit towards the top of the borough, with Clapham, Stockwell and Brixton towards the centre. Norwood and Streatham Vale are situated towards the south of the borough, with other notable areas including Tulse Hill and West Dulwich.
With an overall average house price of £660,727, Lambeth is the priciest borough in South London. The average flat in the borough sold for £504,940, while terraced properties fetched £953,056 and semi-detached properties reached £1,043,098.
Clapham Common is the most expensive area in the borough, with the average property fetching £909,664. Streatham Vale is the least expensive area within Lambeth, with average properties fetching £463,930. When compared to figures from 2018, sold prices in Lambeth were up 4% from £635,972.
What is living in Lambeth like?
Lambeth is an Inner London borough and geographically speaking Frazier Street, which can be found close to Lambeth North tube station, sits at the very centre of the city. Brixton is Lambeth's civic centre, however, the borough is also home to several other major shopping areas, including Clapham, West Norwood, and Streatham.
The northern part of Lambeth is home to several central London districts, including South Bank and Vauxhall. Gipsy Hill is a suburb in the south of the borough and the centre of Lambeth contains a number of inner-city districts that are currently at various stages of gentrification. South Lambeth and Vauxhall are currently going through a period of intense redevelopment, with both residential and business properties on the increase.
Lambeth is a cosmopolitan and incredibly diverse borough, incorporating both the buzz of the South Bank and the calm serenity that can be found in its open spaces and parks. Markets, independent vintage businesses, and arts facilities can be found peppered across the borough, and with so much going on all the time, it is perhaps little wonder that it sits at number four on the list of Britain's most densely populated areas.
From wine bars to street food and authentic cuisine from around the world, Lambeth has plenty to offer everyone. The borough also benefits from a range of fitness facilities and supermarkets, meaning you'll never need to travel far to find exactly what you're looking for.
There are a wide variety of properties in the borough, including luxurious apartments overlooking the River Thames, houses popular amongst young professionals in Brixton and Clapham, and spacious family-friendly properties in quieter suburban areas of Tulse Hill and Streatham.
Living in Lambeth pros and cons
Pro: Green space and parks
The borough of Lambeth is home to several parks and open spaces, including Streatham Common, Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, and Brockwell Park and Lido. Additionally, approximately 50% of Clapham Common is located within Lambeth.
Con: Schools
Lambeth isn't known for its educational facilities, which may mean that finding a suitable school can be slightly more of a challenge. With that said, however, schools across Lambeth are improving. Vauxhall Primary School and Elm Wood School are among the 20 or so schools where 90% of pupils are reaching government-set Maths and English targets. In terms of secondary education, places at La Retraite RC Girl's School and Plantains College are particularly sought-after.
Pro: Lots to see and do
The South Bank is a bustling cultural hub and entertainment district that is home to the London Eye, Sea Life London Aquarium, the London Dungeon, the National Theatre, BFI Southbank, and Royal Festival Hall. Other notable attractions and landmarks in the borough include Lambeth Palace, St Thomas' Hospital, the Florence Nightingale Museum, and the Brixton Murals.
Con: Poor air quality
Although exposure to pollution may only exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on around seven out of every 30 days, over the course of a year residents of Lambeth could be exposed to levels of pollution that are almost three times the recommended yearly guidelines. This could lead to respiratory issues and a reduction in lung function.
Pro: Excellent transport connections
In addition to being home to London Waterloo railway station, the borough is served by several National Rail services, including Thameslink, London Overground, Southeastern, and South Western Railway. Lambeth is home to 12 railway stations, two London Overground stations, and nine tube stations which include Brixton, Stockwell, Nine Elms, and Oval. This is a particular benefit, as part of the borough sits inside the recently-expanded ULEZ scheme whereby drivers of vehicles that don't comply with emissions standards are required to pay a £12.50 per day charge.
Is Lambeth a safe place to live?
With a rate of 28.4, instances of crime in Lambeth can be described as slightly higher than average. In the period between November 2019 and October 2021, there were 63,603 offences reported in Lambeth.
Just over 18,000 of those offences can be categorised as violence against the person crimes, and there were 14,393 instances of theft. Southbank in particular has high instances of theft, in part due to the large volume of tourists that visit every year. Conversely, the borough recorded comparatively few cases of possession of weapons, sexual offences and robbery.
Which celebrities live in Lambeth?
Over the decades, a wide variety of celebrities have been born or chosen to live within the borough of Lambeth, including former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, artist and poet William Blake, musician David Bowie, and fashion designer Stella McCartney. Comic actor Charlie Chaplin was also born in the Lambeth area.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell was discovered at the age of 15 when she was living in Lambeth. She was the first black model to appear on the cover of Time Magazine, Russian Vogue, French Vogue, and British Vogue.
Chef Ainsley Harriott, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, and writer J.K. Rowling have also called Lambeth their home, and the likes of Margot Robbie, Gordon and Tana Ramsay, and Joanna Lumley are also frequently spotted in the area. So, if you're partial to a spot of celeb spotting, you might run into a famous face or two if you choose to make the Lambeth area your home.
Things to consider when moving to Lambeth
In the 2018/19 period, the average rental property in Lambeth cost £1,600 per month. During the same period, median earnings in the borough were £38,009 which is markedly below the £48,000 annual income required to comfortably afford a rental property priced at this level. However, there is a good variety of property available across the borough which is a real draw for both young professionals and families alike.
In addition to being a bustling part of the city with excellent transport links and plenty of things to see and do, it is important to pause to really think about whether Lambeth can offer you the quality of life you are looking for. If you do decide that Lambeth will prove to be a good base for you, take your time to explore different areas within the borough to determine where to focus your search.
Lambeth has various cycle hire schemes in operation, making exploring your new neighbourhood a breeze. Although there are a variety of broadband providers available in Lambeth, it ranks as one of the worst-off boroughs in London for broadband infrastructure. Despite this, however, many Lambeth postcodes benefit from good internet speeds with just over 70% of residents in the borough able to access ultrafast broadband.
