What you need to know about Merton
Situated in South West London, the borough of Merton is nestled between Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, Wandsworth, and Sutton to the south. Notable areas within the borough of Merton include Wimbledon, Mitcham, Tamworth and Raynes Park.
With an average property price of £730,571, the borough of Merton is a more expensive place to live than Kingston upon Thames, however it is more affordable than both Richmond upon Thames where the average property sells for £807,375 and Wandsworth, which has an average property price of £918,405.
Terraced properties are the most common type of property to be sold in the borough of Merton, with the average terrace commanding a £674,963 price tag. Flats sold for an average of £413,310, while the average price for a semi-detached property in Merton was £946,001.
Mitcham is the most affordable area within Merton, with average property prices sitting at £410,422. Conversely, Wimbledon Village is the most expensive part of the borough, with properties commanding an average price of £1,607,129.
In 2018, the average property price in Merton was £657,188 which means that prices have risen by 11%.
What is living in Merton like?
In addition to being one of the safest boroughs, Merton has a variety of green spaces that are ideal for families. Wimbledom Common, for example, spans some 460 hectares and Mitcham Common is home to the Wandle Trail which is excellent for jogging, walking or cycling.
The borough is also host to the Wimbledon tennis tournament, which is one of the major Grand Slam competitions to take place throughout the year. Wimbledon is the UK's largest annual sporting event and takes place over the course of two weeks across the end of June and the beginning of July. Over those two weeks, Wimbledon experiences more than 200,000 visitors including plenty of famous faces.
The borough is also home to AFC Wimbledon, which formed in 2002 and has seen solid successes very quickly. In 2011, they were promoted to the Football League and their new stadium was completed on Plough Lane in time for the start of the 2020-21 season. Merton also boasts five non-League clubs, including Celeb FC which is a celebrity fundraising football team who play for charities all over the UK for free.
Merton is also home to western Europe's largest mosque. The Baitul Futuh was in the Spectator Magazine's top 50 mosques in the world and can welcome 10,000 people at any one time. The Baitul Futuh also hosts an on-going campaign that aims to improve integration between Muslims and non-Muslims.
Living in Merton pros and cons
As with all areas, there are a range of clear pros and cons to living in Merton.
Pro: Education
In 2017, the London Poverty Profile report, which is published by the New Policy Institute and Trust for London, highlighted that 40% of 19-year-olds in Merton were lacking in level three qualifications. This made the borough the 5th worst out of all 32 boroughs in London. However, Merton is home to hundreds of schools, many of which have attained Outstanding and Good ratings by Ofsted. These include Ricards Lodge High School and Dundonald Primary School. There are also a variety of independent schools, including Kings College School and Wimbledon High School.
Con: Lack of Underground connectivity
The Wimbledon branch of the District line and the very southern part of the Northern line are the only Underground services to make it into Merton. This could be an issue for those who prefer to travel by tube, however, there are other options…
Pro: Solid transport links
In contrast to the minimal Underground connectivity in the borough, Merton benefits from both a Tramlink service and a selection of National Rail stations. In fact, Merton is the only borough to be served by all three transportation services.
Con: Affordability
Although Merton is less expensive than many other of its neighbouring areas, property prices are still unaffordable for many. In 2018/19, the average private rental property in the borough cost £1,400 per month. During the same period, the median salary was £37,026 which was markedly below the £42,000 annual income to be able to comfortably afford those rental prices.
Pro: Unaffected by ULEZ
The entire borough of Merton sits outside the expanded ULEZ area, which means that drivers who don't own vehicles that comply with emissions standards will not need to pay the £12.50 per day charge.
Con: Air quality
Due, in part, to the absence of ULEZ regulations in the borough, the air quality frequently fails to meet the recommended guidelines set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Limits can be exceeded on up to 20 out of every 30 days, with monthly average exposure sitting at almost four times the recommended amount.
Is Merton a safe place to live?
Merton has a crime rate of 21.34, which places the borough in the 'very low' category.
Between November 2019 and October 2021, there were 26,769 offences reported of which 8,379 were classified as 'violence against the person.' Theft and vehicle offences made up 4,791 and 3,720 of the total number of crimes respectively. Conversely, reported cases of possession of weapons, sexual offences and robbery were low in Merton.
In the twelve months to October 2021, crime in Merton was down by 7.56% on the previous twelve-month period.
Which celebrities live in Merton?
As you might expect, the exclusive area of Wimbledon has attracted a slew of famous faces over the years. Social reformer and feminist Josephine Butler campaigned for women's suffrage during the Victorian era and a blue plaque has been installed at 8 North View in Wimbledon Common where she once lived.
After relocating back to the UK from Australia, renowned ballerina Darcey Bussell chose to make Wimbledon her home. Unsurprisingly, Wimbledon draws in many famous faces from the world of tennis and Boris Becker has a property not far from the world-famous grounds.
Comedian Michael McIntyre was born in Merton, as was stunt performer Steve-O from Jackass fame. When comedian Jo Brand chose to make Merton her home, she chose the area of Mitcham to settle down.
Things to consider when moving to Merton
Merton has the potential to provide many different types of people with the lifestyle they've been searching for, however, it is important to do your research and think carefully about whether your chosen area has everything you need within easy reach.
Merton is arguably better suited to families and those looking for a more suburban lifestyle. While there isn't exactly a shortage of things to do, it certainly isn't equipped to offer the bustling nightlife that London's inner boroughs can provide. It is also an excellent option for retirees.
According to a council-run survey conducted in 2017, residents in the more affluent areas of the borough, such as Wimbledon, are more likely to report higher levels of satisfaction with their local area, however, levels are still high across much of the borough, including in Morden and Mitcham. 96% of respondents in Wimbledon said they were satisfied with where they live, compared to 89% in Morden and Mitcham. Additionally, the same survey illustrated that residents across the borough feel safer than people living in the rest of the UK.