Occupying a position towards the north of the East London borough of Tower Hamlets, Mile End is located between the areas of Bethnal Green, Bow, South Bromley, and Stepney. It is just over 3.5 miles from Charing Cross and benefits from its position on the London to Colchester road. Its name refers to its original recording as 'La Mile ende' which translates as 'the hamlet a mile away'. The mile refers to the distance between Mile End and Aldgate.
The average property price in Mile End in 2021 was £656,180, which is higher than the £585,534 average across the borough overall. Properties in Mile End were approximately £300,000 more expensive than in Bromley By Bow, which recorded an overall average of £353,861. Conversely, the average property in Mile End was considerably lower than the average in Spitalfields, which fetched £1,110,585.
Flats were the most commonly sold type of property in Mile End during 2021 and they reached an average price of £453,562. Terraced properties in the area sold for an average price of £994,731, and semi-detached properties bumped the average up significantly selling for an average price of £1,450,000.
These figures illustrate that prices in Mile End increased by more than 10% from the 2020 average. Additionally, sold prices are now 20% higher than in 2016 when they reached £548,142.
What is living in Mile End like?
Reference to settlements in the area can be traced back to the mid-1200s, however excavations reveal that buildings in the area were few and far between pre-1300. Notably, Mile End is one of London's oldest suburbs and it was incorporated into the metropolitan area in the mid 1850s.
The Stepney Green Conservation Area was created in early 1973, which includes numerous buildings around Louisa Street, Assembly Passage and Mile End Road. The area has also benefitted from several regeneration and investment projects, including the Green Bridge which runs over the A11 Mile End Road. The once separate halves of Mile End Park are now connected, with the project incorporating new retail spaces alongside the creation of the linear park which includes water features and landscaped gardens.
Living in Mile End pros and cons
Pro: Mile End benefits from good transport links
Mile End tube station is positioned on the District, Central, and Hammersmith & City tube lines, which connect the district to various parts of London including the East End, Central London and the City of London. The Central line also offers connectivity to Stratford and Essex. In 2016 Mile End tube station started benefitting from the Central Line's Night Tube service. Additionally Bow Road rube station is within easy reach, which is also within Zone 2 and sits on the Hammersmith & City and District lines.
Mile End is served by numerous bus routes, including the 277 between Dalston Junction and Crossharbour. Several night bus services also stop in the area between the hours of 11pm and 6am. There are three bus stops in the area on Burdett Road, Grove Road and Mile End Road offering direct links with an array of destinations across the capital including Paddington, Canary Wharf, King's Cross, and Stratford.
Cyclists will benefit from the district's position on various city-wide, national and international cycling networks including the Cycleway between the Isle of Dogs and Hackney, the Regent's Canal towpath, which runs from Limehouse to Angel, and the Cycle Superhighway 2 connecting Stratford and Aldgate.
Con: Mile End is within the ULEZ zone
The ULEZ zone has been implemented to reduce levels of Nitrogen Dioxide in the air across London by 30%. Mile End is located within the zone, with owners of vehicles that do not meet emissions criteria required to pay the daily charge to drive within the area.
This has had some benefits for air quality in the area already, as between early January 2022 and early February 2022 pollution exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations on fewer than half the days. However Mile End residents are still being exposed to more than three times the recommended levels of Nitrogen Dioxide over the course of the year.
Pro: Mile End boasts a good selection of amenities
Mile End Stadium, which is also sometimes referred to as the East London Stadium, boasts a 25-metre swimming pool, netball courts, AstroTurf football pitches and an athletics stadium. Three football clubs are based at the stadium, including Sporting Bengal United which is part of the Essex Senior League.
Is Mile End a safe place to live?
Between January 2020 and December 2021, there were 4,229 crimes reported in the Mile End area. This is higher than most of the surrounding areas including Lansbury, which recorded 3,942 crimes, Bromley South which saw 2,072 reports and St Dunstan's where there were 2,472 reports. Mile End did however record fewer crimes in this period than nearby Bethnal Green where there were 4,689 reports of criminal activity.
In Mile End 1,123 of the 4,229 reported crimes were classed as violent crimes. There were also 887 cases of theft, 597 vehicle offences and 366 drug offences. Crime in the area reached a low in April 2020, when 127 reports were recorded. However, at its peak in October 2021, there were 221 crimes reported in a four-week period. Since then crime has fallen sharply with 182 cases in November 2021 and 146 reports in December 2021.
In November 2021 the area recorded 19 cases of assault without injury, 19 incidents of harassment and 17 cases of theft from a vehicle. The area around Kilner Street was a hotspot for cases of assault, as were the areas around Pixley Street and Clemence Street. The area around St Anne's Row was noted for being the scene of several cases of harassment, as was the area around Twine Terrace and Ropery Street. Meanwhile, Callingham Close, Burgess Street and the area around Hamlets Way were noted for cases of theft from a vehicle.
There were nine crimes per 1,000 residents recorded in Mile End in November 2021, which is slightly lower than the borough of Tower Hamlets as a whole which experienced 10 crimes per 1,000 residents. Crime across the wider London area was slightly lower however, with eight crimes per 1,000 residents recorded.
Which celebrities live in Mile End?
Despite not being known as an area that has been home to notable people over the decades, Mile End has seen some famous faces. The current Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz, was born in the Mile End hospital, and illustrator Mable Lucie Attwell was also born in the area.
Mile End also has some sporting connections, as former footballer turned assistant manager Jason Tindall spent his formative years here. He is currently Newcastle United's assistant manager after spending time at AFC Bournemouth on the south coast. Long-time viewers of EastEnders may also recognise Craig Fairbrass, who portrayed Dan Sullivan in the soap and has spent time living in Mile End.
Things to consider when moving to Mile End
Mile End is widely considered to be an up-and-coming area within East London with its vibrant atmosphere and variety of properties ranging from luxury apartments to sprawling Georgian homes.
It is generally viewed as being an attractive place to live for commuters, however the area does also have a lot to offer families, particularly those with school-age children. There are more than 40 schools within a mile of Mile End, including the 'Outstanding' rated Morpeth School on Portman Place and Old Ford Primary School on Wrights Road.