Find the best place to call home in South London
Houses for Sale & to Rent brings you an overview of the region to help you find the perfect home
South London emerged from Southwark following the construction of London Bridge, which was the first permanent bridge over the River Thames. Today, South London is well-connected to both the City and West London, with more than thirty bridges crossing the river.
South London is comprised of three central boroughs: Lambeth, Sutton and Croydon. Flats are the most abundant property type to sell recently in South London, with the average price sitting at £440,222. Terraced properties fetched an average of £634,112 and semi-detached properties sold for an average of £645,283. Collectively, this means that the overall average price of property in this part of London is £584,089. To put this in some context, South London is similar in price to South East London, however, it is markedly more affordable than average prices in Central London and South West London.
The average property price in Croydon for terraced homes is £421,223, with the average flat selling for £306,182. The average semi-detached property in Croydon fetched £526,271. In Sutton, terraced properties sold for an average of £447,325. Flats fetched an average of £292,463, and the average semi-detached property sold for £561,941. Lambeth is the priciest borough in the central area of South London. Flats in the area sold for an average price of £504,940, with terraced properties selling for £953,056 on average, and semi-detached properties fetching an average £1,043,098.
What is living in South London like?
South London is one part of London that can offer significant variety. Lambeth, for example, forms part of Inner London and is home to the areas of Brixton, Clapham Common, Norwood, Streatham and Vauxhall among others. It has a youthful vibe and a busy feel that is heightened by the fast-paced lifestyles of young professionals. The likes of Vauxhall and South Bank are energetic districts in central London, whereas Streatham is nestled between the inner-city hustle and bustle of Brixton and the village-like feel of suburban London.
Croydon is widely viewed as a cultural hub and is home to a variety of arts and entertainment venues, including Fairfield Halls. This perhaps comes as no surprise, given that the BRIT school also calls this part of the city its home. Additionally, Crystal Palace F.C play in Selhurst and the eighteenth-century Addington Palace can also be found in this borough, which was the second official residence of the six people who occupied the role as Archbishop of Canterbury.
Sutton, meanwhile, forms part of Outer London and is a borough renowned for its excellent schools and low crime levels. As the area was once comprised of individual rural villages, it has still retained a similar village feel with a good sense of community, which is why it has huge appeal for families.
Living in South London pros and cons
Pro: Good schools
South London is home to a variety of both independent and state schools, many of which have secured an outstanding Ofstead rating. The borough of Sutton is particularly renowned for its schools, with most being awarded either an outstanding or good rating. Primary schooling is particularly impressive, making the area popular amongst young families. Similarly, the area also offers excellent secondary and further education options, with 22.1% of students securing A* and A A-Level grades.
There is also a selection of good schools across Lambeth and Croydon. In Lambeth especially, schools have improved rapidly in recent years. Elm Wood School and Vauxhall Primary are just two of the borough's primary schools that have worked hard to ensure 90% of their pupils reach key Maths and English targets. In terms of secondary education, Plantains College is particularly sought-after.
Con: Potential to be affected by ULEZ
Although both Croydon and Sutton sit outside the ULEZ zone, there are some areas of Lambeth that are affected, including Clapham, Vauxhall and Brixton. Under ULEZ rules, drivers of all vehicles that do not pass the strict emissions standards will be required to pay the £12.50 charge every day.
Pro: Relative affordability
In both Croydon and Lambeth, average rental prices in the period between 2018 and 2019 were sitting at £1,100 per month. Median salaries during the same period were £35,876 and £35,617 respectively. As rental affordability calculators say that a household income of £33,000 is required to rent a £1,100 per month property, both Croydon and Lambeth are somewhat affordable places to live.
Con: Air pollution exposure
Although air pollution rates only tend to sit above WHO guidelines for approximately six days out of every 30, over the long-term, residents are exposed to more than twice the recommended levels. It is a similar picture in Sutton, however monthly exposure in Croydon is 5 points less, although even this sits above the WHO guidelines.
Pro: Culture
From the Southbank Centre to the Vaults Theatre, Hayward Gallery, and myriad notable cinemas, South London is a veritable cultural hub with something to surprise and delight absolutely everyone. In fact, Croydon will be the official London Borough of Culture in 2023, which will bring more than £1.3million in funding to the area. Throughout 2023, Croydon will have the chance to host a range of events, most of which are centred around sustainability and the environment. The borough of Sutton will receive £200,000 to host a community curated science event after being selected to receive a Cultural Impact Award. Additionally, Sutton has plenty of green spaces to enjoy, adding to its family-friendly appeal.
Is South London a safe place to live?
As with all areas, data from March 2020 to March 2021 illustrates that there are certain parts of South London that are widely regarded as being markedly safer than others. With a 30.24 crime rate, Croydon sits in the 'reasonably higher than average' category. Conversely, Sutton's crime rate is considered 'very low' sitting at 20.81. Lambeth sits somewhere in the middle at 28.4 which is very slightly higher than average.
Between November 2019 and October 2021, there were just over 63,000 crimes reported in Lambeth. Violence against the person and theft were the two most commonly reported crimes. Between October 2020 and October 2021, crime in Lambeth was slightly lower than the previous 12-month period, falling by 1.98%.
The picture is similar in Croydon, where just over 66,000 crimes were reported in the same period. Again, violence against the person and theft were the most commonly reported, closely followed by vehicle and drug offences. Compared to the previous 12 months, in the period to October 2021 crime in Croydon decreased by 4.60%.
In Sutton, however, the picture is somewhat different as there were only just over 25,000 crimes reported in the same period. Violence against the person was again the most common type of crime followed by vehicle offences and theft. Crime fell in the area by 6.16% in the 12 months to October 2021.
Which celebrities live in South London?
Over the years, Croydon has been home to a wide variety of talented individuals. Stormzy was born and raised in Thornton Heath and has made good on his promise to become "the biggest thing to come from Croydon". Illusionist Derren Brown was born in Croydon, and Noel Fielding spent a good portion of his life in the borough. Footballer Wilfried Zaha moved to Thornton Heath at the age of four from the Ivory Coast. Just eight years later he joined the Crystal Palace Academy and he now lives in Purley.
Clapham is one of the most popular areas in Lambeth amongst famous faces. Film star Margot Robbie can often be spotted soaking in the sunshine on Clapham Common and Vivienne Westwood has been a resident for more than five decades. Joanna Lumley has lived in her Stockwell townhouse for almost three decades, and chef Gordon Ramsay has lived with his family close to Wandsworth Common for the best part of 20 years.
Similarly, many famous faces have called the borough of Sutton home over the years, including Noel Coward and musicians Katie Melua and Johnny Borrell. Sutton was also the birthplace of The Rolling Stones.
Things to consider when moving to South London
If you think that South London might be the perfect place to set up home, there are a range of things to think about before making your decision.
1. Affordability
Although areas of Croydon and Sutton are relatively affordable, Lambeth is on the pricier side as it is situated closer to the hustle and bustle of central London. This means that while rental and purchase prices may be within your means in Sutton and Croydon, it is important to consider the travel costs associated with living the lifestyle you want to have in the city.
2. Transport
Although South London is well-connected to other parts of London, living further out of the central part of the city may take some getting used to if you're accustomed to a variety of travel options that will help you get from A to B. In many cases, Overground rail services and buses will become some of your most-used routes and you may not even need to use the Underground very often at all.
3. Lifestyle
From the village feel of parts of Sutton to the busiest areas of Lambeth, South London has the potential to suit every lifestyle. So, when embarking on your property search, make sure you really explore every potential location to determine whether it has the feel and the facilities you're looking for. Lambeth is home to a notably diverse mixture of restaurants and eateries, including Southbank wine bars, high-street options like Nando's and Byron Burger, and Brixton's famous authentic Ghanaian food.
