Located between the areas of Stratham Vale, West Norwood and Streatham Hill, Streatham is primarily a district in the South London borough of Lambeth. Parts of the area stretch over the border into the South West London borough of Wandsworth.
In 2021 the overall average price for property in Streatham was £580,167, and was significantly more affordable than in the borough's most expensive area, which was Clapham Common, with its overall average price sitting at £917,290. The district of Streatham was more expensive than numerous other areas in the borough, including Streatham Vale, which recorded an average price of £455,769.
Flats were the most popular type of property to sell during this period, and they recorded an overall average sold price of £425,848. The district's terraced properties sold for £681,689 on average, and Streatham's semi-detached properties averaged £890,733.
Notably, property prices in the district of Streatham have risen in recent years. Between 2020 and 2021 they increased by 5%, and they are also 10% higher than they were in 2019 when the average price was £525,161.
What is it like living in Streatham?
Streatham sits five miles from Charing Cross and has benefitted from significant investment in recent decades. After Streatham High Road was voted 'the worst street in Britain', work began on refurbishing Streatham Green alongside the construction of new residential developments and amenities. Several Streatham High Street clubs closed and were transformed into residential apartments, a supermarket and coffee shop.
The district is home to several sports teams including the Streatham Redhawks ice hockey team and the Streatham-Croydon Rugby Football Club, who currently play in the Surrey 4 league. The Redhawks are one of the oldest ice hockey clubs in Britain to still play, and they are based at the Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre.
Streatham Common is located on Streatham's southern edge and is comprised of both mowed lawns and woodland. The eastern part of the common is a designated Local Nature Reserve. The Rookery is a formal garden which sits adjacent to the common and is renowned for its cedar trees and rock garden. Notably, in the summer months the Rookery's sloping lawns are used as an open-air theatre.
Living in Streatham pros and cons
Pro: Streatham has a wide variety of local amenities
A new ice and leisure centre was opened in Streatham in 2013, and is home to a 100-station gym, a 25m swimming pool, sports hall and large Olympic size indoor ice rink with a 1,000-seat capacity. Streatham Library was established in 1890 and has a variety of facilities including public computers and printers. It also hosts a wide program of events, including parent and toddler groups, reading groups and an over-50s club.
The district also has a solid nightlife scene, with jazz venue Hideaway sitting at its heart. Hideaway hosts regular soul, swing, jazz and funk acts, alongside stand-up comedy events.
Con: There is a lot of traffic using Streatham's roads
One of the disadvantages of living in an area with good road connectivity is the amount of traffic it experiences every day, particularly at peak times. This has a clear impact on air quality in the area, especially as Streatham is not within the expanded ULEZ zone.
So while this will clearly be an advantage for drivers, it is worth noting that between mid-January and mid-February 2022 air pollution exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on one third of the days. This translates to an overall annual exposure to three times the recommended amount of pollution.
Pro: Streatham has plenty of transport connections to the rest of London and beyond
There are numerous stations in and around Streatham including Streatham Hill railway station which offers connections to the likes of Victoria Station, Balham, West Norwood, Gipsy Hill and Crystal Palace. Streatham railway station is served by Thameslink and Southern services, providing connections to the likes of King's Cross, St. Pancras, Sutton, Wimbledon and St. Albans. Streatham Common railways station is managed by Southern and operate services to East Croydon, London Bridge and Milton Keynes.
Norbury railway station, Balham station, Brixton station and Tooting Bec station are also easily accessible from Streatham.
An array of bus routes also run through Streatham, including the 109 between Brixton and Croydon, the 159 between Streatham Station and Oxford Circus, and several night services offering connectivity after 11pm.
Is Streatham a safe place to live?
Streatham is located within the St Leonard's SNT area, and between February 2020 and January 2022 there were 3,167 criminal incidents recorded. There were 866 violent crimes reported during this period alongside 796 cases of theft, 368 vehicle offences and 286 public order offences.
Throughout 2021 crime has been relatively up and down in the area, however it has remained lower than the peak in September 2020 which saw 177 incidents reported. Crime fell significantly in the last few months of 2021, from 149 reports in October to 111 in December.
In November 2021 there were 21 reports of harassment, 18 violent incidents, and 17 cases of miscellaneous theft. There were a few notable crime hotspots in the district, including the surrounding areas of Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre, Streatham station and Streatham Common.
Notably crime in the St Leonard's area was lower than across the borough of Lambeth and the wider London area. There were seven crimes per 1,000 residents in St Leonard's compared to nine in Lambeth, and eight across London.
Which celebrities live in Streatham?
Streatham has been a popular district among a variety of well-known figures across a range of industries. Actors Floella Benjamin, Lynda Baron, David Harewood and Simon Callow have all spent time in the area, as has model Naomi Campbell, fashion designer John Galliano and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Numerous other politicians have also chosen to live in Streatham over the decades, including MP Chuka Umunna, former prime ministers Lord Shelburne and John Major, former Green Party leader Jonathan Bartley, and the founder of P&O and MP Arthur Anderson.
In more recent years Streatham has been the home of comedian Paul Merton, TV presenters Naga Munchetty and Michaela Strachan, chef John Torode, and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.
Things to consider when moving to Streatham
As with most larger district, different parts of Streatham have very different vibes. However many locals from these different parts fondly refer to the district as one of the hearts of South London, and given the plethora of shops, restaurants, markets and bars there are in the area, they aren't wrong. There is a strong sense of community in the local area, which benefits from being very culturally diverse.
There is also a good selection of property in the area, including modern apartments and Art Deco, Edwardian and Victorian architecture. Streatham is home to lots of flats, however there are also plenty of larger properties although competition for the finest examples is generally high.
Families with school-age children who are considering moving to Streatham should note that the nearby area isn't overflowing with options. That said, the majority of the schools within a mile radius have been rated as 'Outstanding' or 'Good' by Ofsted, including St Leonard's Church of England Primary School, Dunraven School and Bishop Thomas Grant Catholic Secondary School.