Twickenham is positioned between the areas of Richmond Upon Thames, Petersham, Strawberry Hill and Whilton in the London borough of Richmond Upon Thames. It is located two miles from Hounslow and just under 10 miles from Charing Cross.
In 2021 the overall average price for property in Twickenham was £755,399. This was significantly lower than the overall average price across the borough of Richmond upon Thames, which was £931,313. Twickenham was also considerably more affordable than the borough's most expensive area, which was Petersham, with its average price of £2,039,268. Conversely, Twickenham was pricier than the most affordable area within Richmond upon Thames, which was Hanworth, with its overall average property price of £405,895.
Terraced houses accounted for most of the properties sold in Twickenham in 2021, and they fetched an overall average price of £771,038. Flats in Twickenham recorded an average of £455,369, and semi-detached properties in the area sold for £897,219 on average. Twickenham's property prices increased marginally by 1% from averages seen in 2020, and by 11% since 2019 when the peak average was £682,025.
What is living in Twickenham like?
Twickenham has a long and very rich history, with excavations revealing that there have been settlements in the area since the early Neolithic period. The area was first mentioned in a charter dating back to 704. Today Twickenham remains a popular area, and many of its residents either work in the local area or commute into central London. Unemployment in Twickenham is low, however there is a large disparity between earnings of those who work in the area and those who work in central London.
Twickenham is home to numerous notable features and buildings including the Grade II listed Strawberry Hill House, Grade I listed Marble Hill and York House. The area is also connected to Eel Pie Island, which is home to artists' studios, Twickenham Rowing Club, Richmond Yacht Club and approximately 50 private residences.
With something to offer everyone it is no surprise that the area is as popular as it is. As well as being home to Twickenham Stadium, where the England national rugby union team play every home match, there is also a strong arts and culture scene with the likes of The Exchange theatre and the Twickenham Museum offering an expensive program of shows, events and exhibitions. There are also several notable open spaces in the area including Radnor Gardens, which sit on the southern boundary of the conservation area in Twickenham and contains an area of open grass, a children's playground and a bowling green.
Living in Twickenham pros and cons
Pro: Twickenham has excellent transport links
Twickenham railway station is situated in Zone 5 and is 22 stops from London Waterloo. All services are operated by South Western Railway and offer connections to Clapham Junction, Richmond, Vauxhall, Putney, Kingston, Wimbledon, Staines, Reading, and Windsor and Eton Riverside. There are also several other stations in the nearby area including St Margarets, Whitton, Strawberry Hill and Fulwell.
A variety of bus services serve Twickenham including the 110 between Hounslow bus station and Hammersmith bus station, the 490 between Heathrow Terminal 5 and Richmond, and the N22 night bus service between Piccadilly Circus and Fulwell.
For drivers the A316 offers connectivity to central London, the A3 and the A4. Plus, Heathrow airport is just a 25-minute drive away. Twickenham has the added advantage of sitting outside the expanded ULEZ zone, however this does impact on the overall air quality in the area. Data currently illustrates that over the course of a year Twickenham residents are exposed to twice the recommended levels of air pollution. While this isn't the worst across the city, it is worth noting.
Con: Travel to Central London from Twickenham can be expensive
Twickenham station is in Zone 5 and an annual pass to Zone 1 currently costs £2,532. If you're planning to travel from Fulwell, Strawberry Hill or Whitton, which are all in Zone 6, this increases to 2,708.
Is Twickenham a safe place to live?
In the SNT area of West Twickenham there were 1,247 crimes recorded during the same two-year period, including 368 violent crimes, 267 cases of theft and 175 vehicle offences. This is similar to the 1,214 criminal incidents seen in the SNT area of St Margarets and North Twickenham, and the 1,546 crimes recorded in the SNT area of Twickenham Riverside.
In the South Twickenham SNT area there were 944 criminal incidents recorded between February 2020 and January 2022. This figure included 280 violent crimes, 189 cases of theft and 137 vehicle offences. Crime in the area has been consistently low, peaking in July 2020 with 58 cases.
More detailed data from the Metropolitan Police illustrates that in South Twickenham in November 2021 there were seven cases of assault without injury, six cases of personal robbery and five incidents of theft from a vehicle. There were a couple of notable crime hotspots during this four-week period including just north of Twickenham Green and around the Strawberry Hill House area.
Overall there were three crimes per 1,000 residents recorded in South Twickenham during November 2021. This is lower than the five crimes per 1,000 residents recorded across the borough of Richmond Upon Thames, and significantly lower than the eight crimes per 1,000 residents across the wider London area.
Which celebrities live in Twickenham?
Writer and politician Horace Walpole constructed and lived in Strawberry Hill House in the 1700s, and artist J. M. W. Turner commissioned the construction of Solus Lodge, which is now known as the Grade II listed Sandycombe Lodge and has an English Heritage blue plaque.
Other notable historical Twickenham residents include poet Lord Tennyson who lived at 15 Montpelier Row in the early 1850s, inventor of the clockwork radio Trevor Baylis who lived on Eel Pie Island, and actress Kitty Clive who lived in a villa gifted to her by Horace Walpole.
Today broadcasters Steve Allen and Michael Fish live in Twickenham, as does writer and TV presenter Jason Bradbury, actors Keeley Hawes and Matthew Macfadyen, musician Pete Townshend and comedian Rob Brydon.
Things to consider when moving to Twickenham
As one of the most affordable areas in South West London, it is no surprise that Twickenham has been increasing in popularity amongst those looking to move out of central London and into a home with more space. It's important not to get too carried away though, as there are a number of other costs to consider. For example, if you're still going to need to travel into central London for work, factoring in transport costs is essential as Twickenham is in Zone 5.
For families with school-age children, there are several excellent schools within a one mile radius of Twickenham. Some of the most notable schools include Twickenham Primary Academy, St Richard Reynolds Catholic Primary School and St Richard Reynolds Catholic High School, all of which have secured 'Outstanding' Ofsted ratings. It is worth noting however that competition for these schools is high.
Whether you're looking for a period terraced property, a spacious semi-detached home or a bijou apartment, given the array of amenities that are within easy reach, this popular part of South West London is an excellent location in which to put down roots.