London Lifestyle Index

Which borough outranks the rest when it comes to the ultimate London lifestyle?

To find out, we analysed factors like income and average property prices, number of green spaces and pubs, air quality, transportation connectivity and areas with the happiest population and lowest anxiety.

From Victorian cottages on blissfully quiet streets and townhouses that are tailor-made for entertaining to luxury flats near high-end shops and restaurants, London offers a world of options for property buyers. Whether you’re contemplating your first London property, second home, or perhaps a weekend retreat or pied-à-terre, it makes sense to investigate areas that align with your lifestyle and priorities.

Boroughs for the Best London Lifestyle

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Harrow - Best Borough Overall for Wellbeing

Priorities play a large role in determining which borough rises above the rest. Harrow, set in North-West London, and part of Outer London, ranks the highest for the percentage of the population that considers themselves the happiest and most satisfied with life, has the lowest anxiety and feels that the things they do are worthwhile.

Out of London’s 32 boroughs, Harrow ranks 15th for affordability, with properties averaging £527,206. It ranks ninth for green spaces and parks, and 12th for best travel connectivity. In other words, Harrow, home of the notable suburbs of Belmont, Canons and Greenhill, is ideal for several different lifestyles

What else does this borough have to offer? Tourists seek out attractions including the historical Headstone Manor & Museum, Heath Robinson Museum, featuring the illustrations of influential artist William Heath Robinson, and Northala Fields, offering playgrounds and a community-constructed mosaic. There are numerous options for a night out, too, with 70 friendly pubs and 150 restaurants serving up some of the best food in the city.  

Tower Hamlets - Best Borough for Families

Tower Hamlets, covering a huge swath of the East End that encompasses the Tower Hamlets and Bethnal Green districts along with notable suburbs, including Aldgate, Limehouse and Bow, checks many boxes for families. Transport links are abundant, making travel in and around the city simple. Tower Hamlets also has 520 pubs and restaurants offering a wealth of choices for date night or family outings. (Don’t overlook Brick Lane, with its famous curry restaurants and market.)

With 122 green spaces and parks, the little ones can always find a grassy field to run and play in, plus the borough ranks second for air quality, ninth for life satisfaction and low anxiety, and lands a few notches below the middle of the 32-borough list for affordability, with properties averaging £554,009.

Rich in culture and history (and adored by Queen Victoria) Tower Hamlets gracefully blends the old and new, from the Tower of London near the riverside and the Museum of London Docklands chronicling London’s past as a trading port, to Whitechapel Gallery showcasing inspiring contemporary art.

 

Richmond - Best Borough for Nature Lovers

While London offers the most vibrant culture imaginable, it’s also a haven for admirers of flora and fauna. Richmond upon Thames, located in South-West London, forming part of Outer London, and surrounding both sides of the River Thames, boasts 125 green spaces and parks perfect for leisurely strolls, bike rides on cycle routes, bird watching, and just walking the dog. Notable suburbs include Barnes, Fulwell and Ham.

Some of the borough’s best-known tourist attractions also embrace nature’s beauty, including the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, among the world’s foremost botanic gardens and site of the stately red-brick Kew Palace, and Richmond Park, a protected wildlife habitat and one of London’s eight royal parks.

Richmond upon Thames is filled with food and drink too, buzzing with 370 restaurants and pubs. It also ranks third for highest average income, fifth for feelings of worthwhileness, sixth for life satisfaction, and ninth for air quality and happiest population. Properties average around £819,044.

 

Kensington & Chelsea - Best Boroughs for London’s Finer Things in Life

One of the great things about city life is having everything you want and need at your fingertips. Small but densely populated, the borough of Kensington and Chelsea is set in Inner-West London and is home to Kensington, Chelsea and Notting Hill, plus the well-known suburbs of Brompton and Earl’s Court. Battersea is just a ten-minute drive away.

This area ranks first in highest average income and fifth for life satisfaction, with properties averaging £2,092,485. It also offers plenty of urban conveniences, including 155 pubs and 400 restaurants to satisfy any craving and excellent transit connectivity (ranking number eight) through High Street Kensington. As the site of Kensington Palace—the birthplace of Queen Victoria and official residence of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children—it’s deemed a royal borough.

Locals and tourists alike also take in sights including the landmark Natural History Museum, with its animatronic dinosaurs,  Science Museum, famed for its interactive gallery, and world-famous department stores including Harrods, Peter Jones and Harvey Nichols.

Lambeth - Best Borough for Young Professionals

Close to central London and the City, Lambeth stretches from the Thames to neighbouring boroughs Westminster and Croydon. Home to ultra-vibrant areas like Brixton, Vauxhall, Waterloo and Clapham, the borough offers good property prices for young professionals and an endless list of things to do. Home to around 500 restaurants and pubs, independent coffee shops and more, there’s plenty of places to drink, meet friends and enjoy London’s legendary food.  

If you’re wondering where to live in London for commuting power, the area offers quick travel to anywhere in London with access to eight underground stations. And for lovers of green space, Lambeth has 25 parks and open spaces filled with fresh air. It’s also home to iconic London tourist attractions London Eye and London Dungeons.  

 

Westminster - Best Borough for Tourist Attractions and Travel

An inner borough of London, the City of Westminster sits in the centre of London’s West End on the north bank of the River Thames. To the west lies Kensington and Chelsea, to the east, the City of London. Its notable suburbs include Paddington, Marylebone and Soho.

Close to Buckingham Palace, this government area ranks number one for transit connectivity. It’s also the number one hub for pubs—585 in total, some renowned for their loyal clientele of politicians - and has 1,270 restaurants. Westminster also ranks fourth for highest-average income and ninth for green spaces and parks. Properties average £1,718,124.

Some of Westminster’s storied attractions include Big Ben, the world-famous Gothic clocktower at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament, situated near the River Thames, and the nearby Victoria Tower Gardens, offering a respite from the hustle and bustle. History abounds, from the medieval Westminster Abbey, a house of worship since the 10th century to Jewel Tower, dating back almost 650 years to Trafalgar Square’s statues and fountains.

 

Purchase Your New Home in London

Whether you want to live a stone’s throw from London’s green spaces and incredible restaurants, or a few Tube stops from shopping and cultural attractions, Douglas and Gordon can make the process as smooth, seamless, and stress-free, whatever your price range or lifestyle priorities.

Data sources: 

Restaurants, daytime population, green spaces, property prices, income, happiness.