For young professionals, the area in which you choose to settle in London is vitally important. Of course, when making this choice there are many things that need to be taken into consideration: The commute into work, accommodation costs and, naturally, an area that offers the opportunity for a quality social life.
One thing that’s great when it comes to living in London is that all of these can be found in a variety of areas – and not all of them mean sacrificing 75 per cent of your salary to do so!
With all of these aspects in mind, we’ve put together a list of what we consider to be the 7 best places to live in London for young professionals.
Brixton
Located within the London Borough of Lambeth, Brixton has come a long way since its downtrodden days of decades ago. Today the area is safe, multi-cultural and offers residents a great social scene. Over the past decade Brixton has been very ‘gentrified’, and now the streets boast restaurants, cafes and other social venues to suit every taste.
Transport into the centre of town is excellent, with Brixton being only a quick hop on the tube into Victoria. And whilst the centre of Brixton is a bustling hub of energy, people and general mayhem, there are loads of open spaces nearby. These include Brockwell Park, Ruskin Park and Loughborough Park where you can leave the city behind and enjoy a bit of peace and quiet if you so wish.
Average property prices (both for sale and rent) are somewhat cheaper in Brixton than other parts of London. And, considering the great transport links into the centre of town, this makes it a very desirable area for young professionals. You can check out current property prices in the area on Right Move, Zoopla and Prime Location.
Camden
Camden has long been seen as one of the trendiest areas of London. Located in the north west of the city, it’s a mecca for young professionals, thanks to easy transport into the centre of town, fair property prices and a throbbing social scene.
Camden Market is one of the more famous attractions in the area, and there’s some peaceful walking to be had alongside Regents Canal. As well as excellent tube links into town, Camden is well served by London buses.
Obviously the popularity of Camden has seen property and rental prices rise over the past decade or so. However, these are still lower than other parts of London. But to get an even better deal it’s worth looking just outside Camden, in the neighbouring areas of Kentish Town or Euston.
Battersea
Home to the iconic Battersea Power Station (which is now undergoing extensive renovation into accommodation), Battersea is an excellent location for young professionals.
There are fast transport links into town, as well as easy access to overland rail (from Clapham Junction) if you fancy getting out of the city for a break. And with an enviable location on the banks of the River Thames, along with wonderful open spaces such as the delightful Battersea Park, it also offers great opportunities for that necessary ‘zen zone’.
Of course, this all adds up to the fact that Battersea is becoming a somewhat more expensive area in which to live than it was a few years ago. But despite that, it still represents good value for money. Average rental prices are still lower than some other desirable areas of London.
Shoreditch
The East London area of Shoreditch is perhaps one of the hippest regions of the city you can find. Highly popular with media and the arts crowd, this is one fun place to live. On the practical side, for those who work in The City then the location is ideal, with only a short hop to work on the tube.
This makes Shoreditch a very desirable location for young professionals, and rental and property prices reflect this. However, the likelihood of these prices continuing to rise in the future is high, making Shoreditch a great place to purchase property, both to live in and for future investment.
Angel
Angel was long considered to be one of the less salubrious parts of London. That is, until professional people began to see the area as not only great value, but with superb transport options to get virtually anywhere in the city. And as soon as that happened, the area began to reinvent itself to the popular hub that it is today. Located in North London, Angel offers superb restaurants, cafes and shopping, along with great open spaces such as Highbury Fields in which to enjoy the fresh air.
Rental and property prices have risen in the area over the past few years. But despite this, it’s still possible to find property here at prices that relate well to other similar areas of London.
Maida Vale
Close to Paddington and all the hubbub you’d expect of such a central area, Maida Vale somehow manages to give the impression that’s its merely a leafy suburb. In similarity to many of the areas on this list, Maida Vale was once one of the less sought after locations in the city. But not any more, although it perhaps hasn’t yet seen the massive property price rises that it’s sure to in the future.
Close to trendy Little Venice, where the Regent’s Canal meets the Grand Union Canal, this residential district continues to offer good value for money when it comes to rental and property prices. And being so close to Paddington, the transport options both into the city and out to other areas of the UK are excellent.
Clapham
The South London area of Clapham is a favourite with professionals. Boasting the wonderful and enormous Clapham Common as an area to kick back and relax, you’ll also find an amazing array of shops, restaurants and cafes. Transport links (from Clapham Junction) are excellent. You can be in the centre of town within minutes, or alternatively take an overground train to virtually any part of the UK you can think of.
Admittedly, Clapham is not one of the cheapest areas in London in which to live. Property is very sought after, especially by young professionals and their families, and prices do reflect this. However, for those that can afford it, Clapham offers an exceptionally high standard of living.
