Postcode district · London

SE5 area guide

Who lives in SE5, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council: Southwark
Region: London
Population: 91,196 (2024)

SE5Postcode district · London

At a glance

What SE5 is like

The SE5 postcode district in Southwark covers 884 live postcodes and is home to about 91,196 people in 36,539 households. 26.8% of households own their home, 23.5% rent privately and 47.1% are in social housing. The largest age group is 25–29, and 61.9% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is above the England and Wales average. Homes in SE5 sold for a median of £480,000 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How SE5 compares

Headline figures for SE5, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

3.8/ 10

Around the middle. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore

7/ 10

Around the middle: 35.5 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£480,000

Median over 337 sales in SE5, −3% on the year before.

TransportMore

7.0/ 10

Very good: 8 stations within a mile, 44 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

Rated good or better across 31 inspected schools in SE5.

Household incomeMore

£69,773

Average annual income before tax, higher than 84% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where SE5 differs most from the national average.

01
A student area
11.4% of adults are full-time students, against 7.9% across England. Expect HMO demand and term-time turnover.
02
A young populationPositive
29.6% of residents are aged 20 to 34 (the peak renting age), against 19.6% across England.
03
A big private rental marketPositive
23.5% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
04
A lot of social housingLook closer
47.1% of homes are social housing, against 17.1% across England.
05
Well connectedPositive
8 stations within a mile and 44 bus stops within a ten-minute walk.

Questions

SE5 FAQs

Is SE5 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 3.8 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 35.5 per 1,000 people a year, band 7 of 10 nationally. 100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 7.0 out of 10 (very good).

How much does a house cost in SE5?

The median sale price over the last year was £480,000.

Homes in SE5 sold for a median of £480,000 across 337 sales in the year to August 2026, −3% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is SE5 safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 35.5 offences per 1,000 people a year around SE5, above the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 7 of 10.

Who lives in SE5?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 25–29, at 11.5% of residents. 26.8% of households own their home. The most common property type is purpose-built flat (64.5%).

Which council covers SE5?

The local authority for SE5 is Southwark.

SE5 comes under Southwark in London. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is SE5?

Connectivity scores 7.0 out of 10.

There are 44 bus stops within 800m and 8 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 7.0 out of 10 (very good). The nearest station is Denmark Hill Station, 0.4 miles away.

Sources: Census 2021 (ONS); ONS mid-year population estimates; police recorded crime; the English, Welsh and Scottish indices of deprivation; ONS small area income estimates; ONS private rents; DfE, Welsh and Scottish school registers and Ofsted; DfT NaPTAN; ORR estimates of station usage; HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.

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