Postcode · London

SW2 1BU area guide

Who lives in SW2 1BU, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Neighbourhood: Brixton Central
Council: Lambeth
Region: London
Neighbourhood population: 1,976 (2024)
Status: No longer in use

SW2 1BULondon

At a glance

What SW2 1BU is like

SW2 1BU is a postcode in the Brixton Central area of Lambeth. Because census and crime data isn’t published for single postcodes, the figures here cover the surrounding neighbourhood of about 1,976 people. 12.5% of households own their home, 31.9% rent privately and 51.6% are in social housing. The largest age group is 25–29, and 61.7% of adults are in work. It ranks among the more deprived parts of England. Higher-harm crime is above the England and Wales average. Homes in SW2 1 sold for a median of £521,750 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How SW2 1BU compares

Headline figures for SW2 1BU, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

3.0/ 10

More deprived than most. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore

8/ 10

Higher than most: 43.1 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£521,750

Median over 76 sales in SW2 1, −4.3% on the year before.

TransportMore

10.0/ 10

Excellent: 15 stations within a mile, 60 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

97%

Rated good or better across 30 inspected schools within 1 mile.

Household incomeMore

£66,181

Average annual income before tax, higher than 78% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where SW2 1BU differs most from the national average.

01
A big private rental marketPositive
31.9% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
02
A student area
11.3% of adults are full-time students, against 7.9% across England. Expect HMO demand and term-time turnover.
03
Higher crime than mostLook closer
43.1 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.
04
A young populationPositive
29.3% of residents are aged 20 to 34 (the peak renting age), against 19.6% across England.
05
More deprived than mostLook closer
Scores 3.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (where 1 is most deprived). Yields can be higher, but check tenant demand street by street.

Questions

SW2 1BU FAQs

Is SW2 1BU a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 3.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 43.1 per 1,000 people a year, band 8 of 10 nationally. 97% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 10.0 out of 10 (excellent).

How much does a house cost in SW2 1BU?

The median sale price over the last year was £521,750.

Homes in SW2 1 sold for a median of £521,750 across 76 sales in the year to August 2026, −4.3% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is SW2 1BU safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 43.1 offences per 1,000 people a year around SW2 1BU, above the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 8 of 10.

Who lives in SW2 1BU?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 25–29, at 11.5% of residents. 12.5% of households own their home. The most common property type is purpose-built flat (88.5%).

Which council covers SW2 1BU?

The local authority for SW2 1BU is Lambeth.

SW2 1BU comes under Lambeth in London. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is SW2 1BU?

Connectivity scores 10.0 out of 10.

There are 60 bus stops within 800m and 15 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 10.0 out of 10 (excellent). The nearest station is Brixton Underground Station, 0.2 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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