Postcode district · London

SW3 area guide

Who lives in SW3, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council: Kensington and Chelsea
Region: London
Population: 35,822 (2024)

SW3Postcode district · London

At a glance

What SW3 is like

The SW3 postcode district in Kensington and Chelsea covers 867 live postcodes and is home to about 35,822 people in 16,372 households. 37.4% of households own their home, 44.7% rent privately and 17.4% are in social housing. The largest age group is 25–29, and 54.9% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is broadly in line with the England and Wales average. Homes in SW3 sold for a median of £1,150,000 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How SW3 compares

Headline figures for SW3, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

6.2/ 10

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

CrimeMore

7/ 10

Around the middle: 34.5 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£1,150,000

Median over 200 sales in SW3, −24.1% on the year before.

TransportMore

6.0/ 10

Very good: 9 stations within a mile, 48 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

Rated good or better across 10 inspected schools in SW3.

Household incomeMore

£87,509

Average annual income before tax, higher than 97% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where SW3 differs most from the national average.

01
A big private rental marketPositive
44.7% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
02
A student area
12.9% of adults are full-time students, against 7.9% across England. Expect HMO demand and term-time turnover.
03
A young populationPositive
25.8% of residents are aged 20 to 34 (the peak renting age), against 19.6% across England.
04
Prices fallingLook closer
The median sale price in SW3 is down 24.1% on the year before.
05
Well connectedPositive
9 stations within a mile and 48 bus stops within a ten-minute walk.

Questions

SW3 FAQs

Is SW3 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 6.2 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 34.5 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 6.0 out of 10 (very good).

How much does a house cost in SW3?

The median sale price over the last year was £1,150,000.

Homes in SW3 sold for a median of £1,150,000 across 200 sales in the year to August 2026, −24.1% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is SW3 safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 34.5 offences per 1,000 people a year around SW3, broadly in line with the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 7 of 10.

Who lives in SW3?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 25–29, at 9% of residents. 37.4% of households own their home. The most common property type is purpose-built flat (58.7%).

Which council covers SW3?

The local authority for SW3 is Kensington and Chelsea.

SW3 comes under Kensington and Chelsea in London. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is SW3?

Connectivity scores 6.0 out of 10.

There are 48 bus stops within 800m and 9 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 6.0 out of 10 (very good). The nearest station is Cadogan Pier, 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.

Explore