Postcode sector · London

W1B 5 area guide

Who lives in W1B 5, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council: Westminster
Region: London
Population: 2,274 (2024)

W1B 5Postcode sector · London

At a glance

What W1B 5 is like

The W1B 5 postcode sector in Westminster covers 100 live postcodes and is home to about 2,274 people in 1,263 households. 15.5% of households own their home, 44.5% rent privately and 39.4% are in social housing. The largest age group is 20–24, and 57.6% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is more than double the England and Wales average.

Scores

How W1B 5 compares

Headline figures for W1B 5, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

4.0/ 10

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

CrimeMore

9/ 10

Higher than most: 66.9 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

TransportMore

10.0/ 10

Excellent: 46 stations within a mile, 70 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

Rated good or better across 1 inspected school in W1B 5.

Household incomeMore

£68,395

Average annual income before tax, higher than 82% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where W1B 5 differs most from the national average.

01
A big private rental marketPositive
44.5% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
02
A student area
15.8% of adults are full-time students, against 7.9% across England. Expect HMO demand and term-time turnover.
03
Higher crime than mostLook closer
66.9 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.
04
A young populationPositive
36.5% of residents are aged 20 to 34 (the peak renting age), against 19.6% across England.
05
A lot of social housingLook closer
39.4% of homes are social housing, against 17.1% across England.

Questions

W1B 5 FAQs

Is W1B 5 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 4.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 66.9 per 1,000 people a year, band 9 of 10 nationally. 100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 10.0 out of 10 (excellent).

Is W1B 5 safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 66.9 offences per 1,000 people a year around W1B 5, more than double the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 9 of 10.

Who lives in W1B 5?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 20–24, at 13.9% of residents. 15.5% of households own their home. The most common property type is purpose-built flat (79.4%).

Which council covers W1B 5?

The local authority for W1B 5 is Westminster.

W1B 5 comes under Westminster in London. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is W1B 5?

Connectivity scores 10.0 out of 10.

There are 70 bus stops within 800m and 46 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 10.0 out of 10 (excellent). The nearest station is Piccadilly Circus, 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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