Postcode district · London

W2 area guide

Who lives in W2, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council: Westminster
Region: London
Population: 68,549 (2024)

W2Postcode district · London

At a glance

What W2 is like

The W2 postcode district in Westminster covers 1,135 live postcodes and is home to about 68,549 people in 30,282 households. 28.1% of households own their home, 47.4% rent privately and 22.9% are in social housing. The largest age group is 25–29, and 55.5% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is well above the England and Wales average. Homes in W2 sold for a median of £767,500 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How W2 compares

Headline figures for W2, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

4.5/ 10

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

CrimeMore

8/ 10

Higher than most: 44.4 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£767,500

Median over 290 sales in W2, −13.8% on the year before.

TransportMore

10.0/ 10

Excellent: 26 stations within a mile, 52 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

Rated good or better across 14 inspected schools in W2.

Household incomeMore

£73,048

Average annual income before tax, higher than 88% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where W2 differs most from the national average.

01
A big private rental marketPositive
47.4% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
02
A student area
15.5% of adults are full-time students, against 7.9% across England. Expect HMO demand and term-time turnover.
03
Higher crime than mostLook closer
44.4 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.
04
A young populationPositive
32.8% of residents are aged 20 to 34 (the peak renting age), against 19.6% across England.
05
Prices fallingLook closer
The median sale price in W2 is down 13.8% on the year before.

Questions

W2 FAQs

Is W2 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 4.5 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 44.4 per 1,000 people a year, band 8 of 10 nationally. 100% 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 W2?

The median sale price over the last year was £767,500.

Homes in W2 sold for a median of £767,500 across 290 sales in the year to August 2026, −13.8% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is W2 safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 44.4 offences per 1,000 people a year around W2, well above the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 8 of 10.

Who lives in W2?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 25–29, at 11.7% of residents. 28.1% of households own their home. The most common property type is purpose-built flat (69.3%).

Which council covers W2?

The local authority for W2 is Westminster.

W2 comes under Westminster in London. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is W2?

Connectivity scores 10.0 out of 10.

There are 52 bus stops within 800m and 26 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 10.0 out of 10 (excellent). The nearest station is Bayswater, 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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