Postcode area · West Central London

WC area guide

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

Council: Camden
Region: London
Population: 50,993 (2024)

WCPostcode area · West Central London

At a glance

What WC is like

The WC postcode area in London covers 2,564 live postcodes and is home to about 50,993 people in 20,453 households. 22.2% of households own their home, 40.7% rent privately and 36% are in social housing. The largest age group is 20–24, and 47.6% 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 WC sold for a median of £714,000 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How WC compares

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

AffluenceMore

4.2/ 10

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

CrimeMore

8/ 10

Higher than most: 52.3 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£714,000

Median over 171 sales in WC, −11% on the year before.

TransportMore

10.0/ 10

Excellent: 54 stations within a mile, 66 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

Rated good or better across 9 inspected schools in WC.

Household incomeMore

£72,685

Average annual income before tax, higher than 87% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where WC differs most from the national average.

01
A big private rental marketPositive
40.7% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
02
A student area
25.8% of adults are full-time students, against 7.9% across England. Expect HMO demand and term-time turnover.
03
Higher crime than mostLook closer
52.3 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.
04
A young populationPositive
36.8% of residents are aged 20 to 34 (the peak renting age), against 19.6% across England.
05
A lot of social housingLook closer
36% of homes are social housing, against 17.1% across England.

Questions

WC FAQs

Is WC a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 4.2 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 52.3 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 WC?

The median sale price over the last year was £714,000.

Homes in WC sold for a median of £714,000 across 171 sales in the year to August 2026, −11% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is WC safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 52.3 offences per 1,000 people a year around WC, well above the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 8 of 10.

Who lives in WC?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 20–24, at 15.5% of residents. 22.2% of households own their home. The most common property type is purpose-built flat (73.6%).

Which council covers WC?

The local authority for WC is Camden.

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

How well connected is WC?

Connectivity scores 10.0 out of 10.

There are 66 bus stops within 800m and 54 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 10.0 out of 10 (excellent). The nearest station is Holborn Underground Station, 0.1 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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