Postcode · Watford

WD1 2RA area guide

Who lives in WD1 2RA, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Neighbourhood: Central Watford
Council: Watford
Region: East of England
Neighbourhood population: 2,283 (2024)
Status: No longer in use

WD1 2RAWatford

At a glance

What WD1 2RA is like

WD1 2RA is a postcode in the Central Watford area of Watford. Because census and crime data isn’t published for single postcodes, the figures here cover the surrounding neighbourhood of about 2,283 people. 25.2% of households own their home, 35.7% rent privately and 37.6% are in social housing. The largest age group is 30–34, and 62.3% of adults are in work. It ranks among the more deprived parts of England. Higher-harm crime is above the England and Wales average.

Scores

How WD1 2RA compares

Headline figures for WD1 2RA, 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: 41.5 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

TransportMore

7.0/ 10

Very good: 3 stations within a mile, 43 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

Rated good or better across 14 inspected schools within 1 mile.

Household incomeMore

£54,093

Average annual income before tax, higher than 53% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where WD1 2RA differs most from the national average.

01
A big private rental marketPositive
35.7% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
02
Higher crime than mostLook closer
41.5 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.
03
A young populationPositive
27.7% of residents are aged 20 to 34 (the peak renting age), against 19.6% across England.
04
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.
05
A lot of social housingLook closer
37.6% of homes are social housing, against 17.1% across England.

Questions

WD1 2RA FAQs

Is WD1 2RA 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 41.5 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 7.0 out of 10 (very good).

Is WD1 2RA safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 41.5 offences per 1,000 people a year around WD1 2RA, above the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 8 of 10.

Who lives in WD1 2RA?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 30–34, at 11.3% of residents. 25.2% of households own their home. The most common property type is purpose-built flat (48%).

Which council covers WD1 2RA?

The local authority for WD1 2RA is Watford.

WD1 2RA comes under Watford in the East of England. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is WD1 2RA?

Connectivity scores 7.0 out of 10.

There are 43 bus stops within 800m and 3 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 7.0 out of 10 (very good). The nearest station is Watford High Street Rail Station, 0.3 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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