League table

The 7 boroughs of Central London

Zone 1 family life: garden squares, walk-everywhere amenities and the capital's most established private and state schools. Below: every central London borough, ranked for families on schools, safety, commute and green space — all on the same yardstick. Top of the table: Camden at 59/100.

45
Central avg

Boroughs in Central London

Central London has 7 London boroughs in our coverage:

  1. Camden
  2. Islington
  3. Kensington and Chelsea
  4. Lambeth
  5. Southwark
  6. Tower Hamlets
  7. Westminster

What each Central London borough is actually like

One paragraph per borough, built from the same four datasets: schools within a mile, Met Police recorded crime, green space, and typical peak commute — plus the Band D council tax bill for 2025/26.

Camden

Camden averages 59/100 for families across the 4 postcodes we cover, scoring 75/100 on schools, 100/100 on safety, 0/100 on green space and 70/100 on commute. Met Police recorded 175 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 31st lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £1,963 a year. Its strongest postcode is NW1 (Regent's Park) at 66/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to WC1H (Bloomsbury) at 36/100 — a 30-point spread that shows why a borough average only gets you so far.

Southwark

Southwark averages 49/100 for families across the 7 postcodes we cover, scoring 43/100 on schools, 100/100 on safety, 0/100 on green space and 70/100 on commute. Met Police recorded 135 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 26th lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £1,932 a year. Its strongest postcode is SE15 (Rye Lane) at 66/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to SE17 (North Walworth) at 36/100 — a 30-point spread that shows why a borough average only gets you so far.

Islington

Islington averages 48/100 for families across the 5 postcodes we cover, scoring 40/100 on schools, 100/100 on safety, 0/100 on green space and 70/100 on commute. Met Police recorded 145 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 29th lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £2,008 a year. Its strongest postcode is N1 (St Mary's & St James') at 66/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to N19 (Junction) at 36/100 — a 30-point spread that shows why a borough average only gets you so far.

Lambeth

Lambeth averages 47/100 for families across the 8 postcodes we cover, scoring 38/100 on schools, 100/100 on safety, 0/100 on green space and 70/100 on commute. Met Police recorded 140 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 28th lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £2,030 a year. Its strongest postcode is SE24 (Herne Hill & Loughborough Junction) at 66/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to SW16 (Streatham Common & Vale) at 36/100 — a 30-point spread that shows why a borough average only gets you so far.

Kensington and Chelsea

Kensington and Chelsea averages 40/100 for families across the 7 postcodes we cover, scoring 14/100 on schools, 100/100 on safety, 0/100 on green space and 70/100 on commute. Met Police recorded 165 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 30th lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £1,652 a year. Its strongest postcode is W11 (Notting Dale) at 66/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to W10 (Dalgarno) at 36/100 — a 30-point spread that shows why a borough average only gets you so far.

Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets averages 36/100 for families across the 5 postcodes we cover, scoring 0/100 on schools, 100/100 on safety, 0/100 on green space and 70/100 on commute. Met Police recorded 135 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 27th lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £1,997 a year. Its strongest postcode is E1 (Whitechapel) at 36/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to E1W (St Katharine's & Wapping) at 36/100 — a 0-point spread that shows why a borough average only gets you so far.

Westminster

Westminster averages 36/100 for families across the 5 postcodes we cover, scoring 0/100 on schools, 100/100 on safety, 0/100 on green space and 70/100 on commute. Met Police recorded 265 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 32nd lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £994 a year. Its strongest postcode is NW8 (Abbey Road) at 36/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to W1F (West End) at 36/100 — a 0-point spread that shows why a borough average only gets you so far.

Frequently asked questions

How many boroughs are in Central London?
Central London has 7 London boroughs: Camden, Southwark, Islington, Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea, Tower Hamlets, Westminster.
Which Central London borough is best for families?
Camden tops our ranking at 59/100 — strongest on schools, safety, commute and green space combined. See the full table above.
What's the safest borough in Central London?
Camden scores highest for safety in Central London at 100/100, based on Met Police crime data.
Where do the Central London boroughs sit vs the rest of London?
See the full 32-borough London ranking to compare Central London boroughs against North, South, East, West and Central on the same yardstick.

Central London boroughs ranked

Ranked by overall family score. Tap a row for every postcode in the borough.

  1. 1

    Camden4 postcodes

    Schools 75 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: NW1 Regent's Park (66)

    59
  2. 2

    Southwark7 postcodes

    Schools 43 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: SE15 Rye Lane (66)

    49
  3. 3

    Islington5 postcodes

    Schools 40 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: N1 St Mary's & St James' (66)

    48
  4. 4

    Lambeth8 postcodes

    Schools 38 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: SE24 Herne Hill & Loughborough Junction (66)

    47
  5. 5

    Kensington and Chelsea7 postcodes

    Schools 14 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: W11 Notting Dale (66)

    40
  6. 6

    Tower Hamlets5 postcodes

    Schools 0 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: E1 Whitechapel (36)

    36
  7. 7

    Westminster5 postcodes

    Schools 0 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: NW8 Abbey Road (36)

    36