SM4 vs SM5

What's within walking distance

Raw counts within 1km, useful when the percentile scores look close but the on-the-ground feel isn't.

Generated 7 July 2026.

How we score SM4 and SM5

The short answer to the questions families ask us most when comparing two areas.

How is the overall Family Score for SM4 and SM5 calculated?

The overall Family Score is a weighted blend of five sub-scores: schools, safety, green space, family life (GP surgeries, libraries, supermarkets, parks within 1km) and commute. Schools and safety carry the most weight, because they're what most families ask about first. Each sub-score is a percentile within our London cohort, so a 90 means "top 10% of London postcodes we've scored", not an absolute rating.

What does "better for families" actually mean here?

It means the area scores higher on the blend of factors most families weigh when relocating with children: school density and proximity, neighbourhood safety, access to parks and green space, and everyday family infrastructure like GP surgeries and supermarkets within walking distance. It's not a verdict on culture, nightlife, or whether you'll personally feel at home. Those are subjective and we don't pretend to score them.

Where does the data come from?

Schools come from OpenStreetMap today (we're swapping in DfE GIAS + Ofsted ratings for v1). Crime is from data.police.uk, latest available month. Parks, GP surgeries, libraries and supermarkets are counted from OpenStreetMap within a 1km radius of the postcode centroid. Commute times come from TfL Journey Planner — door-to-door from the representative postcode to six central hubs, arriving by 08:15 on a weekday.

Why is the difference between SM4 and SM5 sometimes only a few points?

Because they're scored on the same London-wide curve. Two neighbouring postcodes often share the same schools, the same green space, and the same crime patterns, so their scores end up close. We call any gap under 3 points a tie. Within that range, the right pick depends on which trade-off matters more to your family.