League table

The 7 boroughs of North London

Leafy commuter villages, Victorian terraces and some of the city's best state schools — from Barnet and Enfield down through Highgate to Hackney. Below: every north 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.

48
North avg

Boroughs in North London

North London has 7 London boroughs in our coverage:

  1. Barnet
  2. Camden
  3. Enfield
  4. Hackney
  5. Haringey
  6. Islington
  7. Waltham Forest

What each North 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.

Hackney

Hackney 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 130 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 24th lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £2,054 a year. Its strongest postcode is E5 (Lea Bridge) at 66/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to N16 (Stoke Newington) at 36/100 — a 30-point spread that shows why a borough average only gets you so far.

Haringey

Haringey averages 54/100 for families across the 5 postcodes we cover, scoring 60/100 on schools, 100/100 on safety, 0/100 on green space and 70/100 on commute. Met Police recorded 120 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 22nd lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £2,258 a year. Its strongest postcode is N8 (Hornsey) at 66/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to N17 (Bruce Castle) 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.

Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest averages 44/100 for families across the 4 postcodes we cover, scoring 25/100 on schools, 100/100 on safety, 0/100 on green space and 70/100 on commute. Met Police recorded 108 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 19th lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £2,213 a year. Its strongest postcode is E17 (Hoe Street) at 66/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to E11 (Leytonstone) at 36/100 — a 30-point spread that shows why a borough average only gets you so far.

Barnet

Barnet averages 36/100 for families across the 8 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 80 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 8th lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £2,157 a year. Its strongest postcode is EN5 (Underhill) at 36/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to NW11 (Golders Green) at 36/100 — a 0-point spread that shows why a borough average only gets you so far.

Enfield

Enfield averages 36/100 for families across the 8 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 92 offences per 1,000 residents in the year to 2024 — the 13th lowest rate of London's 32 boroughs. Band D council tax is £2,254 a year. Its strongest postcode is EN2 (Ridgeway) at 36/100, and the widest gap inside the borough is down to N21 (Winchmore Hill) 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 North London?
North London has 7 London boroughs: Camden, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Waltham Forest, Barnet, Enfield.
Which North 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 North London?
Camden scores highest for safety in North London at 100/100, based on Met Police crime data.
Where do the North London boroughs sit vs the rest of London?
See the full 32-borough London ranking to compare North London boroughs against North, South, East, West and Central on the same yardstick.

North 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

    Hackney4 postcodes

    Schools 75 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: E5 Lea Bridge (66)

    59
  3. 3

    Haringey5 postcodes

    Schools 60 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: N8 Hornsey (66)

    54
  4. 4

    Islington5 postcodes

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

    48
  5. 5

    Waltham Forest4 postcodes

    Schools 25 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: E17 Hoe Street (66)

    44
  6. 6

    Barnet8 postcodes

    Schools 0 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: EN5 Underhill (36)

    36
  7. 7

    Enfield8 postcodes

    Schools 0 · Safety 100 · Green 0 · Commute 70 · Top: EN2 Ridgeway (36)

    36