We’ve explored Barking so we can tell you everything there is to know in our below area guide.
We go into places to go, the population demographics, crime and much more.
Feel free to skip directly to any area via these links.
Table of Contents
- About Barking
- Barking Area Guide – Transport Links
- Barking Area Guide – Crime
- Barking area guide – Demographics
- House Prices
- Things to do in Barking
- Is Barking a nice place to live?
About Barking
Barking is a suburban town in East London, England.
It forms part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and is located 8.8 miles east of Charing Cross.
During the Second World War, Barking was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe.
The town was rebuilt during peace time and is now a thriving commercial and residential area.
Notable people previously from Barking include;
The Edge: U2 guitarist The Edge was born David Howell Evans in Barking in 1961.
He is one of the most successful guitarists in the world and has won numerous awards with U2.
John Terry: Former professional footballer John Terry was born in Barking in 1980.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time and captained Chelsea and England for many years.
Ross Kemp: The actor and documentary filmmaker Ross Kemp was born in Barking in 1964.
He is known for his tough-guy roles in shows like EastEnders and Gangs of London.
Barking Area Guide – Transport Links
One of the real pluses for Barking is it’s transport links which are very impressive.
The main train station is served by the C2C line. This line comes with none of the hype of Crossrail but is every bit as good, if not better.
Trains from Barking get you to Fenchurch Street via the C2C line in just 15 minutes.
That is quicker than for example Crossrail’s service from Ilford to Liverpool Street.
In addition the C2C line will take you right out onto the Essex coast, great for days out.
Barking is also served by the District and Hammersmith and City tube lines. Barking is in Zone 4 of the TFL network.
The last line of note is the London Overground service which also passes through Barking.
But we are not finished with the transport benefits. Barking is also very well served by the surrounding fast road network.
You have quick access to the North Circular (A406) and the A13 which will take you in or out of London quickly.
As a transport based package, Barking is hard to compete with. It beats almost anywhere outside of central London.
Barking Area Guide – Crime
According to the Met Police, Barking has a crime rate that is slightly lower than the average for London.
However it is higher than the average for England and Wales.
In 2022, there were 19,864 crimes recorded in Barking, giving a crime rate of 93 crimes per 1,000 people.
This is 1.8% lower than the London average of 95 crimes per 1,000 people, but 13% higher than the England and Wales average of 82.8 crimes per 1,000 people.
Its crime rate is higher than surrounding areas such as Redbridge and Waltham Forest whose rates are 75 and 90 respectively.
Crime is a lot lower than over the road Newham, where rates are 108 crimes per 1,000 people.
Violence and sexual offences are the most common type of crime in Barking, accounting for over 30% of all crimes reported in 2022.
Anti-social behaviour is the second most common type of crime, accounting for over 20% of all crimes reported in 2022.
Barking area guide – Demographics
Barking is a diverse and vibrant town with a population of over 218,000 people.
The latest (2021) census data shows that the demographics of Barking are as follows:
Ethnicity: 59% White, 19.9% Black, 15.9% Asian, 7.9% Other White, 0.4% Mixed, and 0.1% Chinese or Other Ethnic Group.
Age: 26% under 16, 65% aged 16-64, and 9% aged 65 and over.Gender: 51% female and 49% male.
Religion: 54% Christian, 33% Muslim, 5% Hindu, 2% Sikh, 1% Buddhist, and 5% Other or no religion.
Country of birth: 58% England, 19% other European countries, 17% Asia, 4% Africa, and 2% other countries.
House Prices
House prices are on the reasonable end of the scale when compared to the rest of London.
According to Rightmove properties in Barking had an overall average sale price of £372,081 last year. This is much lower than neighbouring Ilford which had an average of £476,000.
The majority of sales in Barking during the last year were terraced properties, selling for an average price of £410,351.
Flats sold for an average of £239,371, with semi-detached properties fetching £499,758.
Overall, sold prices in Barking over the last year were 5% up on the previous year and 13% up on the 2020 peak of £330,341.
Things to do in Barking
Being completely honest with our readers, there isn’t quite as much jumping out as things to do in Barking.
With that said however, here are some suggestions;
Go for a walk along River Roding
The River Roding flows through the heart of Barking and offers a pleasant place to walk or cycle.
There are also several parks and gardens along the riverbank where you can relax and enjoy the scenery.
Visit the Barking Theatre
The Barking Theatre plays host to a number of shows and events throughout the year. These range from works of Shakespeare to classic Christmas Pantos.
Currently showing is the story of worldwide music icon, Rod Stewart.
Is Barking a nice place to live?
Never before has an area had such contrast between its pros and cons.
On one hand, we cannot think of an outer London suburb with better transport links.
Travellers can get in and out of London quickly via various means. This makes the area very appealing to commuters.
Adding to the benefits are the property prices.
Where else in the country could you be 15 minutes from central London and pick up a property for under £300,000?
Rents are also very reasonably priced.
But then comes the drawbacks.
In terms of entertainment and leisure, Barking is lacking compared to rival areas.
The town centre is a drab scene of tired shops and fast food outlets.
Walking around it just didn’t feel like a place you would want to spend any time.
Crime is slightly higher than somewhere such as Ilford also.
So to conclude, as a base to use Barking for its amazing transport links we would wholeheartedly recommend it.
Why would you need glitz and glamour on your doorstep if you could get into London in 15 minutes or out to Shoeburyness in 45?
But just don’t expect to impress friends with a tour of the town centre.
