We have visited Romford so that we can tell you everything you need to know about the area in our below guide.
Feel free to jump to any section via the below links.
Table of Contents
- About Romford
- Transport Links
- Romford Area Guide – Crime
- Romford Area Guide – House Prices
- Romford Area Guide -Demographics
- Things to do
- Is Romford A Nice Place To Live?
About Romford
Romford is a town in the London Borough of Havering in Greater London.
Although it technically falls in Greater London, most residents would actually classify it as Essex.
It is located 16 miles (26 km) north-east of Charing Cross and is the administrative headquarters of the borough.
Romford is a major retail and commercial center of East London / West Essex.
It is home to a number of large shopping centres, including The Brewery, The Liberty and The Mercury Mall which we will cover later.
In terms of some trivia, Romford is the birthplace of a number of famous people.
These include singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, actor Ray Winstone, and footballer Bobby Moore.
Transport Links
The first thing to note is that Romford does not have a tube station.
Romford is instead served instead by a busy mainline station which incorporates the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail).
As we covered in our Ilford guide, Crossrail whilst a welcome addition hasn’t actually changed much.
Romford residents always had two options to get into Central London via train.
One was catching the sporadic (2 an hour) fast train which stops next at Stratford.
The other option is to get the slow train which stops everywhere in the lead into Liverpool Street.
Well it turns out these remain your two options. Yes the Elizabeth line can get you quickly to places like Heathrow or Paddington.
But for just getting into the city, outside of well air conditioned carriages, the options are the same.
Romford is well served by buses, with the main hub to the right of the train station as you exit.
The Elizabeth Line is a new addition
Romford Area Guide – Crime
It’s fair to say that Romford has a bit of a reputation for alcohol related trouble, but is that justified?
The area has developed a lot in the past 20 years, gone are the nightclub giants which used to dominate the town.
There are still drinking venues available but it doesn’t feel like that is all what Romford is about anymore.
Crime rates in Romford are slightly higher than places like Brentwood, Havering as a whole and London.
Romford Town Centre has very high crime rates of 300+ crimes per 1,000 people. However those figures will be skewed by the nighttime economy and shopping hubs.
This is evidenced by 14% of those crimes being shoplifting, crimes which simply wouldn’t happen in residential areas.
Violent crime accounts for another 26% of the crimes in Romford, suggesting perhaps it hasn’t left its reputation behind.
The overall rate per 1,000 for Romford (including outside the town centre) as a whole is 114 crimes.
Romford Area Guide – House Prices
The average house price in Romford in August 2023 was £447,913, according to Rightmove.
This is a 4% increase from the previous year.
The most popular type of property sold in Romford is terraced houses, which have an average price of £439,007.
Semi-detached houses sell for an average of £507,624, and flats sell for an average of £257,842.
House prices in Romford have been rising steadily over the past few years.
In the past five years, average house prices have increased by 15%.
This trend is expected to continue in the coming years, as Romford remains desirable for commuters.
Romford Area Guide -Demographics
The population of Romford is 122,000 according to the most recent census data.
The ethnic make-up of Romford is as follows.
White British: 67.0%
Asian: 13.8%
Black: 13.1%
Mixed: 4.4%
Other White: 1.7%
The religious make-up of Romford is also diverse, with the largest religious group being Christians (50.7%).
Other religious groups in Romford include Muslims (10.3%), Hindus (1.7%), and Sikhs (1.1%).
In terms of age profile, Romford is similar to the national average, with a median age of 37.2 years.
The majority of the population is between the ages of 20 and 49 (44.6%).
There is also a significant proportion of elderly people in Romford, with 16.2% of the population aged 65 or over.
Romford is a relatively affluent town, with a median household income of £35,000.
The unemployment rate in Romford is lower than the national average, at 4.1%.
Things to do
Being a large town there are various options in terms of entertainment and pastimes.
Here are some things to consider;
Shopping In The Town Centre
One of the biggest factors which sets Romford apart from surrounding areas is its shopping.
Romford has a sizable shopping footprint covering four main areas. You have The Market, The Brewery, Liberty Shopping Centre and Mercury Mall.
What does all that mean?
Well it means as a shopper you have a wide range of choice and prices. There are bargains to be had on the market but also more upmarket stores.
The shopping area is in a constant state of flux. Money is spent on improvements but then that is countered by store closures and empty sites.
Overall though with plenty to eat and more shops than you can need, the town centre is a plus.
Raphael Park
Raphael Park is a popular spot for locals and visitors alike. The park is about a 15 minute walk from the train station.
It offers a wide range of amenities, including:
- A large lake with a variety of waterfowl, including swans, ducks, and geese.
- A children’s play area with a variety of equipment, including swings, slides, and a climbing frame.
- A bandstand, which is used for concerts and other events during the summer months.
- A cafe/restaurant, which serves a variety of food and drinks.
- Tennis courts and a bowling green.
- A variety of walks and trails, including a woodland walk and a lakeside walk.
Romford Greyhound Stadium
You can’t accuse our guides of lacking variation. Romford Greyhound Track plays host to a number of weekly meets.
Otherwise known as Romford Dogs it is an entertaining night out, even if gambling isn’t your thing.
As a bit of interesting trivia, Guy Richie took Brad Pitt to Romford Dogs while filming snatch. So who knows, you may even bump into an A lister.
Is Romford A Nice Place To Live?
Our verdict is a mixed one for Romford.
On one hand the town centre offers nightlife and shops which rival anywhere nearby.
But on the other hand there is no escaping the crime rates and lack of a tube line.
It therefore depends what you are looking for, if nights out are your thing then it could be for you.
House prices are reasonable considering it’s vicinity to Central London. Also of note is it’s fairly quick access to the M25 for those who prefer road travel.
In our view Romford is a flawed diamond of East London, filled with character and indeed characters.
The white stilettos of the 90’s may be gone but for a vibrant town centre it can’t really be beaten.
