Being one of the most prestigious parts of London we were happy to visit and prepare this South Kensington Area Guide for you.
Travelling around London and the wider UK it is fair to say we’ve seen a mixture of areas.
Some are quiet, some are busy, some are a little bit dodgy, some are as posh as it gets.
South Kensington is very much on the posh end of the scale. So let’s dive in and see what’s what.
About South Kensington
Ah, South Kensington!
It’s the neighbourhood where elegance and culture come together in perfect harmony.
Picture yourself strolling down tree-lined streets, surrounded by stunning architecture and the faint scent of pastries wafting from the charming cafes.
This area is home to world-class museums like the Science and the Natural History Museum, where you can get lost in art, history, and science for hours on end.
Let’s not forget the delightful boutiques and international cuisine either that make every visit an adventure.
So, whether you’re a culture enthusiast or just looking for an upper class London experience, South Kensington has it all, darling!
South Kensington Area Guide – Transport Links
South Kensington is served by two underground stations being South Kensington and Gloucester Road, which are both on the Piccadilly line.
The District line also stops at South Kensington station.
There are also a number of bus routes that serve the area, including the 74, 328, and 414. These buses connect South Kensington to other parts of London, such as Chelsea, Knightsbridge, and Victoria.
In addition, South Kensington is served by a number of taxi and ride-hailing companies, such as Uber and Lyft.
With the affluence of residents there are often a number of black cabs floating around the area in order to pick up a fare.
Crime – Is South Kensington Safe?
With it being one of the most exclusive areas in the world you would think that crime would be low in South Kensington.
But that isn’t the case.
There are reasons which will explain below but the rate per 1,000 residents is 167 crimes a year.
That is substantially more than the London average of 95 crimes per 1,000.
The key reason why you shouldn’t be worried however is that these figures are per resident.
South Kensington has its fair share of residential properties but they are nothing compared to the number of visitors.
To explain this think of a radius of 500m around Buckingham Palace and the crimes per resident stats would be through the roof.
Say two residents and hundreds of crimes (involving tourists and alike) every year.
That doesn’t mean that the area is bad, it’s just that a lot of people visit there and not many live there.
So like Buckingham Palace, huge tourist destinations like the Natural History Museum will have crime without residents, skewing the figures.
That’s not to say that visitors and residents shouldn’t be vigilant.
There is still a fair amount of crime with theft being the most common offence according to the Met Police.
South Kensington Area Guide – Demographics
The demographics of South Kensington are diverse but not as diverse as other areas of London.
The majority of residents are white and also highly educated.
In terms of stats, according to the 2021 census, the ethnic breakdown of South Kensington is as follows:
White: 62.8%
Asian: 17.7%
Black: 2.3%
Mixed: 10.3%
Other: 6.9%
The median age in South Kensington is 44, which is noticeably higher than the London average of 38.
As you may expect South Kensington is also a very affluent area. The median household income is £100,000, which is more than twice the London average.
This is reflected in the high prices of property in the area which we’ll touch on shortly.
According to the same census, the religious makeup of South Kensington is as follows:
Christian: 44.0%
No religion: 33.9%
Muslim: 4.0%
Jewish: 3.6%
Hindu: 2.8%
Sikh: 0%
Other religion: 1.7%
This is broadly similar to the religious makeup of London as a whole, although South Kensington has a slightly higher proportion of Christians and a slightly lower proportion of Muslims.
South Kensington Area Guide – House Prices
Strap in for some astronomical prices.
It will come as no surprise that properties in South Kensington fetch staggering prices. But even when saying that you’ll still be shocked if you spend some time on Rightmove.
Deep breath… the average sold price in South Kensington was £2,405,220 in 2022.
Flats were selling for an average price of £1,555,352. Terraced properties sold for an average of £4,489,918, with semi-detached properties fetching £12,182,353.
Interestingly sold prices in South Kensington over the last year were 7% down on the previous year showing the area is not immune to high interest rates.
Is South Kensington a nice area?
Pretty easy one to answer today in that yes, South Kensington is nice by nearly all measures.
From the moment you step out of the underground station it just feels like a nice place to be.
The pubs and restaurants are meticulously maintained and the streets are often decorated with fresh flowers.
Residential properties look glamorous beyond belief and it’s fun to try and catch a glimpse of a celebrity or famous sportsperson.
If cars are your thing you can also park up (pun intended) in a bar or cafe and spot the newest Ferrari or Rolls Royce rolling around the corner.
There is no getting around the fact however that it is a busy area with a huge footfall from tourists visiting.
But the tourists also bring benefits such as talented street performers to entertain you as you’re passing through.
Overall as a place to visit it is highly recommended and if you’ve got the budget to move there then why not.
