I’ve visited Bexleyheath to see what it is like, find out what I made of it in my below area guide.
Feel free to jump to any sections via the below links.
About Bexleyheath
Bexleyheath is a place that’s got a bit of everything.
It is a vibrant and diverse town located in south-east London, England.
It is part of the London Borough of Bexley and lies approximately 12 miles (19 km) south-east of central London.
Bexleyheath has a rich history dating back to the Bronze Age, and it has played an important role in the development of London’s suburbs.
Today, it is a popular place to live, work, and visit. It offers a wide range of amenities, including excellent schools and parks.
Lets expand a bit more on the pros and cons of Bexleyheath.
Bexleyheath Area Guide – Transport Links
Starting off with perhaps a bit of a negative for the area, I was quite disappointed with the transport links.
For a retail and residential hub of its size you’d expect some sort of a rail link to the town centre. Unfortunately however this is not the case.
Just by example I had to travel from Bexleyheath via public transport to Central London and the quickest route involved a 30min crammed bus journey.
In similarly sized areas you usually have an overground line plus a tube station. Here I had to travel to Abbey Wood DLR station.
Residents reading this may be jumping up and down stating that there is Bexleyheath train station.
This does take you to Victoria, Charing Cross or Cannon Street but it is A) A slow service and B) The station is a fair distance from the town centre.
There are a number of bus routes coming in and out the town centre it must be said. Also the roads were reasonably quiet for usually busy periods.
But in terms of the transport links, Bexleyheath is overall a disappointment.
It does get better however…
Is Bexleyheath Safe?
In terms of crime in Bexleyheath, the statistics yes Bexleyheath is a safe area. The crime rate per 1,000 residents is just 72.2.
This is taken from Met Police figures and comparing them to census data.
That figure of 72.2 compares very well to the wider London average of 95.
The only place with a lower crime rate I have visited (and researched) is leafy Bush Hill Park.
That is not to say that in Bexleyheath you can swan about with no concerns at all, naturally crime is still present.
But when it comes to nearby areas such as Lewisham, Bexleyheath is noticeably safer.
Bexleyheath Area Guide – Demographics
According to the 2021 Census the majority of Bexleyheath residents are White British (71.2%).
The next largest ethnic groups are Asian (6.9%), Black (5.7%), and Other (15.2%).
The most common household type in Bexleyheath is couples with dependent children (32.7%).
The next most common household types are single-person households (28.4%) and couples without dependent children (27.1%).
The most common type of housing in Bexleyheath is detached houses (38.6%). The next most common types of housing are flats (27.1%) and semi-detached houses (25.0%)
Overall, Bexleyheath is a moderately diverse and affluent community with a relatively high median age and a well-educated population.
Bexleyheath Area Guide – House Prices
What with that low crime rate and being within the M25 you would think that houses would be pricey in Bexleyheath.
This isn’t the case however.
Properties in Bexleyheath had an overall average price of £440,00 over the last year.
This compares very well to nearby areas such as Sydenham, Penge and Lewisham.
In terms of a trend, sold prices in Bexleyheath over the last year were 1% up on the previous year and 13% up on the 2020 peak of £390,076.
Is Bexleyheath a nice place to live?
In short yes, I do believe it is a nice place to live. I spent a lot of time in and around the high street area and was impressed.
The pedestrianised area was clean and well maintained, there is a good array of shops and plenty of restaurants.
Yes the lack of a fast route into Central London is noticeable and probably responsible for the low property prices.
But if getting into London quickly isn’t a deal breaker for you then Bexleyheath should be a real consideration for you.
