I’ve been to Lewisham to see what it is like, read all about it in my below area guide.
If you want to jump to any particular section you can do via the below links.
About Lewisham
So then, Lewisham, a vibrant and diverse borough in the heart of South London.
Nestled between the bustling city center and the serene green spaces, Lewisham offers a unique blend of urban living with the odd dash of natural beauty.
Many find Lewisham a fantastic place to explore and call home as it’s somewhat discarded it’s historically negative reputation.
My experience there was mixed with some pros and cons to consider. So let’s dive in as I explain all.
Lewisham Area Guide – Transport Links
As far as London transport links go they are ok in Lewisham but nothing special.
Regarding public transport, the Borough relies heavily on the DLR to get residents around.
The DLR provides quick and convenient access to Canary Wharf, the City of London, and Stratford.
Lewisham DLR station is located in the heart of the borough, and there are also DLR stations dotted around the area.
What’s noticeably absent however is that there are no direct tube lines into Lewisham which is odd for a place of its size.
There are overhead lines providing services to several stations in Lewisham, including New Cross, Brockley, and Honor Oak Park.
Plus you can get trains to Cannon Street and London Bridge.
London Overground lines offer connections to central London, including Shoreditch, Highbury & Islington, and Clapham Junction.
Is Lewisham Safe?
The short answer is yes, Lewisham is relatively safe when compared to surrounding areas.
In 2022, the crime rate in Lewisham was 90 crimes per 1,000 people. This is compared to an average of 95 crimes per 1,000 people in London.
To put that into context nearby Southwark has a crime rate of 103 per 1,000 people, Lambeth is 104.
All of these areas are safer than somewhere like Stratford in Newham.
The most common types of crime in Lewisham are violence and sexual offences, followed by burglary and theft.
It should be noted that the crime rate in Lewisham has been falling in recent years.
In 2012, the crime rate in Lewisham was 122 crimes per 1,000 people.
This means that the crime rate has fallen by 26% in the last 10 years.
Lewisham area guide – Demographics
As far as Lewisham’s diversity goes it is one of the most diverse Borough’s in London. Walking around the retail area the mixture of cultures is abundantly apparent.
According to the 2021 census, the ethnic breakdown of the population is as follows:
White: 45.8%
Black, African, Caribbean or Black British: 26.5%
Asian or Asian British: 18.6%
Mixed or multiple ethnic groups: 7.4%
Other: 1.7%
The borough is also home to a large number of people from other countries, with over 20% of the population born outside of the United Kingdom.
In terms of the most common countries of birth for people living in Lewisham they are Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana, and India.
The overall average household income in Lewisham is £45,000. This is slightly lower than the average household income for London as a whole, which is £48,000.
Regarding home ownership the majority of households in Lewisham are owner-occupied (42%), with the remainder being rented from a private landlord (40%) or a social landlord (18%).
Lewisham Area Guide – House Prices
It is clear that there is a lot of development taking place in and around Lewisham DLR station.
In a similar way to Canada Water, it almost ruins what is otherwise a quite nice skyline. With that said however, the huge investment in the area is a good sign.
Large developments bring infrastructure improvements and if the huge developers believe the area to be up and coming, they usually aren’t too far off.
In terms of house prices, the average value was £576,938 over the last year.
As you may expect flats were most commonly sold at an average price of £385,388 which is quite reasonable.
In terms of a trend sold prices in Lewisham over the last year were 2% up on the previous year. This is a good sign as multiple areas are coming down in price.
Is Lewisham a nice place to live?
As I mentioned at the start my feelings regarding Lewisham are mixed.
On one hand it is a relative bargain compared to other London boroughs with both rents and purchases being on the reasonable side.
Then you have the fact that crime seems to be well managed by the local police with rates falling over the previous years.
On the negative side I found the absence of tube lines a right pain. Yes the DLR is a replacement of sorts but it’s meandering journeys around London are slow and frustrating.
The other negative I have is Lewisham town centre itself. It’s ok I suppose but scruffy in places and lacking the charm of somewhere like Bethnal Green or Brixton.
All in all however if your commute works via DLR or road and you are looking for a safe, well priced area then Lewisham should be top of your shortlist.
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