Newnham is the family suburb I recommend most often in Cambridge, and the one most people picture when they imagine living here. It is the quiet village side of the river west of the centre, with the meadows and Grantchester at the end of the road, the colleges a ten minute walk away, and a small parade of shops that covers the basics.
The housing is a mix of Victorian and Edwardian houses on the streets near the river, bigger detached houses towards the Barton Road, and some 1930s semis further out. Gardens are normal and driveways are rarer on the older streets.
Schools are good and heavily oversubscribed, and the catchment lines matter street by street.
It is the most expensive of the three and the supply is thin, so it is the one where I tell people to be ready to move on the day a house comes up.
Matthew Duckett · 16 years in property · updated 14 Oct 2026
What it costs to rent in Newnham
Every bed count on the same scale. The bar is where most homes list, the dot is the typical asking rent, and the dashed line is the council-wide ONS average that covers every tenancy, old and new.
1-bed Live listings · read 14 Oct 2026 across CB3, and around Newnham (within 1,336 m)
Almost all 1-beds listed here are flats (25 flats, 1 house).
The ONS average for all private rents in Cambridge, 1-bed, is £1,257 a month (July 2026). New tenants across CB3 pay about 44% more.
Live listings, read 14 Oct 2026. ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Cambridge, July 2026.
2-bed Live listings · read 14 Oct 2026 across CB3, and around Newnham (within 1,529 m)
Almost all 2-beds listed here are flats (61 flats, 1 house).
The ONS average for all private rents in Cambridge, 2-bed, is £1,614 a month (July 2026). New tenants across CB3 pay about 26% more.
Live listings, read 14 Oct 2026. ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Cambridge, July 2026.
3-bed Live listings · read 14 Oct 2026 across CB3
Few 3-bed flats are listed; most 3-beds here are houses (15 houses, 2 flats).
The ONS average for all private rents in Cambridge, 3-bed, is £1,908 a month (July 2026). New tenants across CB3 pay about 56% more.
Live listings, read 14 Oct 2026. ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Cambridge, July 2026.
Council tax, Band D
Cambridge council area, 2026-27. Your band depends on the property, so check it for any address.
MHCLG, 2026-27.
Examples, not recommendations
Nearest schools
Primary
- Newnham Croft Primary School
- St Pauls CofE VA Primary School
- St Alban's Catholic Primary School
Secondary
- Trumpington Community College
- Parkside Community College
- Chesterton Community College
Distances are from our map point for Newnham, not from any particular home. A nearby school is not the same as an available place.
Contact the council’s admissions team first. No address needed.
Source: Department for Education register (GIAS), read 8 Sep 2026.
Getting into Cambridge station
Driving time calculated for a weekday 8am departure, 14 Oct 2026. Cycling and walking times calculated 14 Oct 2026.
Nearest station or stop: Cambridge (rail), 1.9 km from our map point.
OpenStreetMap, data of 28 Sep 2026.
From Matthew
There is no station in Newnham. The centre is a ten minute walk or a five minute cycle, the Biomedical Campus is twenty minutes by bike along the river path, and the station is twenty minutes by bike. By car the M11 is five minutes for Stansted and London.
What to check in Newnham
- Check school admissions distances from the exact address.
- Ask about parking; most streets near the river are permits.
- On older houses check the EPC and the heating bills.
- Ask about flooding history on the streets nearest the river.
- Ask how long it has been on the market; the good ones go in days.
Which part of Newnham fits your work, budget and schools is what I work out in your Blueprint.
Your Blueprint is drawn up around your job, your budget, your household and your arrival date. Delivered within one working day of us having everything we need.
Some of the areas we know well
Other areas we know in Cambridge
Not a ranking: which area fits depends on your work, budget and household.
Questions people ask about Newnham
How much is rent in Newnham?
Most 2-beds listed in Newnham are flats, so this is the flat figure. A 2-bed flat across CB3 has a typical asking rent of £2,050 a month, from 61 live flat listings read 14 Oct 2026. Most list between £1,650 and £2,500.
What is council tax in Newnham?
Band D council tax in the Cambridge council area is £2,467 a year for 2026-27 (MHCLG). Your band depends on the property.
How long does it take to get from Newnham to Cambridge station?
About 10 minutes by car, calculated for a weekday 8am departure on 14 Oct 2026.
Which council covers Newnham?
Newnham (CB3) is in the Cambridge council area.