London is where most of the people I help are heading, and it is the city where the question "which part?" matters most. The right answer in London is not about which area is best. It is about where you will work, how far you are willing to travel each day, what you can spend, and whether schools are part of the picture. Get those four straight and the map shrinks from thirty-two boroughs to two or three.
The three areas here are not a ranking and they are not the only good ones. They are one of each kind. Canary Wharf is for people who want to walk to a City or Docklands job and live in a new flat with everything in the building. Wimbledon is the family suburb: houses, gardens, good schools and a fast line into the centre. Walthamstow is the value option, with a tube line, Victorian terraces and prices that still make sense for a family.
The figures on each page come from live listings and public data, dated so you can see how fresh they are. The words are mine. Which one fits you is what the Blueprint is for.
Matthew Duckett · 16 years in property · updated 13 Oct 2026
London at a glance
1-bed average rent
up 3.2% on a year, all tenancies
ONS Price Index of Private Rents, London, July 2026.
2-bed average rent
up 3.0% on a year, all tenancies
ONS Price Index of Private Rents, London, July 2026.
3-bed average rent
up 3.2% on a year, all tenancies
ONS Price Index of Private Rents, London, July 2026.
Population
London region
ONS mid-year estimate, mid-2025.
Cycling times from each area
| Area | Bank | King's Cross St Pancras |
|---|---|---|
| Canary Wharf | 25 min | 35 min |
| Wimbledon | 50 min | 55 min |
| Walthamstow | 40 min | 40 min |
Mapbox Directions, by bike, calculated 13 Oct 2026.
Rents in London
The ONS average for all private rents in London, 2-bed, is £2,218 a month (July 2026). That covers every tenancy, old and new.
Typical asking rents for a 2-bed in the areas below run from £2,280 to £2,940 a month, from live listings read 13 Oct 2026.
Some of the areas we know well
Areas in London
Not a ranking: which area fits depends on your work, budget and household.
Which part of London 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.