Barnet vs Lewisham
Which is better to live in? Distance: 13.1 miles apart.
The verdict
Overall, Lewisham offers lower property prices by roughly 41%. Barnet has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Lewisham edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Barnet
£696,626
Lewisham
£494,356
Crime Rate
Barnet
66.8
Lewisham
93.8
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Barnet
98.0%
Lewisham
98.4%
Avg Download Speed
Barnet
300.2
Lewisham
438.7
EPC Rating
Barnet
71.4
Lewisham
71.6
Median Income
Barnet
£36,651
Lewisham
£37,611
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in LondonBuyers will find Lewisham more wallet-friendly, where the average price is £494,356 versus £696,626 in Barnet. The most affordable entry point in Barnet is a flat at £371,853, while in Lewisham it is a flat at £316,857.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: detached homes are 96% pricier in Barnet (£1,274,133 vs £651,250).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Lewisham prices grew faster — 22% vs 16%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in LondonWith 66.8 offences per 1,000 people, Barnet is the safer of the two – 40% lower than Lewisham's 93.8 per 1,000. The most common crime category in Barnet is violent-crime, while in Lewisham it is violent-crime.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Both towns share the same top crime category: violent crime.
Schools & Education
Best for schools in LondonSchool quality favours Lewisham: 98.4% of its schools are in the top two inspection bands, compared with 98% in Barnet.
Barnet School Inspection Breakdown
98% of 117 schools (90 primary, 27 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Lewisham School Inspection Breakdown
98.4% of 77 schools (63 primary, 14 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Barnet | Lewisham |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 117 | 77 |
| Primary | 90 | 63 |
| Secondary | 27 | 14 |
| % Top two bands | 98% | 98.4% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Internet users in Lewisham enjoy 438.7 Mbps on average, while Barnet lags behind at 300.2 Mbps. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 95.5% of premises in Barnet and 98.8% in Lewisham. Gigabit availability stands at 48.5% in Barnet and 82.1% in Lewisham.
Lewisham is the faster of the two by 46% on average download speed (439 vs 300 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
The average EPC rating in Lewisham is band C (score 71.6), ahead of Barnet's band C (score 71.4). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,118 in Barnet and £799 in Lewisham. 67.7% of homes in Barnet have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 73.7% in Lewisham.
Lewisham has more energy-efficient housing — 73.7% reach band C or above, vs 67.7% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Barnet has a population of 388,143 while Lewisham has 300,764. Median household income is £37,611 in Lewisham and £36,651 in Barnet. The median age is 41.5 in Barnet and 37.2 in Lewisham. Employment rates stand at 60.7% in Barnet and 64.2% in Lewisham.
| Indicator | Barnet | Lewisham |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 388,143 | 300,764 |
| Median Age | 41.5 | 37.2 |
| Median Household Income | £36,651 | £37,611 |
| Employment Rate | 60.7% | 64.2% |
| Owner Occupied | 58.5% | 41.9% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 44.3% | 49.8% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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