Brent vs Islington
Which is better to live in? Distance: 6.4 miles apart.
The verdict
Overall, Brent offers lower property prices by roughly 26%. Brent has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Islington edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Brent
£681,000
Islington
£924,225
Crime Rate
Brent
90.0
Islington
133.7
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Brent
97.1%
Islington
97.6%
Avg Download Speed
Brent
402
Islington
465.6
EPC Rating
Brent
72.8
Islington
71.4
Median Income
Brent
£37,842
Islington
£41,317
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in LondonThe average house price in Brent is £681,000, which is 26% less than Islington at £924,225. The most affordable entry point in Brent is a flat at £419,959, while in Islington it is a flat at £678,251.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: semi-detached homes are 60% pricier in Islington (£2,216,309 vs £886,592).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Brent prices grew faster — 19% vs 1%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in LondonCrime is lower in Brent (90 per 1,000) compared to Islington (133.7 per 1,000), a 49% difference. The most common crime category in Brent is violent-crime, while in Islington 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 LondonIslington has 97.6% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 97.1% in Brent. Brent has 79 schools in total, while Islington has 49.
Brent School Inspection Breakdown
97.1% of 79 schools (61 primary, 18 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Islington School Inspection Breakdown
97.6% of 49 schools (39 primary, 10 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Brent | Islington |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 79 | 49 |
| Primary | 61 | 39 |
| Secondary | 18 | 10 |
| % Top two bands | 97.1% | 97.6% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Islington offers faster average downloads at 465.6 Mbps, compared to 402.0 Mbps in Brent. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 96.6% of premises in Brent and 98.5% in Islington. Gigabit availability stands at 73.1% in Brent and 91.6% in Islington.
Islington is the faster of the two by 16% on average download speed (466 vs 402 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Brent are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 72.8 (band C) versus 71.4 (band C) in Islington. Estimated annual energy costs average £873 in Brent and £886 in Islington. 71.9% of homes in Brent have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 71.3% in Islington.
Brent has more energy-efficient housing — 71.9% reach band C or above, vs 71.3% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £41,317.3 in Islington and £37,842.3 in Brent. The median age is 38.1 in Brent and 36.7 in Islington. Employment rates stand at 60.4% in Brent and 61.4% in Islington. Owner-occupancy is 38.9% in Brent versus 27% in Islington.
| Indicator | Brent | Islington |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 340,866 | 216,751 |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 36.7 |
| Median Household Income | £37,842.3 | £41,317.3 |
| Employment Rate | 60.4% | 61.4% |
| Owner Occupied | 38.9% | 27% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 47.3% | 55.4% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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