Northfields & Merrydale
Leicester 011 · 4 sub-areas · 10,372 residents
Leicester 011 is a densely populated neighbourhood within Leicester, home to around 10,400 people. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £895 a month — noticeably below the UK median for a 2-bed — though rents rose around 4% last year. With nearly a third of households in social housing and a high share of under-18s, this is one of Leicester's most family-heavy, community-rooted areas.
Northfields & Merrydale is a green, lower-density part of Leicester — parks within walking distance of most addresses, a slower weekday rhythm, and a population skewed toward longer-tenure households rather than transient renters. The demographic profile leans family-aged, with a clear share of households with school-age children.
Overview
What's it like to live in Northfields & Merrydale?
2 parks and 5 playgrounds are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; Crime sits around the national average — neither a notable concern nor a notable selling point; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,026 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 4 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Northfields & Merrydale in Leicester
Living in Northfields & Merrydale
Leicester 011 has a distinctly residential, family-oriented character that sets it apart from Leicester's more transient student quarters or its gentrifying city-centre fringes. The streets here are overwhelmingly occupied by families — nearly three in ten households are couples with children — and that shapes everything from the density of schools (109 within catchment distance) to the relative quietness of the local street life outside school run hours.
On cost, this neighbourhood sits comfortably below the national average. A 2-bed runs around £895 a month, which is notably less than the UK median for that size. Even so, the rent-to-take-home ratio here is high at around 55%, reflecting the fact that local resident salaries — a median of around £27,900 a year — are modest. If you're earning at or above the Leicester average, the sums are manageable; if you're not, they're tight.
The population here is one of Leicester's most diverse, with an ethnic diversity index above 53 and just over half of residents born in the UK. That demographic breadth is reflected in the local retail and food offer, which tends towards independent shops and community-facing services rather than chain high streets. The area's deprivation score places it in the second-lowest decile nationally, which means concentrated socioeconomic pressure — but also relatively low property prices: a typical home sells for around £254,000, and the deposit savings window is roughly 4.6 years.
Practically, the nearest mainline rail station is about 2.5 km away — a roughly 30-minute walk or a short bus ride — and most residents drive, with around 53% commuting by car. Birmingham is reachable by public transport in about 80 minutes. See the streets and sub-areas below for more.
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Frequently asked
- Is Leicester 011 a nice place to live?
- It depends on what you're after. Leicester 011 is a family-oriented, community-rooted neighbourhood with affordable rents and good green space access — around 77% of residents are within easy walking distance of greenspace. The trade-off is that it sits in the second-lowest deprivation decile nationally, so parts of the area carry real socioeconomic pressure. It suits families and budget-conscious renters more than young professionals seeking nightlife or a graduate community.
- What is the rent in Leicester 011?
- A one-bed runs about £718 a month, a two-bed around £895, and a three-bed approximately £1,046. These are neighbourhood-level estimates scaled from city-wide data using local sale prices. Rents rose around 4% over the past year. Compared to the UK median two-bed rent of roughly £1,200 a month, this neighbourhood is noticeably cheaper.
- Is Leicester 011 safe?
- The recorded crime rate here is around 81 incidents per 1,000 residents annually — roughly on par with the UK national average of approximately 80. The area's high deprivation score suggests elevated antisocial behaviour and acquisitive crime in pockets, but the strong family-household composition helps stabilise the community. Street-level risk varies by location, so it's worth checking specific streets before committing.
- What's the commute from Leicester 011 to Leicester city centre?
- The nearest mainline rail station is about 2.5 km away — around a 30-minute walk or a short bus ride. Most residents drive; only about 8% use public transport for their commute. There's no tram or metro service in Leicester. For longer journeys, Birmingham is around 80 minutes by public transport and London around 94 minutes.
- Who lives in Leicester 011?
- Predominantly families — nearly three in ten households are couples with children, and almost 30% of residents are under 18. Around a third of homes are social housing, which is well above the national norm. Just over half of residents were born in the UK, and the area has one of Leicester's higher ethnic diversity scores. Graduate residents are relatively rare at around 18% of adults.
- What schools are near Leicester 011?
- There are 109 schools within typical catchment distance — a high count for a neighbourhood of this size. Around 38% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, well below the national share of approximately 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is just over 1 km away. Given the wide variation in school quality within this zone, it's worth researching individual schools rather than relying on the area-level figure.
- Is Leicester 011 affordable for renters?
- Rents are low in absolute terms — a 2-bed is around £895 a month versus a UK median of roughly £1,200. However, local resident salaries average about £27,900 a year, which pushes the rent-to-take-home ratio to around 55%. That means renters on local wages will feel the squeeze even at these lower rent levels. If you're earning above the Leicester average, it's a reasonable deal.