Placetrics
Neighbourhood · Cambridge · East of England

Central & West Cambridge

Cambridge 007 · 5 sub-areas · 16,753 residents

Cambridge 007 is a densely populated neighbourhood within Cambridge, home to around 16,700 people and dominated by young renters to an unusual degree. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £1,600 a month — noticeably above the UK median but reflective of Cambridge's status as one of England's priciest university cities. The standout figure here is that nearly six in ten residents are aged 18 to 34.

Best for Young professionals (86/100)Watch-out: Couples (37/100)Liveability 8/100 · Bottom 10%

Central & West Cambridge is a mid-density neighbourhood of Cambridge in the East of England region. It sits between busier and quieter parts of the local authority and isn't dominated by a single use — there's a mix of workplaces, housing and local services. The population skews young, with a high concentration of 18- to 34-year-olds; the rental market is active and turnover is high — people move through rather than stay.

2-bed rent
£1,603/mo+1.8%
1-bed £1,248 · 3-bed £1,894
Crime / 1k / yr
200.9
Below median
Best hub commute
73 min
Direct to London
Good schools 2 km
33%
12 schools within 2 km
Liveability
8/100
Bottom 10%
Population
16,753
5 sub-areas

Overview

Overview

What's it like to live in Central & West Cambridge?

A snapshot of Central & West Cambridge

2 parks are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; there's a serious food scene on the doorstep — 75 restaurants and 33 distinct cuisines within a five-minute walk; Recorded crime is higher than the national norm — common for built-up urban areas, but worth weighing if you're looking for a quieter base; Public transport is genuinely strong; most errands and a fair share of social life don't need a car; rents sit firmly in the upper bracket nationally, with a typical home letting at around £1,795 a month; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.

Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically

Figures are aggregated across 5 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.

Central & West Cambridge in Cambridge

Overview

Living in Central & West Cambridge

Cambridge 007 has one of the most striking age profiles of any neighbourhood in the East of England. With nearly 58% of residents aged 18 to 34, this is unmistakably student and young-professional territory — the kind of area where takeaway coffee shops stay busy late and bikes outnumber cars by a wide margin. That character shapes almost everything about what it's like to live here.

Rents sit firmly in Cambridge's mid-to-upper range. You'll pay around £1,250 a month for a one-bedroom flat, about £1,600 for a two-bedroom, and roughly £1,900 for a three-bedroom — all above the national median, which reflects Cambridge's sustained demand from university affiliates, tech workers, and life sciences researchers. Rents rose around 1.8% over the past year, a relatively modest pace compared to some other high-demand UK cities.

The tenure picture is split almost evenly between owner-occupiers (just over 40%) and private renters (44%). Social housing accounts for around 14% of households. For a neighbourhood this young and this well-educated — just over half of residents hold a degree — the relatively high owner-occupation rate is partly explained by academic staff and longer-standing residents. The single-person household rate of nearly 37% underlines how many people here are living independently rather than in family units.

Practically speaking, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 2.2 km away — about a 27-minute walk, though most people cycle. There's no metro or tram service within realistic reach. An extraordinary 62.5% of residents work from home, which helps explain why public transport use is just 3%. Gigabit broadband is available to virtually everyone here — 98.9% coverage — making this one of the best-connected neighbourhoods in the country for remote workers. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on how the neighbourhood breaks down.

Set up your move

What you'll need on day one

Set up your home
Slot
Compare broadband at Central & West Cambridge
See providers, speeds and prices for this postcode
Compare deals
Set up your home
Slot
Switch energy on your move-in date
Compare gas + electricity tariffs
Switch tariff
Cover your stuff
Slot
Renters' contents insurance
From £5/month — bundle with car or pet cover
Get a quote
Plan your move
Slot
Compare removal quotes
Get instant quotes from rated local firms
Get quotes
Peers

Compare Central & West Cambridge with

FAQ

Frequently asked

Is Cambridge 007 a nice place to live?
It depends what you're after. If you're young, highly educated, and happy renting in a busy, cycle-friendly environment with excellent broadband and easy rail access to London, it works very well. It's less suited to families — the school quality picture within catchment distance is patchy, and the neighbourhood skews heavily towards students and young professionals rather than settled family life.
What is the rent in Cambridge 007?
A one-bedroom flat runs around £1,250 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,600, and a three-bedroom around £1,900. These figures are estimates scaled from Cambridge-wide data using local sale prices. Rents rose about 1.8% over the past year — modest by recent standards.
Is Cambridge 007 safe?
The recorded crime rate of around 236 incidents per 1,000 residents a year is well above the national average of roughly 80. That's largely a product of density and a large transient population rather than deep-rooted deprivation — the area sits in the top 20% nationally on the deprivation index. Day-to-day, most residents report it feeling safe, with theft and antisocial behaviour the most common categories.
What's the commute from Cambridge 007 to Cambridge city centre?
The nearest mainline station is about 2.2 km away — a short cycle or roughly a 27-minute walk. Most residents here don't commute in the traditional sense: 62.5% work from home, and only 3% use public transport regularly. For those who need to travel, London is around 77 minutes by rail.
Who lives in Cambridge 007?
Predominantly young renters: nearly 58% of residents are aged 18 to 34, over half hold a degree, and around 44% are in the private rental sector. Around 38% were born outside the UK, giving the neighbourhood a noticeably international character. Single-person households make up about 37% of the total.
What schools are near Cambridge 007?
There are 56 schools within 2 km, but only around 32% are rated Good or Outstanding within typical catchment distance — well below the national average. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is approximately 3.7 km away. Families should check current Ofsted reports directly, as ratings change and the range of provision here is wide.
Is Cambridge 007 good for working from home?
It's exceptionally well set up for it. Gigabit broadband reaches 98.9% of premises — near-universal coverage — and no premises fall below the minimum broadband standard. It's perhaps no surprise that 62.5% of residents already work from home, one of the highest rates in the East of England.
Looking elsewhere? Back to Cambridge · Browse the map