Townsend & New Greens
St Albans 009 · 4 sub-areas · 7,732 residents
St Albans 009 sits within the St Albans district of the East of England, home to around 7,700 people. A typical two-bedroom home lets for about £1,615 a month — a substantial outlay, though the area's mix of high owner-occupation, excellent greenspace access, and a rail commute into London in under 45 minutes helps explain why people pay it.
Townsend & New Greens is a commuter neighbourhood within St Albans — train into London runs in around 41 minutes, and the rhythm of weekday mornings is shaped by it. The demographic profile leans family-aged, with a clear share of households with school-age children; a high share of adults are degree-educated, which often shows up in the kind of jobs people commute to.
Overview
What's it like to live in Townsend & New Greens?
The area is unusually green for its density — 8 parks and 5 playgrounds sit within five minutes' walk of the centroid; Crime sits around the national average — neither a notable concern nor a notable selling point; 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 £1,912 a month; 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.
Townsend & New Greens in St Albans
Living in Townsend & New Greens
St Albans 009 is a predominantly residential part of the St Albans district, with a character shaped less by nightlife or dense urban amenity and more by family life, green space, and the commuter clock. Over half of residents work from home — 50.3% at the last count — which gives the area a quieter daytime feel than neighbourhoods where everyone disappears into the city at eight in the morning.
The cost of living here is significant. Rents rose around 3% in the past year, and a two-bedroom home now runs roughly £1,615 a month — noticeably above the UK national median of around £1,200. Three-bedroom homes push closer to £2,000. If you're buying, the median sale price sits above £700,000, and it would take the typical buyer the best part of eight years just to save a deposit. That's the trade-off for a St Albans address within commuting reach of London.
The people who live here reflect that cost. Nearly half of residents hold a degree-level qualification — 48.9% — and the median resident salary is around £45,500 a year. Owner-occupation runs high at nearly 62%, though there's also a meaningful social housing presence at around 28% of households. Families dominate: over a quarter of households are couples with children, and more than a quarter of the population is under 18.
Practically, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 2,000 metres away — about a 25-minute walk, or a short drive. From there, the public-transport journey to London runs around 42 minutes. Most residents drive rather than take public transport for everyday travel, with just 5% using public transport for the commute. Broadband coverage is 100% gigabit-capable, with no premises below the minimum USO standard. See the streets and sub-areas below for more detail on specific pockets within St Albans 009.
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Frequently asked
- Is St Albans 009 a nice place to live?
- It depends on your priorities. It's a quiet, family-oriented area with excellent greenspace access — 86% of residents are within easy walking distance of green space — and a fast rail link to London. The trade-off is cost: rents are well above the UK average and property prices are high. It suits families and professionals who can afford it and value stability over urban buzz.
- What is the rent in St Albans 009?
- A one-bedroom home runs around £1,257 a month, a two-bedroom about £1,615, and a three-bedroom close to £2,000. These are estimates scaled from district-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose around 3% over the past year. At those levels, rent takes up roughly 61% of a typical local take-home salary.
- Is St Albans 009 safe?
- The crime rate here is around 76 per 1,000 residents annually, slightly below the UK national average of roughly 80. The area sits in the less-deprived half of English neighbourhoods (IMD decile 7), and high owner-occupation tends to correlate with lower crime. It's not crime-free, but the overall picture is reassuring.
- What's the commute from St Albans 009 to London?
- By public transport, the journey to London takes around 42 minutes. The nearest mainline rail station is about 2 km away — a 25-minute walk or short drive. Most residents commute by car or work from home; just 5% use public transport for their daily commute.
- Who lives in St Albans 009?
- Predominantly families — over 28% of households are couples with children, and more than a quarter of residents are under 18. Most people own their homes (62%), and nearly half hold degree-level qualifications. The median resident salary is around £45,500. It's a settled, professional area with a surprisingly significant social housing presence of around 28%.
- What schools are near St Albans 009?
- There are 62 schools within typical catchment distance. Around 30% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — noticeably below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 1,555 metres away. Parents should do postcode-specific checks, as Ofsted ratings and catchment boundaries vary considerably across short distances.
- How affordable is buying a home in St Albans 009?
- It's expensive. The median sale price is above £717,000, and it takes around eight years to save a deposit on a typical local salary. That's a significant affordability stretch, even for dual-income households. The area's appeal to London commuters keeps property values high.