Holywell
Watford 011 · 6 sub-areas · 11,554 residents
Watford 011 sits within Watford, home to around 11,550 people and markedly more affordable than comparable commuter-belt neighbourhoods closer to London. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £1,590 a month — well below the London average — while a fast rail connection puts central London under 25 minutes away. That combination of relative affordability and connectivity is the neighbourhood's clearest selling point.
Holywell is a green, lower-density part of Watford — 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 Holywell?
2 parks and 5 playgrounds are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; 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 £1,813 a month; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 6 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Holywell in Watford
Living in Holywell
This part of Watford punches above its weight on the commuter-convenience front. Central London is under 23 minutes away by public transport, which makes the rent levels here look genuinely competitive for anyone priced out of zones further south. It doesn't feel like a dormitory, though — the area has its own everyday texture, with greenspace closer than you might expect: around 86% of residents are within a short walk of a park or green area, and the nearest is less than 200 metres from the typical home.
The cost picture sits in the middle of Watford's range. A two-bedroom flat runs about £1,590 a month — noticeably above the UK national median of roughly £1,200, but the trade-off is a sub-25-minute commute into one of the world's largest job markets. Council tax for a Band D property comes to around £2,447 a year, and the median house price is close to £378,000, which implies a deposit-saving period of around five years on a typical local salary.
Who lives here is a reasonably mixed picture. Around a quarter of residents are under 18, which suggests a solid family presence, and the 18–34 age group makes up just over a quarter too — so it's neither a purely family suburb nor a young-professional enclave. Tenure is split three ways: roughly 39% own their home, 29% are in private rentals and 29% in social housing — a more balanced mix than most commuter-belt neighbourhoods at this distance from London. Ethnic diversity is high, with a diversity index of 62.6 and around 40% of residents born outside the UK.
Practically, the nearest rail station is about 1.8 km away — roughly a 23-minute walk — and the nearest metro or underground stop is around 1.2 km away, a 15-minute walk. Working from home is a significant pattern here: over a quarter of residents (25.5%) work from home, which is well above average and helps explain why car use (42.8%) dominates over public transport for local trips. Broadband is 100% gigabit-capable throughout the area, with no premises below the universal service obligation — see the streets and sub-areas below for more detail.
What you'll need on day one
Compare Holywell with
Frequently asked
- Is Watford 011 a nice place to live?
- It depends on your priorities. If a fast London commute and relative affordability matter more than low crime and top-rated schools, Watford 011 stacks up well. The area has good greenspace access and strong broadband, but crime runs above the national average and school inspection ratings within catchment distance lag behind. It suits people who value connectivity over quiet suburbia.
- What is the rent in Watford 011?
- A one-bedroom flat runs around £1,260 a month, a two-bedroom about £1,590, and a three-bedroom roughly £1,810. Rents rose about 4.6% year-on-year. These are estimates based on local sale prices scaled from borough-level data, so treat them as a guide rather than a precise figure.
- Is Watford 011 safe?
- Crime sits at around 115 incidents per 1,000 residents a year — noticeably above the UK national rate of roughly 80 per 1,000. Watford overall records higher crime rates than quieter parts of Hertfordshire, and this neighbourhood is broadly in line with the borough average rather than being an outlier in either direction.
- What's the commute from Watford 011 to London?
- Under 23 minutes by public transport — one of the faster London commutes you'll find in Hertfordshire at this rent level. The nearest rail station is about 1.8 km away (roughly a 23-minute walk), and the nearest underground stop is around 1.2 km away. Most residents drive to the station rather than walking.
- Who lives in Watford 011?
- A genuinely mixed community. About a quarter are under 18, suggesting families are well represented, and just over a quarter are aged 18–34. Tenure is split roughly equally between owners, private renters and social housing tenants. Around 40% of residents were born outside the UK, and the area's diversity index of 62.6 is well above the regional average.
- What schools are near Watford 011?
- There are 107 schools within 2 km, so you're not short of options. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 912 metres away. However, only around 38% of schools within typical catchment distance are rated Good or Outstanding — well below the national average of roughly 89% — so it's worth checking individual schools and their catchment boundaries before deciding.
- How long does it take to get to London from Watford 011?
- Around 23 minutes by public transport. That makes Watford 011 one of the more time-efficient commuter options in Hertfordshire, particularly given its rent levels. Bear in mind the nearest station is about a 23-minute walk away, so factor in a bike, drive or taxi to the platform.