Harlesden
Brent 031 · 7 sub-areas · 14,102 residents
Brent 031 is a densely populated neighbourhood in Brent, north-west London, home to around 14,100 people. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £1,900 a month — well above the UK average but moderate by London standards. Rents here actually fell around 6.5% in the past year, a rare bright spot for renters watching costs climb elsewhere across the capital.
Harlesden is a commuter neighbourhood within Brent — train into London runs in around 5 minutes, and the rhythm of weekday mornings is shaped by it. The rental market is active and turnover is high — people move through rather than stay.
Overview
What's it like to live in Harlesden?
3 parks are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; daytime amenity skews to cafés and bakeries (18 within five minutes' walk) rather than pubs and bars; 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 £1,969 a month.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 7 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Harlesden in Brent
Living in Harlesden
Brent 031 sits within one of London's most ethnically mixed boroughs, and the neighbourhood reflects that — an ethnic diversity index of 72 puts it among the more diverse corners of the capital, with fewer than half of residents born in the UK. It's a place where the street-level mix of independent shops, places of worship and market stalls tells you more about who lives here than any single statistic.
On cost, it's a middle-ground London story. Rents dipped noticeably over the past year — down roughly 6.5% — so a two-bedroom now runs about £1,900 a month. That's considerably above the UK national median of around £1,200, but for a neighbourhood within six minutes of a major London job hub by public transport, it's competitive. The median home sale price sits just under £440,000, and a buyer saving for a deposit would need roughly six years on the local median salary — tight, but not the double-digit wait you'd face closer to Zone 1.
The people here are spread fairly evenly across age groups, with under-18s and 18–34s each accounting for roughly a quarter of residents. Tenure tells an interesting story: nearly 35% of homes are social housing, one of the higher concentrations in outer London, sitting alongside a private rented sector that accounts for just over 41%. Outright or mortgaged ownership is relatively low at 22%. Around 28% of residents work from home at least some of the time — above the national norm — while 40% rely on public transport for their commute.
Practically, the neighbourhood is well connected. The nearest rail station is about 500 metres away — roughly a six-minute walk — and the nearest underground stop is a similar distance. That combination puts central London workplaces within easy reach and explains why so many residents commute in rather than working locally. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on how specific pockets vary.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Brent 031 a nice place to live?
- It depends what you're after. It's well connected to central London, genuinely diverse, and rents fell around 6.5% last year, making it more competitive than it was. The trade-off is a high crime rate — around 204 incidents per 1,000 residents annually — and deprivation levels that place it among the more challenged areas in England. For renters who prioritise transport links and community character over quiet streets, it works.
- What is the rent in Brent 031?
- A one-bedroom flat runs about £1,540 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,900, and a three-bedroom around £2,220. Rents dipped roughly 6.5% over the past year, which is unusual for London. These are estimates scaled from borough-level data using local sale prices, so treat them as a reliable guide rather than a precise quote.
- Is Brent 031 safe?
- Crime here is elevated — around 204 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, compared to the UK national rate of roughly 80. That puts it firmly in the higher-crime band for outer London. Deprivation scores are also among the highest in England. It's not unusual for comparable densely populated London areas, but it's something to weigh up carefully.
- What's the commute from Brent 031 to central London?
- Very manageable. The nearest underground and mainline rail stations are both about 500 metres away — roughly a six-minute walk. From there, the journey to the nearest major London employment hub takes around six minutes by public transport. Over 40% of residents commute by public transport, which reflects how well the area is served.
- Who lives in Brent 031?
- A wide mix — age groups are spread fairly evenly, with under-18s, young adults and working-age residents each around a quarter of the population. Fewer than half of residents were born in the UK, and the diversity index is 72, making it one of the more internationally mixed parts of Brent. Nearly 35% live in social housing, with over 41% in private rented accommodation.
- What schools are near Brent 031?
- There are 200 schools within 2km of typical residents, so options aren't scarce. Around half of those are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — below the national share of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 965 metres away. Parents should check individual school admissions policies, as quality varies across the catchment area.
- How does Brent 031 compare to other parts of Brent for renters?
- Rents here are roughly mid-range for Brent — a two-bedroom at around £1,900 a month is competitive for the level of transport access on offer. The unusually high social-housing share (35%) means the private market is concentrated into a smaller pool of stock, which can affect availability. The recent 6.5% rent fall makes it better value than it was a year ago.