Woolwich Common
Greenwich 015 · 4 sub-areas · 7,190 residents
Greenwich 015 is a densely populated corner of Greenwich, home to around 7,190 people and with a notably high proportion of social housing — nearly half of all households. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for around £1,880 a month, roughly in line with the broader Greenwich area but well below central London rates. The neighbourhood's 15-minute public transport link to London is its sharpest selling point.
Woolwich Common is a commuter neighbourhood within Greenwich — train into London runs in around 15 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.
Overview
What's it like to live in Woolwich Common?
4 parks and 2 playgrounds are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; there's effectively nothing within walking distance — eating out, drinking and shopping mean a drive; 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 £1,944 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.
Woolwich Common in Greenwich
Living in Woolwich Common
Greenwich 015 stands out within the borough for its unusually high concentration of social rented housing — around 47% of households — which gives it a different character from the more gentrified parts of Greenwich closer to the town centre and riverside. The area has a young, diverse population and a genuine community feel that you don't always get in more transient parts of London.
On cost, it sits at an accessible point on the Greenwich rent gradient. A two-bedroom flat runs around £1,880 a month — noticeably less than you'd pay in many inner-London neighbourhoods, and roughly on par with the Greenwich borough average. Given that the median house price here is around £317,000, it's also one of the more realistic spots in London if you're thinking longer-term about buying.
The people who live here skew young: around 29% are aged 18–34, and under-18s account for nearly a quarter of residents. Single-person households make up about a third of all homes. The ethnic diversity index is high at 63.8, and just over 60% of residents were born in the UK — making it one of the more internationally mixed parts of the borough. Graduate-level qualifications are held by around 42% of residents, above what you'd expect given the deprivation profile.
Practically, the nearest rail station is roughly 1.2 km away — about a 15-minute walk — putting central London within 15 minutes by public transport. That connectivity explains why around 30% of residents work from home on a typical day, but also why the area functions well for those commuting into the City or Canary Wharf. Green space is close: around 81% of residents are within easy walking distance of a park, with the nearest greenspace just 220 metres away on average. See the streets and sub-areas below for more detail.
What you'll need on day one
Compare Woolwich Common with
Frequently asked
- Is Greenwich 015 a nice place to live?
- It depends on your priorities. The area is well-connected — 15 minutes to central London by public transport — and has excellent green space access, with parks within easy walking distance for around 81% of residents. It's more affordable than many parts of inner London, but the crime rate (around 161 per 1,000 residents) and below-average school ratings within catchment distance are real trade-offs worth weighing up.
- What is the rent in Greenwich 015?
- A one-bedroom flat runs around £1,520 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,880, and a three-bedroom around £2,180. These are estimates based on borough-level data scaled to the local area using sale prices. Rents rose around 4.2% year-on-year, in line with the broader London market trend.
- Is Greenwich 015 safe?
- The crime rate is around 161 incidents per 1,000 residents annually — roughly double the UK average. That's high, and it's tied to the area's deprivation profile (it sits in the more deprived third of neighbourhoods nationally). It's not the highest in London, but it's worth comparing to neighbouring sub-areas if safety is a primary concern.
- What's the commute from Greenwich 015 to central London?
- Around 15 minutes by public transport from the nearest rail station, which is roughly 1.2 km away — about a 15-minute walk. That puts Canary Wharf and the City within easy reach, and it's one of the strongest practical arguments for living here. About a third of residents use public transport as their main commute mode.
- Who lives in Greenwich 015?
- A young, diverse population — nearly 29% are aged 18–34, and under-18s make up around 25% of residents. Around 47% of households are in social rented accommodation, with only 25% owner-occupiers. The ethnic diversity index is high at 63.8, and around 42% of residents hold a degree-level qualification.
- What schools are near Greenwich 015?
- There are 110 schools within 2 km of the area, but only around 34% of those are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is approximately 744 metres away. Families should run postcode-specific catchment checks, as quality varies significantly across the local cluster.
- Is Greenwich 015 good for families?
- The area has genuine family infrastructure — lots of under-18s already live here (nearly 25% of residents), green space is close by, and the rail connection to central London is fast. The main hesitations are the below-average local school ratings within catchment distance and a crime rate that sits above the London and national averages. It's a real trade-off between affordability and those practical concerns.