Hackney EC2
Hackney 033 · 3 sub-areas · 6,977 residents
Hackney 033 is a young, densely rented pocket of Hackney, home to around 6,977 people and one of the most strikingly youthful communities in London. A typical two-bedroom flat runs about £2,429 a month — rents that have crept up roughly 2.5% over the past year. Nearly three in five residents rent privately, making this one of the borough's most transient, high-turnover neighbourhoods.
Hackney EC2 is a mid-density neighbourhood of Hackney in the London 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.
Overview
What's it like to live in Hackney EC2?
The area is unusually green for its density — 12 parks and 5 playgrounds sit within five minutes' walk of the centroid; there's a serious food scene on the doorstep — 166 restaurants and 49 distinct cuisines within a five-minute walk; the cultural offer is one of the area's draws — dozens of theatres, museums and galleries within two kilometres; 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 £2,598 a month; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 3 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Hackney EC2 in Hackney
Living in Hackney EC2
What immediately stands out about this part of Hackney is just how young it skews. Over half of all residents — around 57% — are aged 18 to 34, which is exceptionally high even by inner-London standards. This isn't a neighbourhood of settled families or long-term owner-occupiers; it's a place people land when they first move to the city, drawn by the energy and the relative ease of finding a private rental. Just over 16% of homes are owner-occupied, far below the London norm.
On rent, you're paying solidly inner-London prices. A one-bed typically runs around £1,954 a month; a two-bed around £2,429; and a three-bed roughly £2,776. That puts this neighbourhood at the higher end of what most renters can reasonably absorb — the rent-to-take-home ratio here sits above 100%, which means average earnings alone don't cover average rent without a second income or a generous employer. Council tax (Band D) adds around £2,060 a year on top.
The degree-holder share is striking: around 68% of residents hold a degree-level qualification, well above the London average and very high by any UK measure. Despite that, the median resident salary comes in at around £40,200 a year — solid, but not exceptional relative to the housing costs. Most residents appear to commute out for work rather than staying local; the area has about 0.6 jobs per working-age resident, and just 3.9% of people drive to work. A remarkable 62.7% work from home, which has reshaped daily demand for local amenities.
Greenspace is more accessible than many assume in this part of London — the nearest green space is under 250 metres away, and around two-thirds of residents can reach one on foot. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 260 metres away (about a 3-minute walk), with connections into central London in under 5 minutes by public transport. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on how the neighbourhood breaks down.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Hackney 033 a nice place to live?
- It depends what you're after. If you're young, degree-educated, and comfortable renting, it works well — great transport links, walkable greenspace, and a high-energy neighbourhood feel. The trade-off is a high crime rate and rents that push above 100% of median take-home pay. It suits young professionals far better than families.
- What is the rent in Hackney 033?
- A one-bedroom flat typically costs around £1,954 a month, a two-bedroom around £2,429, and a three-bedroom around £2,776. Rents rose roughly 2.5% over the past year. These are estimates scaled from borough-level data using local sale prices, rather than direct observations at neighbourhood level.
- Is Hackney 033 safe?
- Crime runs high here — around 662 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, far above the UK average of roughly 80. The dominant categories are theft and antisocial behaviour rather than serious violence. Density and population turnover drive much of the rate. It's worth being aware, but it's not unusual for this part of inner London.
- What's the commute from Hackney 033 to central London?
- Very short. The nearest mainline rail station is around 260 metres away — a 3-minute walk — and central London is roughly 3 minutes away by public transport from there. That said, 62.7% of residents work from home, so the commute is moot for a large share of the population.
- Who lives in Hackney 033?
- Predominantly young renters — nearly 57% of residents are aged 18 to 34, and 58% rent privately. Around 68% hold a degree, and only 16% own their home. It's a high-turnover, well-educated, diverse community; just 41.8% of residents were born in the UK. Families with children are a small minority here.
- What schools are near Hackney 033?
- There are 176 schools within 2km, so there's no shortage of options. However, only around 36% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national average of around 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is roughly 905 metres away. Families should check individual catchments on the Ofsted website before committing.
- Why is rent so high relative to salaries in Hackney 033?
- The rent-to-take-home ratio here sits above 100% — average rent exceeds what a single median income covers. The median resident salary is around £40,200 a year, while a typical two-bedroom runs nearly £2,429 a month. Most renters either share costs, earn above the median, or benefit from dual incomes.