Raynes Park
Merton 016 · 5 sub-areas · 8,998 residents
Merton 016 is a residential pocket of south London within the borough of Merton, home to around 9,000 people. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £1,940 a month — noticeably below the inner-London norm, yet still well above the UK average. Nearly half the residents work from home, making it one of the more self-contained corners of the capital.
Raynes Park is a commuter neighbourhood within Merton — train into London runs in around 8 minutes, and the rhythm of weekday mornings is shaped by it. 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 Raynes Park?
Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; food and drink within walking distance is workable but not dense — around 17 restaurants and 1 pubs in five minutes; 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 £2,083 a month; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 5 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Raynes Park in Merton
Living in Raynes Park
What sets this part of Merton apart from most London neighbourhoods is how settled it feels. Owner-occupation sits at just over 50%, which is rare in a city where renting dominates, and nearly half of working residents work from home on most days. The streets have a suburban rhythm — quieter than the zones immediately inside the North Circular, but with central London reachable in minutes by rail.
On rent, this is broadly mid-market for south-west London. A two-bedroom home runs around £1,940 a month, which is significantly above the UK median of roughly £1,200 but far cheaper than comparable-sized flats in Wimbledon or Clapham. If your budget is tighter, a one-bedroom comes in at around £1,570. The trade-off is that you're buying calm and space over buzz and walkable nightlife.
The population skews towards families and professionals in their 30s and 40s — the 35–49 bracket accounts for over a quarter of residents, and households with children make up around one in five. Degree-level qualifications are held by 54% of residents, well above the London mean, which tracks with the high work-from-home rate and the salary profile. Around 42% of residents were born outside the UK, reflecting a moderately diverse community.
Practically, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 500 metres away — about a six-minute walk — and puts central London just over six minutes from your door by public transport. Schools nearby are less uniformly strong than you might hope, with around 36% of schools within typical catchment distance rated Good or Outstanding, well below the national share of roughly 89%, though the nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 1.5 km away. See the streets and sub-areas below for more detail on specific pockets.
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Frequently asked
- Is Merton 016 a nice place to live?
- It's a settled, residential part of south London with high owner-occupation and good rail connections into the city. The trade-off is that nearby school quality is below average and amenities are more suburban than urban. If you want calm, space, and a fast commute, it delivers well.
- What is the rent in Merton 016?
- A one-bedroom flat runs around £1,570 a month, a two-bedroom costs roughly £1,940, and a three-bedroom home comes in at about £2,300. Rents rose around 1.7% over the past year, a relatively gentle increase by London standards.
- Is Merton 016 safe?
- Crime runs at about 93 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, modestly above the UK national rate. It's not among the most pressured parts of south London and the high owner-occupation rate contributes to a stable, low-turnover feel on most streets.
- What's the commute from Merton 016 to central London?
- The nearest mainline rail station is about 500 metres away — roughly a six-minute walk — and from there central London is reachable in just over six minutes by public transport. It's one of the better-connected suburban locations in the borough.
- Who lives in Merton 016?
- Mostly owner-occupiers and established professionals in their 30s and 40s. The 35–49 age group is the largest cohort, families with children make up around one in five households, and 54% of residents hold degree-level qualifications. Nearly half work from home.
- What schools are near Merton 016?
- There are 89 schools within a 2km radius, though only around 36% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national average. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is approximately 1.5 km away. It's worth checking individual Ofsted reports and current catchment boundaries before committing.
- How does Merton 016 compare to other south London neighbourhoods for rent?
- It's mid-market for south-west London — cheaper than Wimbledon or Clapham for equivalent-sized homes, but above the UK median of around £1,200 for a two-bedroom. The combination of fast rail access and relatively lower rents makes it competitive within the zone.