Custom House
Newham 036 · 5 sub-areas · 10,272 residents
Newham 036 sits within the London borough of Newham, home to around 10,300 people and one of the most affordable corners of the capital for renters. A typical two-bedroom flat runs about £1,977 a month — noticeably below the central London norm. Nearly half of residents are in social housing, and public transport gets you into central London in roughly 8 minutes.
Custom House is a commuter neighbourhood within Newham — train into London runs in around 8 minutes, and the rhythm of weekday mornings is shaped by it.
Overview
What's it like to live in Custom House?
3 parks and 2 playgrounds are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; food and drink within walking distance is workable but not dense — around 14 restaurants and 0 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 £1,912 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.
Custom House in Newham
Living in Custom House
This part of Newham is defined as much by what it isn't as by what it is — it's not polished, not expensive by London standards, and not the kind of neighbourhood that appears on lifestyle magazine lists. What it does offer is genuine value for the capital, fast connections into the centre, and a population that reflects east London's long tradition of communities from all over the world. Around 70% of residents were not born in the UK, and the ethnic diversity index sits at 69.5 — one of the higher readings in London.
The cost picture tells you a lot. A two-bedroom flat here runs around £1,977 a month — still substantial by any measure outside the capital, but considerably less than you'd pay in most inner London boroughs. One-beds come in at roughly £1,618. That said, at nearly 94% of take-home pay going on rent at the median, this is still a financially stretched neighbourhood for those on local wages. Renters who commute to higher-paying jobs elsewhere in London will find the maths more workable.
Who lives here is a useful signal. Just under half of households — 49.1% — are in social housing, which is well above the London average and gives the area a different character from the private-rented streets of, say, Hackney or Walthamstow. Around a quarter own their homes, and another quarter are in private rentals. Children under 18 make up nearly 24% of the population, which is a higher share than much of inner London, and families rather than young singles are a visible presence.
Practically, the neighbourhood is well positioned. The nearest underground station is under 450 metres away, and public transport gets the majority of residents to work — 46% travel by public transit, with just 21% using a car. The commute into central London by rail or bus is around 8 minutes, which is exceptional value at these rent levels. See the streets and sub-areas below for more.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Newham 036 a nice place to live?
- It depends on your priorities. The transport links are genuinely excellent — central London in around 8 minutes — and rents are below the inner London average. The trade-off is a higher-than-average crime rate and a deprivation score in the second national decile. It suits renters who want London access without London prices and are comfortable in a dense, diverse, working-class neighbourhood.
- What is the rent in Newham 036?
- A one-bedroom flat runs roughly £1,618 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,977, and a three-bedroom approximately £2,187. Rents rose around 7.7% year-on-year. These are estimates scaled from borough-level data using local sale prices, so treat them as indicative rather than precise.
- Is Newham 036 safe?
- Crime runs at around 165 incidents per 1,000 residents annually — roughly double the UK national rate. Newham as a borough has historically recorded higher crime than London's western boroughs. Street-level and acquisitive crime near transport hubs account for much of the gap. It's not uniquely dangerous, but it's a real consideration.
- What's the commute from Newham 036 to central London?
- About 8 minutes by public transport — one of the fastest commutes in east London at this price point. The nearest underground station is under 450 metres away and the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 640 metres. Nearly half of residents commute by public transit.
- Who lives in Newham 036?
- A mixed community — nearly half of households are in social housing, with a strong family presence (under-18s make up nearly 24% of residents). Around 47% of residents were born outside the UK, making it one of east London's most internationally diverse neighbourhoods. Degree holders make up about 35% of residents.
- What schools are near Newham 036?
- There are 156 schools within 2km of typical residents, with around 70% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is only about 262 metres away. That's good proximity to top-rated provision, though the overall share of Good-or-Outstanding schools is below the national average of roughly 89%.
- Is Newham 036 affordable compared to the rest of London?
- By London standards, yes — two-bedroom rents around £1,977 a month are below the inner-city average. But at roughly 94% of median take-home pay going on rent, it's still financially tight for residents on local wages. Those commuting to higher-paid jobs elsewhere in London will find the maths more manageable.