Ilford North East
Redbridge 026 · 4 sub-areas · 7,345 residents
Redbridge 026 sits within the London borough of Redbridge, home to around 7,345 people and well-connected to central London in under 11 minutes by public transport. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £1,676 a month — noticeably above the UK national median for a 2-bed but considerably cheaper than inner London neighbourhoods. Over half of residents own their homes, giving it a more settled, family-oriented feel than much of the capital.
Ilford North East is a commuter neighbourhood within Redbridge — train into London runs in around 11 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; the rental market is active and turnover is high — people move through rather than stay.
Overview
What's it like to live in Ilford North East?
Day-to-day life sits close to greenery — a park or playing field is within easy walking distance of most addresses; food and drink within walking distance is workable but not dense — around 11 restaurants and 0 pubs in five minutes; The streets feel safe by national standards — police-recorded crime is well below the country-wide median; 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 £1,720 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.
Ilford North East in Redbridge
Living in Ilford North East
Redbridge 026 feels like a suburb that has held its residential character. The streets lean heavily towards families — nearly three in ten households are couples with children, and more than a quarter of the population is under 18. That demographic weight shows in the pace of the place: it's quieter and more owner-occupied than you'd expect from somewhere that can reach a major London employment hub in under 11 minutes by public transport.
On rent, you're paying around £1,676 a month for a two-bedroom flat, and £1,970 for a three-bed. Those figures are well above the UK national average for equivalent properties, but they sit in the more affordable tier for a borough with rapid access to central London. If your benchmark is inner east or central London, this is noticeably cheaper. If your benchmark is outer commuter towns further from the city, you'll notice the premium that the short commute commands.
The area is ethnically diverse — around half of residents were born outside the UK, and the diversity index sits at 53.4. Degree-level qualifications are reasonably common at around 43% of residents, above the national average, which reflects the professional commuter profile. Just over a third of residents are private renters, while most who aren't renting own their home outright or with a mortgage.
Practically, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 876 metres away — about an 11-minute walk. Greenspace is genuinely accessible: nearly 60% of residents are within easy walking distance of a park, and the nearest green space is under 300 metres from the typical home. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on how the neighbourhood breaks down locally.
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Frequently asked
- Is Redbridge 026 a nice place to live?
- It's a settled, family-oriented outer London neighbourhood with fast rail access to central London. Owner-occupation is high, greenspace is genuinely accessible — the nearest park is under 300 metres for most residents — and the commute is short. The trade-off is that rents are high relative to local take-home pay, and Ofsted ratings for nearby schools are below the national average.
- What is the rent in Redbridge 026?
- A one-bedroom flat runs around £1,362 a month, a two-bed around £1,676, and a three-bed around £1,970. Rents rose about 3.7% over the past year. These are estimated figures scaled from borough-level data using local sale prices, so treat them as a guide rather than a precise market rate.
- Is Redbridge 026 safe?
- Crime runs at around 109 incidents per 1,000 residents annually, which is above the UK national rate of roughly 80. That said, London borough rates tend to be elevated compared to the national average across the board. The neighbourhood sits in the fourth IMD deprivation decile — moderately deprived — which partly drives the higher crime figure.
- What's the commute from Redbridge 026 to London?
- Public transport gets you to a major London employment hub in under 11 minutes. The nearest mainline rail station is about 876 metres away — roughly an 11-minute walk. Around 28% of residents commute by public transport, though nearly a third work from home full or part-time.
- Who lives in Redbridge 026?
- Mostly families. Nearly three in ten households are couples with children, and over a quarter of the population is under 18. Around half of residents were born outside the UK, reflecting the borough's high ethnic diversity. Most residents are owner-occupiers — about 53% — with the remainder split between private renting and a small social housing component.
- What schools are near Redbridge 026?
- There are 104 schools within 2km, but only around 37% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national share of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 1,173 metres away. Parents should check individual catchment boundaries and inspection reports rather than relying on the area average.
- How affordable is Redbridge 026 for renters?
- It's stretched. At the median resident salary of £37,190 a year, rent on a two-bedroom flat eats up roughly 77% of take-home pay — which is high. The area works best for dual-income households or those earning above the local median. The deposit timeline on a purchase sits at about 5.7 years.