Heavitree West & Polsloe
Exeter 006 · 5 sub-areas · 8,923 residents
Exeter 006 sits within the city of Exeter, home to around 8,900 people and skewing noticeably young — more than a third of residents are aged 18 to 34. A typical two-bedroom flat runs about £1,125 a month, slightly below the national median for a two-bed and considerably more affordable than comparable university-adjacent neighbourhoods in southern England.
Heavitree West & Polsloe is a mid-density neighbourhood of Exeter in the South West 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.
Overview
What's it like to live in Heavitree West & Polsloe?
3 parks are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; 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 are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,312 a month for a typical home; 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.
Heavitree West & Polsloe in Exeter
Living in Heavitree West & Polsloe
This part of Exeter has the energy you'd expect when nearly four in ten residents are under 35 — a mix of students, young professionals, and recent graduates who've stayed on after finishing their degrees. It's not a quiet, settled suburb; it's an area with a steady churn of new arrivals and a demographic profile that skews younger than much of the South West.
Rent sits at a reasonable level for the region. A two-bed at around £1,125 a month is close to the UK median, which is notable given Exeter's position as one of the South West's most economically active cities. One-beds come in at roughly £910, making solo living genuinely feasible. You're not getting a bargain compared to the North, but you're paying considerably less than you would in Bristol or Bath for broadly similar access to a university city.
The tenure mix reflects the youthful population: around 37% of households rent privately, which is well above the national norm, while just over half own their home. Social housing accounts for about one in ten households. Degree holders make up nearly 41% of residents — a share that places this neighbourhood well above the UK average and reflects the pull of the University of Exeter nearby.
Practically, the neighbourhood is well connected. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 685 metres away — about an eight or nine minute walk — giving straightforward access to central Exeter and onward to London Paddington in around two and a quarter hours by rail. Nearly 88% of green space is within easy walking distance, with the nearest patch just 195 metres away on average. Broadband is fully gigabit-capable across the area, with no premises below the universal service obligation. For sub-areas and streets within Exeter 006, see the breakdown below.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Exeter 006 a nice place to live?
- It's a solid choice, particularly for younger renters and graduates. The crime rate is below the national average, green space is close by, broadband is fully gigabit, and the rail station is less than ten minutes' walk away. The schools picture is weaker than you'd hope, so families should look carefully before committing.
- What is the rent in Exeter 006?
- A one-bedroom flat runs roughly £910 a month and a two-bed around £1,125 — close to the UK median for a two-bed. Three-bedroom homes average about £1,353. Rents rose around 2.2% over the past year. Note that these are estimates scaled from city-level data using local sale prices.
- Is Exeter 006 safe?
- Relatively, yes. The area records around 64 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, noticeably below the UK national rate of roughly 80 per 1,000. It's not crime-free — no urban neighbourhood is — but it compares favourably with many English city neighbourhoods of similar character.
- What's the commute from Exeter 006 to Exeter city centre?
- The nearest mainline rail station is about an eight or nine minute walk (roughly 685 metres). From there, central Exeter is easily accessible. Notably, around 34% of residents here work from home, so many don't commute at all — one of the higher remote-working rates you'll find in an English city neighbourhood.
- Who lives in Exeter 006?
- Predominantly young adults — 38% of residents are aged 18 to 34, well above the regional average. A high proportion are degree-qualified (41%), many connected to the University of Exeter. About 37% rent privately, 30% live alone, and just over half own their home.
- What schools are near Exeter 006?
- There are 90 schools within 2 kilometres, but only around 12% are rated Good or Outstanding within typical catchment distance — significantly below the national share of around 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is approximately 6.4 km away. Families should check current Ofsted ratings directly before making decisions.
- How long does it take to get from Exeter 006 to London by train?
- The rail journey to London is around two hours and fifteen minutes from Exeter's mainline station, which is roughly an eight or nine minute walk from most addresses in this neighbourhood. There's no direct metro service — Exeter has no tram or underground network.