Meanwood South & Sugarwell
Leeds 038 · 4 sub-areas · 6,685 residents
Leeds 038 is a neighbourhood within Leeds with around 6,700 residents and a notably different tenure profile from most of the city. A typical two-bedroom home lets for about £960 a month — below the UK national median for a 2-bed — and nearly half of all households here are in social housing, which shapes the area's character considerably.
Meanwood South & Sugarwell is a green, lower-density part of Leeds — parks within walking distance of most addresses, a slower weekday rhythm, and a population skewed toward longer-tenure households rather than transient renters. The demographic profile leans family-aged, with a clear share of households with school-age children.
Overview
What's it like to live in Meanwood South & Sugarwell?
Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; Crime sits around the national average — neither a notable concern nor a notable selling point; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,130 a month for a typical home; 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.
Meanwood South & Sugarwell in Leeds
Living in Meanwood South & Sugarwell
Leeds 038 stands apart from most of Leeds through one striking fact: nearly half of all households — around 48% — are in social rented accommodation. That's an unusually high concentration by any measure, and it means this neighbourhood has a more settled, long-term community feel than the student-heavy or young-professional pockets found elsewhere in the city. Deprivation is real here; the area sits in the bottom two deciles nationally on the Index of Multiple Deprivation, so the trade-offs around amenities and opportunity are worth weighing honestly.
On rent, Leeds 038 is genuinely affordable by Leeds standards. A two-bedroom home runs about £960 a month, and a one-bedroom is closer to £770 — noticeably below the UK national median for equivalent properties. That said, affordability is relative: with a median resident salary of around £31,700 a year, renters here are spending over half their take-home pay on housing, which is a significant stretch.
The population skews younger than much of outer Leeds. Around a quarter of residents are under 18, and a further 23% are in the 18–34 bracket, giving the area a family-heavy demographic mix. Single-person households account for just over a third of homes. The ethnic diversity index sits at 60, and around three in four residents were born in the UK — a moderately diverse community by Leeds standards.
Owner-occupation is low at around 36%, which is well below the national norm. Private renting accounts for only about 15% of tenures — so if you're coming in as a private renter, you're a minority here. It's worth checking availability carefully before committing. For sub-areas and specific streets within Leeds 038, see the streets and sub-areas below for more.
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Frequently asked
- Is Leeds 038 a nice place to live?
- It depends on your priorities. Rents are genuinely affordable — a two-bedroom runs about £960 a month — and the area has a settled, community feel driven by a large social housing population. The trade-offs are a crime rate above the national average and a notably low share of nearby schools rated Good or Outstanding, so families and those prioritising safety may want to look carefully before committing.
- What is the rent in Leeds 038?
- A one-bedroom home runs around £770 a month, a two-bedroom about £960, and a three-bedroom roughly £1,120. These figures are estimated by scaling Leeds-wide ONS data using local sale prices. Rents here are below the UK national median for comparable properties, making the area one of the more affordable parts of Leeds for private renters.
- Is Leeds 038 safe?
- Crime runs at around 127 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, which is noticeably above the UK national rate of roughly 80 per 1,000. The area sits in the bottom two deprivation deciles nationally, which tends to correlate with higher crime. It's worth visiting specific streets you're considering — conditions vary considerably within the neighbourhood.
- What's the commute from Leeds 038 to Leeds city centre?
- The nearest mainline rail station is around 2.4km away — about a 30-minute walk, or a short bus or cycle ride. Nearly 40% of residents commute by car, while around 14% use public transport. Almost 28% work from home. There's no tram or metro service in this part of Leeds.
- Who lives in Leeds 038?
- The neighbourhood is unusually dominated by social housing — nearly half of all households rent from a housing association or council, which is well above the Leeds norm. Around a quarter of residents are under 18, giving it a family-oriented feel. The area has a moderate level of ethnic diversity, with around three in four residents born in the UK.
- What schools are near Leeds 038?
- There are 74 schools within around 2km of typical residents, so choice isn't the issue. However, only about 25% of those schools within typical catchment distance are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national share of around 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is approximately 1.6km away. Families should check individual school catchment areas and recent inspection reports carefully.
- Is Leeds 038 affordable for renters?
- In absolute terms, yes — rents are below the UK median. In relative terms, it's tighter: residents here spend over 50% of their take-home pay on rent against a median local salary of around £31,700 a year. That's a significant squeeze, even if the headline rent figures look reasonable compared with other UK cities.