Town Pop. 237,167

Living in Tower Hamlets: Liveability Score 68/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Tower Hamlets scores 68/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 96/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. Safety falls furthest short: 10/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

Among the 3 scored places sharing the E1 postcode district, Tower Hamlets ranks 2nd. That sits 18 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Also scoring 80 or better: schools (99), transport (97) and lifestyle (95). For the surrounding area, see E1 postcode district.

68
OUT OF 100
Good
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Tower Hamlets scores 68 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Tower Hamlets.
Or compare:
E1 0AA E1 1AA E1 2AA E1 3AA E1 4AA E1 5AA E1 6AA E1 7AA E1 E14 E15 E1W

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
10
232.8 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 11,826 crimes
↑ 50% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 9,730 crimes
↑ 170% above national average
Other theft 6,361 crimes
↑ 332% above national average
Theft from the person 5,084 crimes
↑ 1089% above national average
Shoplifting 4,877 crimes
↑ 164% above national average
other 17,337 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Shopping Area 1,736 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 1,312 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 1,046 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment
63
Air Quality NO₂ 23.4 · PM2.5 9.8 · PM10 16.3 µg/m³
50
Green Space 96
Parks Ample 489
Sports Pitches Ample 241
Allotments Ample 18
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Ample 49
Bowling Greens Adequate 3
Playgrounds Ample 227

Services

Schools
99
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 174 in area · 177 within 4km
46Outstanding107Good2Requires Improvement19Ungraded
  • Alice Model Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2021
    Outstanding
  • Beatrice Tate SchoolSpecial · inspected 2021
    Outstanding
  • Beormund Primary SchoolSpecial · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Bigland Green Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Bygrove Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Canary Wharf College, GlenworthPrimary · inspected 2025
    Outstanding
  • Childrens House Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Christopher Hatton Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Outstanding
  • City of London Primary Academy, IslingtonPrimary · inspected 2025
    Outstanding
  • Comet Nursery School and Children's CentreNursery · inspected 2024
    Outstanding

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
96
A&E departmentsRoyal London Hospitalin area
Moorfields Eye Hospital (City Road campus)0 mi
Homerton University Hospital0.9 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust0.4 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks65.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs67%
31 GP surgeries in area 60 within 4km best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity2,328 patients per GP
52dentists49pharmacies

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband
49
Full fibre (FTTP)80.7%
available across Tower Hamlets
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
81.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
82.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
95.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 4,851 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
34
Employment rate61.6%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed61.6%Unemployed5.8%Retired6.7%Student9%Other inactive16.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial54.2%Skilled & technical25.2%Routine & elementary20.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications16.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)6.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)8.3%Level 3 (A levels)12.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)51.1%Apprenticeship2.1%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership23.5%
Among the most-deprived 31% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
74
Council tax Tower Hamlets · 2026-27
A £1,225
B £1,430
C £1,634
D £1,838
E £2,246
F £2,655
G £3,063
H £3,676
Energy London region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Thames Water
Average bill regional £489/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
97
Limehouse 0.3 mi
Limehouse 0.3 mi
Stepney Green 0.6 mi
J4 M11 6.6 mi
J1 M1 9.1 mi
J1 M1 9.2 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
95
Pubs & Bars Ample 214
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 809
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 326
Retail Shopping Ample 1326
Takeaways Ample 411
Fitness Ample 113

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House Prices

Current median sale prices · last 12 months · England & Wales only

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £467,750 1,024
Terraced £838,500 104
Flat / Maisonette £440,000 913
5-year monthly trend
All Terraced Flat
£434k £586k £743k £895k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (OGL v3.0)

Nearby places

City and County of the City of London 67 2.4 mi away ⇄
Hackney 72 2.8 mi away ⇄
Newham 72 3.2 mi away ⇄
Southwark 72 3.3 mi away ⇄
Islington 71 3.9 mi away ⇄
Lewisham 71 4.7 mi away ⇄
Greenwich 71 4.9 mi away ⇄
City of Westminster 70 5.4 mi away ⇄
Waltham Forest 71 5.4 mi away ⇄
Camden 70 5.4 mi away ⇄
Lambeth 71 5.6 mi away ⇄
Haringey 70 5.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Tower Hamlets a nice place to live?

Yes, Tower Hamlets is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Tower Hamlets is 68/100, placing it among one of the better-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Tower Hamlets?

Crime levels in Tower Hamlets are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 10/100. There were 55,215 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Tower Hamlets?

Among the top-rated schools in Tower Hamlets are Alice Model Nursery School, Beatrice Tate School and Beormund Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 174 rated schools in Tower Hamlets in total.

What are house prices like in Tower Hamlets?

The current median house price in Tower Hamlets is £467,750, around 64% above the England and Wales average. By property type: terraced £838,500, flat £440,000. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 16%. There were 1,024 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Tower Hamlets in context

See where Tower Hamlets ranks among the best places to live in Greater London

Postcode districts in Tower Hamlets

E1 66 ⇄
E14 71 ⇄
E15 71 ⇄
E1W 70 ⇄
E2 68 ⇄
E20 68 ⇄
E22 70 ⇄
E3 72 ⇄
E8 70 ⇄
E9 70 ⇄
E98 77 ⇄
EC1A 67 ⇄
EC1M 70 ⇄
EC1V 70 ⇄
EC1Y 69 ⇄
EC2A 67 ⇄
EC2M 66 ⇄
EC2Y 68 ⇄
EC3N 66 ⇄
EC3R 66 ⇄
N1 71 ⇄

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