Droves of people move to or within the UK’s capital each year, whether it be for work, to study, or to be closer to family and friends.
With Greater London having an area of over 600 square miles and a population of around 9 million, there is a wide range of locations to choose from.
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But the borough is not cheap – it commands rent and house prices above the London average of £543,497, according to Halifax.
Most popular London boroughs in 2025
South London is by far the most in-demand area of the capital to move to, with CompareMyMove’s data showing seven of the ten most popular boroughs lie in the south.
Wandsworth
The most popular London borough to move to so far in 2025 was Wandsworth, with 4.76% of people moving to or within the capital going to this borough.
The borough is known for its leafy residential streets and large green spaces, and has been named the London Borough of Culture for 2025. It stretches from Battersea to Tooting and is home to around 329,677 people.
It is also home to Battersea Power Station, a decommissioned power station which was reopened as a shopping centre in 2022 and has become a major tourist attraction.
The average price of a house in Wandsworth is £691,000, far above the London average, while renters will pay an average of £2,526 a month to live there, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
There is a silver lining though – residents of Wandsworth have the cheapest council tax rates in London, paying between £660 and £1,980 a year.
Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets is the second-most popular London borough to move to in 2025. According to data from CompareMyMove, 4.55% of their London moves went to the area.
The borough is home to around 325,000 people and stretches from Tower Bridge to Canary Wharf and borders Hackney to its north.
Tower Hamlets encompasses much of the traditional East End of London but also includes areas like Canary Wharf, a major financial centre.
The average price of a home in this borough is £491,000, significantly below the London average, while a month of rent will cost £2,370 on average, according to the ONS.
Brent
The third-most in demand borough of London to move to is Brent, where 4.55% of CompareMyMove’s users who moved to or within London chose as their home.
The borough is technically part of West London according to the London Plan, but includes within it areas generally considered to be part of north-west London, including Wembley and Willesden.
The most famous landmark in Brent is Wembley Stadium, the home of English football, but others include Neasden Temple, a Hindu temple that was once the largest outside of India.
The average house in Brent costs £536,000, just below the London average, while a month of rent costs around £1,948, according to ONS figures.
Southwark
The borough of Southwark is popular among CompareMyMove’s users, with 4.06% of those moving to or within London going there so far in 2025.
Southwark is made up of a large chunk of the south bank of central London, including the Tate Modern art gallery, London Bridge, and Borough, but also stretches as far south as Crystal Palace.
The average house in the borough costs £582,000, more than the London average, and a month of rent typically costs £2,347, according to the ONS.
Croydon
Rounding off the top five most in-demand London boroughs is Croydon, where 3.83% of CompareMyMove’s customers who moved to or within London chose as their new home.
Croydon is an outer borough of south London, and borders Surrey, but its north-most part borders Streatham common.
The borough is home to Selhurst Park, the home stadium of Crystal Palace Football Club, the Croydon Clocktower museum, and the BRIT school, a creative arts school that has produced a deluge of British performing artists, including Adele, Amy Winehouse, Tom Holland, and many more.
The average house in Croydon costs £400,000, well below the city’s average, and one month of rent costs an average of £1,534, according to the ONS.
London’s most in-demand boroughs: the full list
Rank | London Borough | Greater London Area | Percentage of Movers | Average Monthly Rent | Average House Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wandsworth | South | 4.76% | £2,526 | £691,000 |
2 | Tower Hamlets | East | 4.55% | £2,370 | £491,000 |
3 | Brent | West | 4.17% | £1,948 | £536,000 |
4 | Southwark | South | 4.06% | £2,347 | £582,000 |
5 | Croydon | South | 3.83% | £1,534 | £400,000 |
6 | Lambeth | South | 3.68% | £2,435 | £555,000 |
7 | Lewisham | South | 3.44% | £1,793 | £490,000 |
8 | Barnet | North | 3.36% | £1,886 | £598,000 |
9 | Greenwich | South | 3.34% | £1,880 | £462,000 |
10 | Bromley | South | 3.24% | £1,640 | £539,000 |
11 | Haringey | North | 3.20% | £2,189 | £622,000 |
12 | Ealing | West | 2.99% | £2,047 | £580,000 |
13 | Newham | East | 2.95% | £1,874 | £420,000 |
14 | Waltham Forest | East | 2.92% | £1,738 | £513,000 |
15 | City of Westminster | Central | 2.51% | £3,215 | £977,000 |
16 | Hammersmith and Fulham | West | 2.46% | £2,735 | £782,000 |
17 | Islington | Central | 2.44% | £2,701 | £684,000 |
18 | Richmond upon Thames | West | 2.39% | £2,235 | £801,000 |
19 | Kingston upon Thames | South | 2.26% | £1,833 | £589,000 |
20 | Hounslow | West | 2.25% | £1,891 | £536,000 |
21 | Merton | South | 2.22% | £2,061 | £633,000 |
22 | Bexley | East | 2.13% | £1,512 | £414,000 |
23 | Hillingdon | West | 2.10% | £1,531 | £479,000 |
24 | Harrow | West | 2.05% | £1,727 | £549,000 |
25 | Enfield | North | 2.00% | £1,738 | £474,000 |
26 | Camden | Central | 1.98% | £2,793 | £920,000 |
27 | Sutton | South | 1.87% | £1,524 | £446,000 |
28 | Hackney | East | 1.61% | £2,566 | £614,000 |
29 | Havering | East | 1.57% | £1,542 | £440,000 |
30 | Kensington and Chelsea | Central | 1.47% | £3,614 | £1,362,000 |
31 | Redbridge | East | 1.46% | £1,693 | £490,000 |
32 | Barking and Dagenham | East | 0.85% | £1,655 | £361,000 |
Source: CompareMyMove, September 2025, ONS
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