Sutton, in south-west London, has been named England’s friendliest neighbourhood, according to a new ranking by estate agents John D Wood & Co. The borough topped a list of areas across the country assessed on factors including access to green spaces, rates of anti-social behaviour and the prevalence of community events.
How the rankings were decided
John D Wood & Co., an estate agency established in London in 1872 and now part of the Connells Group, compiled the rankings using several data sources. Anti-social behaviour rates were measured per 1,000 residents, home ownership levels were taken from official records, and the number of social amenities such as restaurants, pubs and community spaces was calculated per 10,000 residents. The agency also considered the number of public parks, gardens and playing fields within a 1,000-metre radius, the number of council awards for community initiatives received by each area, and recent trends in Google searches for local events. Average house price data came from HM Land Registry’s UK House Price Index.
Sutton scored highly across these metrics. The borough recorded 15.6 reports of anti-social behaviour per 1,000 residents, a moderate level that contributed strongly to its friendly rating. Around 65% of properties in Sutton are owned outright or with a mortgage, and the average house price stands at £457,497, according to the latest Land Registry figures. Residents have access to 10.36 social amenities per 10,000 residents and numerous public gardens. The borough has also received seven council awards for community initiatives, reflecting active local engagement. Official data shows Sutton is an outer London borough with a population of 211,123 and has become more ethnically diverse: 57% of residents identify as white British, compared with a London average of 37%, while 43% identify as Asian, Black or other white backgrounds. The area ranks 132nd out of 153 local authorities on the government’s Index of Multiple Deprivation (where 1 is least deprived), indicating relative affluence, though seven wards fall within the 20% most deprived nationally. Sutton has 50% green space, above the London average of 45%, and 27% of its schools are rated Outstanding by Ofsted, slightly below the London average of 29%. Recorded crime levels are among the lowest in the capital.
Second place went to Chester, in Cheshire. The historic city recorded just 7.7 reports of anti-social behaviour per 1,000 residents, the best safety score in the top three. Home ownership is high, with 69.4% of properties owned outright or with a mortgage, and the average house price in Cheshire West and Chester is £267,668, according to Land Registry data. Chester offers an abundance of cafes, pubs and community spaces, and residents have an average of 4.84 public parks, gardens or playing fields within a 1,000-metre radius. More recent Land Registry figures show the average house price in the area rose to £268,000 by February 2026, a 3.7% increase year-on-year.
Liverpool, in Merseyside, came third. The city recorded 13.5 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents. John D Wood & Co. noted that Google searches for community events among Liverpool residents had increased by 33% in the past year, suggesting a growing appetite for local activities. The average property price in Liverpool is £177,378, well below the UK average, with recent Land Registry data indicating a rise to £177,000 by February 2026, a 3.6% annual increase. Liverpool has a younger population than the England average, with 42.3% under 30, and the largest ethnic group is white British at 77.30%. The city boasts numerous green spaces, including Sefton Park, Croxteth Hall Park, Stanley Park and Chavasse Park. Overall crime in Liverpool stands at 119.9 crimes per 1,000 people, according to official statistics, with violent crime the most frequent offence and anti-social behaviour making up around 10% of all crimes reported in the postcode area.
Other London boroughs in the top ten
Several other London boroughs featured prominently in the national rankings. Bromley, in south-east London, ranked fifth overall. Homeownership stands at 69.04%, and the average house price is £515,200. The borough, once home to David Bowie, offers extensive green spaces and busy high streets. Kensington and Chelsea placed sixth, with 11.42 cafes, pubs and community spaces per 10,000 residents and an average house price of £1,255,499. Hammersmith and Fulham came seventh, with a blend of high streets and green spaces and an average house price of £727,665.
Within London alone, Sutton was also named the friendliest neighbourhood, followed by Bromley in second place. Merton – home to Wimbledon and other south-west London areas – came third in the capital, offering plentiful parks, gardens and playing fields, decent homeownership rates and moderate anti-social behaviour, with an average house price of £604,042, according to Land Registry data. Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham also scored highly in the London-specific rankings.
The remaining places in the national top ten were Durham (fourth), with an average house price of £137,073 in County Durham; Canterbury (eighth), Oxford (ninth), with an average price of £473,971; and Brighton and Hove (tenth), where the average home costs £402,949.
