Discover the Best Areas to Live in East London – Your Guide to the Perfect Neighbourhood (2024)

Looking for the best areas to live in East London? You are spoilt for choice. East London has long been a focal point for London’s cultural and historical identity, offering a tapestry of neighbourhoods, each with its unique charm. In this guide, we’ll dive into the best places to stay in East London so you can get a real sense of what it’s like to live in each area and find your ideal home.

Hackney is a diverse and vibrant area of East London that has undergone extensive regeneration and significant improvements in recent years. Though it hasn’t been known as the best place to live in London in the past, Hackney has already got rid of an older reputation for a high crime rate and poverty and become one of the safest areas in London and a trendy neighbourhood with a thriving arts and culture scene. Hackney Wick, a former industrial area, has been transformed into a creative hub with plenty of galleries, studios, and artist spaces, adding to the neighbourhood’s appeal.

The diversity and multicultures have brought a massive influx of young people into Hackney. Its growing popularity brings higher prices, slightly more than the London average.

One of the best things about Hackney is the range of things to do, from browsing the vintage and independent shops on Stoke Newington Church Street to taking in a performance at the Hackney Empire Theatre. Add to that bars under railway arches, a hip nightlife scene, inventive restaurants, and trendy cafes. Many green spaces, such as Hackney Downs and London Fields, provide a welcome respite from the busy streets.

Transport options in Hackney are excellent. Several overground and underground stations provide easy access to other parts of London, and many bus routes and cycle paths make getting around the local area effortless.

Back on the Thames, Canary Wharf is an unmissable one of the East London areas. Canary Wharf is London’s commercial and financial centre, a great place to live for working professionals looking to immerse themselves in their industry. Moving to this area is ideal if you work nearby and you are looking to save time on your morning commute.

Nestled among the steel and glass are landmarks likeOne Canada Square Tower, Billingsgate Market, the Museum of London Docklands, and The Gun, one of London’s most historic riverside pubs. The district is home to many major companies, particularly those in the finance and banking sectors, as well as luxury hotels, high-end retail shops, and sleek apartments for renters. Those with enough budget considering moving here can choose stylish flats and luxury penthouses with stunning views overlooking the river Themes.

Getting around Canary Wharf is easy and convenient, with many public transport options, including the Jubilee line on the London Underground, the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) and several bus routes. There’s also a riverboat service that runs from Canary Wharf, which is a fun and unique way to see the sights of London on the weekend.

Surrounded by picturesque views across the river, you’ll be spoilt for choice when finding a chic restaurant or riverside bar. Head to the Scottish-themed Boisdale for a unique night of jazz, vintage whisky, or Giant Robot for its trendy rooftop boulevard of street-food traders. The area is always buzzing with activity, from business meetings to live music events. Plenty of community events take place throughout the year, offering residents a chance to meet new people and get involved in local activities.

Stratford is one of the best places for accommodation in East London if you want to balance city life with a relaxed atmosphere.

The neighbourhood underwent significant growth over the past decade and became a popular residential area, partly thanks to its role during the 2012 London Olympics. Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is a sporting complex that covers over 500 acres and features world-class sporting facilities, parklands, and waterways. The park is home to the London Stadium, which has become the home of West Ham United football club and a venue for concerts and other events.

However, there is more to Stratford than its 2012 Olympics legacy. Stratford is also home to one of the largest shopping centres in Europe – with over 250 shops, a cinema, and a casino.

The nearby University of East London campus also attracts an impressive population of local students, making it a great choice for those looking to study in the east of the capital. For those looking for student accommodation in London, Stratford’s average rental price is 7.5% below the London average.

Over the past few years, the area has seen numerous new developments for renters, with the Jubilee and Central Lines and Overground trains making it easy to reach all areas of London. Only 7 minutes on the tube, and you’ll find yourself at Kings Cross St. Pancras, directly in the heart of the capital.

While Shoreditch has been seen as one of the historic places in East London, it’s also seen a fair amount of change over the years – now known as the home of the indie and hipster scene. From Shoreditch High Street to Great Eastern Street, Redchurch Street to Rivington Street, this part of London is full of street art, creativity, and trendy things. It’s a popular area for young professionals and expats to live.

Shoreditch comes into its own once the sun goes down, providing a thriving nightlife with plenty of pubs, clubs, and music venues catering to diverse tastes. It’s also home to the famous Boxpark, a pop-up mall made entirely of shipping containers that house various independent shops and food stalls. The Book Club and Rich Mix are particularly popular and sure to become your regular haunts.

The vast range of housing is another reason why Shoreditch is one of the best neighbourhoods to live in London. There are everything from classic London townhomes to Victorian and Georgian-style terraces. And there are plenty of stylish apartments converted from warehouses and factories, thanks to the area’s bold social scene.

The area also has very convenient transport links, with Liverpool Street connecting the Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan Lines and the Overground transportation network.

More residential and relaxed than other places in East London, Walthamstow is a good choice for residents who want to escape the hustle and bustle of inner-city London.

One of the highlights of Walthamstow is its parks and green spaces, including Lloyd Park, which is home to the William Morris Gallery, the nature reserve Walthamstow Marshes, and the beautiful Epping Forest, so you’ll never be short of a quiet spot to read or wander.

Walthamstow is great for commuters, with Walthamstow Central only a 20-minute tube ride from Kings Cross St. Pancras. Its closeness to the M11 and M25 motorways also makes it convenient for those working in London and even abroad.

This area is home to great restaurants and numerous cosy pubs. Walthamstow has historic streets, a mix of heritage buildings, and contemporary shops and workshops. The bustling Walthamstow Market, one of the longest outdoor markets in Europe, originated in 1885 and is a must-visit for anyone looking for fresh produce, clothes, or household goods.

Three miles east of central London, you’ll find Bethnal Green. It was a farming hamlet before but has rapidly become one of the most popular places to go in East London.

Bethnal Green offers a great nightlife scene and its share of trendy East End cafes and bars. Bethnal Green Road has lots of places to eat and drink, and the railway arches on Paradise Row are full of hip restaurants. The area also has a thriving arts and culture scene, with several galleries and performance spaces like the Rich Mix Cultural Centre.

It has easy access to central London, with Liverpool Street station only a short walk away. Zone 2 Bethnal Green station is on the Central Line, making Holborn only a 15-minute journey away and the buzzing West End only 20 minutes. You can take the Central Line to Oxford Circus in 15 minutes.

Rentals in Bethnal Green are known to be more affordable than those in other East London places. This makes the neighbourhood a great place to settle for those looking for more affordable housing in East London. Great nightlife and easy access to the rest of the capital also make Bethnal Green an attractive place for the younger generation.

Whitechapel is one of the best places to stay in East London because of its blend of history and culture. The laidback atmosphere and surprisingly quiet residential streets of Whitechapel make it a great place to live for those who enjoy the far less rowdy nightlife of nearby East London areas.

Made universally famous by the crimes of Jack the Ripper, Whitechapel leads many curious tourists along the sinister routes of this age-old crime. However, today, Whitechapel has a thriving arts and culture scene, with several galleries, museums, and performance spaces, such as the Whitechapel Gallery and the Rich Mix Cultural Centre. Everything from the Royal London Hospital Museum to the Islamic Cultural Centre and East London Mosque, from contemporary cafes to famous no-frills curry houses, is here. The area is also home to many vibrant markets, including the historic Whitechapel Market and the Brick Lane Market.

Whitechapel is close to the City of London and Canary Wharf. It has good tube and train connections and slightly lower housing costs than other parts of London.

Stoke Newington is becoming one of the bestEast London areas for renters. This area is popular with young professionals, couples, and others who are drawn to its village-like atmosphere.

It’s more chilled and residential than the neighbouring Hackney, benefitting from two leafy parks, Clissold Park and Abney Park. Clissold Park is a green space that dates back to the days of William the Conqueror’s Domesday Book in the 11th century, while Abney Park is an early 18th-century cemetery that’s now a place to walk and take in the city’s natural beauty.

Church Street is at the heart of the area, where you’ll find numerous independent shops, cafés and restaurants to enjoy. Moreover, you can buy groceries at Stoke Newington farmers’ market, London’s only all-organic market.

It’s just a 15-minute Overground journey into Liverpool Street. There are also regular buses, so commuting’s generally a breeze.