In March 2025, The Sunday Times named Walthamstow the best place to live in London. Not one of the best, but “THE best.” That’s considered every postcode in London…so yeah, pretty good.

The Times labelled it diverse, vibrant and cool without “ever tipping into frosty” and said it “packs in more of what makes London good than almost anywhere else in the city”.

Anyone who's lived in E17 will confirm this. You’ve got the market, the wetlands, the Victorian architecture, not to mention the Victoria Line getting you into central in no time at all. The Sunday Times has made it official, and now everyone else is catching up.

For renters weighing up where to live in London, it’s worth paying attention to.

Things to note...

• Named London's best place to live by the Sunday Times in 2025, the second appearance on the list in three years.

• You can get to Oxford Circus in 20 minutes, King's Cross in just 14.

• Still cheaper to rent here than most inner London postcodes with a comparable commute.

• Europe's longest daily street market, a growing food and drink scene, and two very different green spaces within walking distance.

• New build-to-rent developments, like The Altham, have opened, bringing fully furnished, all-inclusive living to an area that's historically been short on modern stock.

Where is Walthamstow?

Walthamstow is in the northeast corner of the city, bordered by Leyton, Leytonstone, Chingford and Tottenham. It has the E17 postcode and technically sits in Zone 3, roughly seven and a half miles from central London…

On a map, that may look like a bit of a trek from Zone 1. In reality, it does not feel like it at all. Walthamstow Central and Blackhorse Road both sit near the top of the Victoria line, which means residents are usually getting on a train with actual seats left, rather than fighting for space somewhere in the middle of the line. Add in the London Overground and you've got one of the best-connected Zone 3 areas in London.

Why did the Sunday Times pick Walthamstow?

The judging criteria for the Sunday Times list takes into account more than just house prices and transport times. It looks at community, culture, green space, the state of the high street, and whether a place has a genuine identity rather than a generic one. Walthamstow ticked every box.

It's not a neighbourhood that's trying to be the next Shoreditch or the next Hackney. It's its own thing, and that's exactly the point. You've got Walthamstow Market, running since 1885 and now recognised as the longest daily street market in Europe. You've got the William Morris Gallery, home to the world's largest collection of his textiles and designs. You've got God's Own Junkyard's neon-lit warehouse of vintage signage, and the Blackhorse Beer Mile's cluster of independent breweries turning what used to be industrial units into one of East London's better Saturday afternoons.

Over the last decade, the area has added to all of this rather than replaced it. Walthamstow Wetlands transformed a working reservoir into one of the largest urban nature reserves in Europe. Lloyd Park had a full refurbishment. Blackhorse Road, once mostly warehouses, is now home to breweries, independent eateries and a wave of new housing. Nothing here has been knocked down to make way for something shinier. It's just been built on top of, which is a big part of why people who move to Walthamstow tend to stay.

Is Walthamstow good for renters and young professionals?

For anyone comparing neighbourhoods to live in London right now, particularly young professionals and people looking at build-to-rent options, Walthamstow makes a genuinely strong case. Here's what stands out…

Is Walthamstow safe?

Yes, Walthamstow is generally considered a safe part of northeast London. The local council has invested heavily in the area over the past decade, particularly around Blackhorse Road and Central, and it shows in better lit streets and more footfall after dark. Walthamstow Village and the streets around the Wetlands and Lloyd Park are especially popular with families for this reason.

Why was Walthamstow named the Sunday Times' best place to live in 2025?

The Sunday Times cited Walthamstow's diversity, its cultural offering and its strong sense of community and identity. Judges pointed to its independent shops, green spaces, handsome buildings and bustling social scene as reasons it stood out among London's postcodes.

Is Walthamstow good for commuting into central London?

Yes. Walthamstow is one of the best-connected Zone 3 postcodes in the city. Walthamstow Central runs the Victoria line and the London Overground, putting most of London within a single change, or none at all. Oxford Circus is around 20-minutes away, King's Cross just 14, and Liverpool Street 15, getting you in to the city in no time.

What's the best way to find build-to-rent options in Walthamstow?

Build-to-rent developments around Blackhorse Road have brought fully furnished, all-inclusive apartments to the area, complete with gym access, co-working spaces and communal lounges, with bills rolled into a single monthly payment. As we only opened our doors here at The Altham in April 2026, it’s one of the newest options, sitting directly opposite Blackhorse Road station on the Victoria Line.

How much does it cost to rent at The Altham?

Pricing at The Altham depends on apartment type and length of stay, and changes with availability, so it's best checked directly on bymorro.com for the most current rates. As a guide, Medium Studios start from £1,810 per month. That's all-inclusive: utility bills, high-speed WiFi, gym access and communal spaces are all bundled in, so there's no separate stack of direct debits to manage each month. Compared with renting privately in the area and paying for bills, furnishings and a gym membership separately, the total cost of living usually works out more predictable, if not cheaper overall.

What's included in the rent at The Altham?

Every apartment at The Altham comes fully furnished, so there's no need to buy or move furniture. Rent includes bills, WiFi, access to the on-site gym, co-working space and communal lounges, plus a dedicated on-site team for anything that comes up day to day. It's designed so the only thing to think about each month is one payment, not a list of separate bills and subscriptions.

Looking for a place to live in Walthamstow? The Altham sits directly opposite Blackhorse Road station, right on the Victoria line, with fully furnished studios and everything bundled into one monthly cost. Get in touch with our team today to book your tour.