Borough of Waltham Forest

If you’re considering purchasing a home in The London Borough of Waltham Forest, you’ll want to read this guide first! We’ll cover everything from the area’s demographics to the top schools in the borough. Waltham Forest is located in northeast London and is one of the largest boroughs in the city. It is comprised of several distinct areas, each with its own unique charms. The population of the borough is diverse and vibrant, making it a great place to live.

4.52
Average Location Score

Excellent

61%

Very Good

31%

Average

7%

Disappointing

1%

Very Poor

0%

Best places to live in Borough of Waltham Forest

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

Where is Waltham Forest?

The London Borough of Waltham Forest is located in northeast London. It is bordered by the boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Redbridge, and Barking and Dagenham.

Areas in Waltham Forest

The borough is comprised of several distinct areas, each with its own unique charms:

Chingford – Chingford is a historic town located in the northeast of the borough. It’s well known for its open spaces and lovely greenbelt areas.

Leyton – Leyton is a vibrant and multicultural area located east of central London. It’s home to a variety of interesting shops, restaurants, and cultural venues.

Walthamstow – Walthamstow is one of the most popular areas in the borough. It’s home to a large shopping centre, numerous pubs and clubs, and a variety of cultural attractions. Walthamstow is a large and diverse area located in the northwest of the borough. It’s home to many interesting attractions, including an arts centre, nature reserves, and a popular nightlife district.

Woodford and South Woodford – These areas are located in the south of the borough. They’re home to a large number of commuters who travel into central London for work each day. The areas are also popular with families, thanks to the number of good schools in the area.

Universities in Waltham Forest

There are several universities located in Waltham Forest:

University of East London – The University of East London is a public university located in Stratford. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs.

London Metropolitan University – London Metropolitan University is a public university located near the City of London. It offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as teacher training courses.

Top Schools in Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest is home to some excellent schools, both state-funded and private:

West Hatch School – West Hatch School is a mixed, non-denominational secondary school located in Chingford. It has over 1500 students and is the most popular high school in Waltham Forest.

Saint Mary’s Catholic High School – Saint Mary’s Catholic High School is an all-girls secondary school located near Woodford Green. It serves more than 900 girls and has a good reputation locally.

Forest School – Forest School is an independent, co-educational secondary school located in Walthamstow. It’s one of the most expensive schools in the area, but also one of the best performing.

The William Morris Academy – The William Morris Academy is a mixed secondary school located in Walthamstow. It’s an average performing school, but has a good reputation locally and is popular among young families in the area.

Waltham Forest College – The Waltham Forest College is a further education college located in Walthamstow. It offers courses for 16- to 19-year-olds and adult students and has a good reputation locally.

Population of Waltham Forest

The most recent census for Waltham Forest was carried out in 2011 and showed that the borough had a population of 268,000. This is an increase from the 2001 census, which showed that it had a population of 247,500. The majority of people living in Waltham Forest are between 25 and 54 years old (46%).

Reviews in Borough of Waltham Forest

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A genuinely lovely place to be

Review Date Apr 2024

This is a great area for young, single professionals as there’s plenty to do with a good amount of bars, restaurants etc.

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Blackhorse is a great place to live. Kornelia and the team provide amazing, friendly service at all times. It is a genuinely lovely place to be – it’s clean and safe + all neighbours are super friendly. A great place to live alone for the first time!

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish I’d known that the parking was very limited, other than that it’s brilliant

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

I haven’t raised any issues for the management to respond to

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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Lovely non practical design

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Apr 2024

There’s not many bars or restaurants yet but I think the area is still growing and improving so it does get better over time! Were not able to get residents parking for our road which is difficult, especially for those who have kids or trade jobs in the flats. We’ve had loads of issues with security, people breaking in and stealing bikes and parcels, and people using our bin shed to shoot up. Particularly in winter. Also lots of rats

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The design is beautiful but wasn’t practical. In the first six months people broke in through the gates because the gaps between the poles was too big and stole bikes from our enclosed bike shed. We had to keep installing new security measures, more advanced cctv and more secure locks in order to make our belongings safe because people were targeting us for parcels and bikes and using our communal areas to do drugs and hang out in the winter. All of this cost us a lot of money and meant immediate steep increases in our service charge. The drsign also caused a lot of issues with magnetic locks not working, plumbing lines not being done correctly and fire alarms for the building going so frequently the fire brigade began to fine us

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I would advise anyone buying to rigorously challenge the security of their new build especially in areas that do have high crime rates

What is the best feature of your home:

Big windows let in a lot of light and make the space feel bigger and more open. The walk in aspect to the shower is also a clever use of space and makes it seem bigger than it really is

2
Facilities
5
Design
4
Location
3
Value
3
Management
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Great staff and building amenities.

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Train station and transportation links are fantastic. Can get to work within a 30mins radius.
Lots of lovely family owned businesses nearby.

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Considering was built in 2021, the maintenance of the building is fantastic. Nice and modern features which is aesthetically pleasing, especially the co working areas. The rooms are surprisingly more sound proof than I thought. Only downfall is no comfort cooling but balcony does offer good ventilation. The views are also nice and peaceful.
The staff have been a bonus for us as they are always willing to not only have a chat, but down for a good laugh too particularly Kiew and Marigona who is always joyous and gives me a buzz of delight after a long day.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

That there is a student accommodation nearby as sometimes you could bump into a lot of them hanging around outside the station.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Very quick and efficient. The maintenance team Niki and Kenneth are speedy and superb.

4
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
User submitted image of  Equipment Works, E17
User submitted image of  Equipment Works, E17
User submitted image of  Equipment Works, E17
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Good but not great

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Location is great with easy access to the marsh land surrounding the area.
Main street is still very underdeveloped and hoping more individual shops will come to the area.
We have Lea Bridge station across the road but Greater Anglia are very unpredictable and if there is no trains there is no way to travel from the area to for example Stratford.

Please review your development:

The development is beautifully designed and my flat is spacious and light.
Internal fitting are basic but okay all thought door handles are breaking often.
Ceiling light fittings are with a strange 3 pin fitting. Very difficult to get energy saving bulbs for.
There are business spaces on the ground floor but unfortunately the larger spaces is still empty after 5 years.
We have bicycle lift from the basement that has never worked and never been repaired.
Building/property management has been hit and miss. Communication not good. and not clear who is dealing with what issues.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

It was not clear about the redevelopment in the immediate surroundings.
Hopefully we are able to save the marshes and not over crowd the area with high rise buildings.

What is the best feature of your home:

The view is spectacular.
Sound isolation is great.

3
Facilities
5
Design
3
Location
3
Value
2
Management
User submitted image of  Motion, E10
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