st margerets or muswell hill?

[mumwhoruns]

Hello
We're trying to decide out of these two areas. We want to stay for the foreseeable future-through secondary school.
We like both as they are near green space, villagey, safe, leafy, good schools. Muswell hill seems a bit cheaper and the commute would be better plus easier to get to pils. And more "London". However st Margaret's nearer some friends and seems to have lots for children to do, and a bit easier to drive around/out into countryside, maybe a bit safer/duller!. Plus lots of nice places to explore in sw London too. So swings and roundabouts!
We did think about east dulwich but se London still feels v urban to me and not so many green spaces. Shame as do like it there too.
Any recommendations?! TIA

I know Muswell Hill and it's buzzy and great. A few green bits but probably not as much as St Margarets which I know is lovely. Definitely great secondary schools in MH - Alexandra Park Sch and Fortismere are both Outstanding.

Thanks - yes both great that's the problem. Unsure what the priority should be:
Better commute
Slightly nearer pils
Bit closer to central London
Or
Bit greener
Nearer some friends

One other factor to consider: St Margaret's is lovely but parts suffer from bad plane noise. Really bad.

Yeh that might drive me mad