What's it like to live in Edmonton, Enfield, Waltham Abbey, Waltham cross?

[MessyMonstersMum]

Hi. We are planning to move from Tottenham with 2 young DCs and should have about £400,000 to spend. Ideally we are looking for a 3 bed house with garden. Only one of us drives, so we need good transport links and my partner will be working in London. We want to be near good schools and Id like to live somewhere with a bit of cultural diversity. Can anyone share their experiences of living in/movinng to these areas? Or suggest any others that might be worth considering? Thanks

I used to live in Enfield and visit friends in Edmonton, Enfield. Waltham x and abbey.

If I was going to rank the areas I would put them in this order from best to worst;

Enfield, some nice streets, diverse and with good connections into and out of london, decent little town centre
Waltham abbey, Less diverse but pretty and clean and quiet, you need a car
Waltham x, pretty dire
Edmonton, very dire

I would rank schools in the same order.

Thanks for replying. Thats pretty much what I was thinking might be the case. I just dont know whether to compromise on area in order to get more space. This area has changed alot since we moved here, so was thinking that might happen with Edmonton too.
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We really like Enfirld though, so will look there

Lived in Enfield, EN2 for 4 years; very pleasant, leafy and somewhat affluent area. However, the nicest parts of Enfield N21, followed by N14 and EN2 are very pricey. We moved to Goffs Oak, EN7, best decision ever. It's a shame Waltham Cross gets such negativity. So close to London, but in the countryside and Goffs Oak is a village, with many outstanding primaries and the secondary is very highly rated and heavily oversubscribed. Bonus is being a few mins drive from Cuffley, in Potters bar; one of the most expensive areas in Hertfordshire.

I grew up in Edmonton and think its become very rough. Saying that I still like a nose around the Green. Parents moved out to Walthamcross and are actually very happy. Its close to Enfield if needed, close to the countryside, is diverse and friendly and has a train line into Liverpool Street.

Thanks for your replies.

camcam I have been thinking of further out, and have looked briefly at Cheshunt, but had never even heard of Goffs Oak, will take a look.

Goffs Oak is lovely, though not especially diverse.

I would probably rank the areas listed in the same order as coughing. Waltham Abbey is quite nice really, plenty to do with kids and the primary schools are good but the secondary has been consistently crap for years. Transport links - it depends where it town you live but you probably need a car (waltham cross is the nearest train station, loughton tube station is a very short drive round the back roads.)

I assume you mean around Enfield Town when you say Enfield? It's pretty expensive round there and you need to be careful about the street you choose. IMO the town centre is becoming more run down and grotty lately - lots of shops being replaced with nail bars and fast food places and not much else. Truthfully I see it going the same way as Edmonton in the next 15 - 20 years. I wouldn't live in edmonton if you paid me, it's filthy, terrible traffic, rude people, lots of burglaries and a real gang problem.

Hmm. Transport links are important as I don't drive. I'm learning at the moment, but already failed my test!
I know Edmontons reputation is bad, but I just keep wondering if it can be that much worse than where we are now. We are only 10 mins up the road. The schools situation does put me off though. Diversity is quite important too.

This article from the local paper us fairly accurate

m.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/13321126.Gang_becomes__king_of_the_streets__say_fearful_residents/

Crikey

Enfield Town is fantastic. It has

Sorry, fat fingers there. Enfield Town IS fantastic! It has a lovely little market (one of the oldest in the country) in the town centre itself, and excellent amenities too. Transport links are great: lots of buses and two train options - Enfield Chase is on the FCC Moorgate line, and Enfield Town itself is on London Overground now (a positive). Whilst the high street itself needs some measure of improvement, it has two shopping centres with a wide variety of branded shops. We are a young family and moved from Muswell Hill, and have been especially enamoured by the green spaces around Gentleman's Row and Enfield Town Park too. Plus, the 'mini holland' Cycle Enfield project will provide transformative change. It really is a little gem.