Islington vs Dulwich

[onthem0ve]

Keen to hear thoughts on which area you'd choose. We are struggling to decide on an area we'd like to move to next. We are flexible on budget up to 900K for a 2+bed flat/house. Main criteria we're looking for is village feel, safety and greenery.

DH really likes Islington but I am leaning more towards North Dulwich, and now starting to consider Clapham/Wandsworth. Any recommendations on what you'd choose and why?

Depends on your life stage. Have you got children?

Islington!

They're quite different areas. Islington (the area near upper street not the borough) has lots of bars, nearby tube stations, feels very central and buzzy. North Dulwich (is really Herne Hill) is leafy, quiet and has few decent bars or restaurants (though has easy access to nightlife in Brixton and Peckham). You can just get a three bed house with garden in Herne Hill for that budget you won't in Islington.

Duke inch is infinitely more green and village feel than Islington, plus you'd likely get more for your money. Unless you need to be in Central London regularly for any particular reason, I'd choose to move out to Dulwich.

Duke inch = Dulwich

Definitely Dulwich. I miss it!

How old are you? Do you want children? Where do you work? Islington is great for commuting - you can walk/cycle into the city, Clerkenwell etc, and great bars and restaurants. Schools aren't amazing and it's not that green. Most people I know who had kids there moved mid primary.

Dulwich has a more family vibe.

Islington is not really 'villagey', nor very green, regarding safety - relatively so. It's pretty central and quite buzzy (and very busy on w/ends on the High St).
Dulwich is more suburban - it's not really a suburb as such anymore but has that relaxed genteel feel still. Nice instead of buzzy. Much much greener than Islingtom and villagey. More of a hike to C.London.

High St = Upper St.

Oh and of course Islington is much more of a status symbol place with all the politicians etc.

It would be Dulwich and the surrounding area for me.

Anywhere in Islington in particular you were thinking? North to south it's quite a big borough and areas are quite difference.

We live in Stroud green in North islington and it has a lovely village feel. We have primary age children and there is a really strong community feeling. Lots of easily accessed green space and really well connected. I can't deny there are crime issues with Finsbury park but I don't feel unsafe at all and I don't think its particularly different to lots of London. We love it here and 900k would get you a 2-3 bed flat (or house if you were willing to do some work).

If the priority is greenery, Dulwich no contest. Islington is great for bars etc but one of the least green places I’ve lived unless you own a private garden square! There’s really only Highbury fields so if you want a good walk and a picnic you’ve got to head quite a way out to Hampstead or Hackney etc. Dulwich on the other hand has better parks and also loads of smaller areas of greenery all around.

Islington is a big old area - you could go Stoke Newington / Finsbury park way and you have loads of fab parks, a great independent high street - although I would not say it has a village feel - it is definitely urban.
You could go Farringdon / Clerkenwell, they have definite characters and communities - but again it is urban rather than villagey and not very green at all.

If you want North and villages feel I would look at either Wansted or Walthawstow - the village end (although again I would say Walthamstow has an urban feel in most places).

Dulwich / East Dulwich / Herne Hill - definitely more suburban, and if you squint could be described as having a villagey vibe.