IslingtonLondon

The car carries only 17% of commuters in Islington, fewer than in both London’s towns and England’s towns

The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 56% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.

For just over three in five commuters, work was under 5 km away, and on top of that 56% of workers worked mainly from home, above London’s towns (42%) and England’s towns (31%) alike. Unemployment benefit claims reached 5.6% of 16 to 64s in 2026. Work in town: 23% of resident commuters.

Islington’s schools outperform 83% of towns in England on results

At the town’s 39 primary schools, 69% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School’s results beat nearly every one of schools in England like it. Three of its 64 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. Some 20,480 pupils attend Islington’s 39 primaries and ten secondaries.

Islington keeps more of its old housing than London’s towns or England’s towns: 45% built before 1919

The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.

The top grade, Grade I, goes to 12 of them. Islington’s listed buildings include Clerk's Well and Chamber/Enclosure in Basement of Number 16, Grade I. Conservation areas cover 100% of the town’s land, above both London’s towns (24%) and England’s towns (7%). Also worth knowing: of the town’s 1,024 listed buildings on Historic England’s list, Grade I counts 12 and Grade II* 33.

Per resident, Islington sees more crime than 92% of UK towns

Town centres with shops, stations and nightlife record more crime per resident: police.uk counts crimes where they happen, not where victims live.

For its size, Islington records more crime per resident than 71% of the 207 UK towns and cities of 50,000 or more. The 12 months to August 2026 brought 30,709 recorded crimes inside the town’s built-up area, and 8,983 reports of anti-social behaviour. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 41 reports per 1,000, higher than both London’s towns (24.1) and England’s towns (7.8). 28% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.

Home ownership in Islington, 27%, runs below London’s towns and England’s towns

Social housing holds two in five households, above London’s towns (23%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. 31% of households are private tenants. Behind the median of £662,000: 5,749 standard sales inside Islington’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026.

Lifespans in Islington run shorter than in 74% of UK towns

At the census, 16% of people here had a disability, between London’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (17%). Of the 33 towns in London, Islington has the largest share in bad or very bad health: 5.5%. 36 GP practices serve the town; 77% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey.

Islington is a graduates’ town: 57% hold a degree, more than in both London’s towns and England’s towns

People 65 and over make up nearly a tenth of the town, below London’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Children are 14% of the town. Ages in Islington split evenly at 33.5: half are older, half younger. Aged 15 to 24: 13% of residents.