Barking and Dagenham Area Guide [Updated with 2024 Data]

What’s it like to live in Barking & Dagenham?

Living in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham can be relatively affordable, with the cost of living being lower than some other areas of London. The area has a diverse community and boasts a number of new amenities and improved safety, thanks to recent investments in the area.

This guide provides an overview of important statistics about the borough and how it compares to other boroughs in London.

How much does it cost to buy a house in Barking & Dagenham?

Properties in Barking & Dagenham on average cost £328,226.00, ranking the borough as the 1 most affordable borough in London, according to data from HM Land Registry.

Compared to other areas in London, buying a property in the borough of Barking & Dagenham can be relatively affordable as the average property prices are significantly lower than the London average.

How much does it cost to rent in Barking & Dagenham?

Barking & Dagenham is one of the most affordable areas to rent in London. According to data from the ONS:

• A studio costs on average £809 per month to rent which ranks 1 as the most affordable borough in London
• A one bedroom property costs on average £1,124 per month to rent which ranks 6 as the most affordable borough in London
• A two bedroom property costs on average £1,361 per month to rent which ranks 4 as the most affordable borough in London
• A three bedroom property costs on average £1,573 per month to rent which ranks 3 as the most affordable borough in London
• A three bedroom property costs on average £1,931 per month to rent which ranks 2 as the most affordable borough in London

How many people live in Barking & Dagenham?

Barking & Dagenham is one of the less populated boroughs in London according to the latest data from the Ministry of Housing, as measured by number of dwellings. It has 78000 in total, ranking the borough 31 of London boroughs by number of dwellings.

According to data from the ONS:

• 19.2% of households are owned outright
• 22.6% of households are being bought with a mortgage
• 39.4% of households are rented from the local authority of housing association
• 39.4% of households are privately rented

Is Barking & Dagenham a good place to live?

Although determining whether an area is a good place to live is subjective, we can use data on personal wellbeing collected by the ONS through the Annual Population Survey as an indicator to compare boroughs:

• Barking & Dagenham ranks 22 of 32 boroughs in terms of life satisfaction (i.e. ‘how satisfied are you with your life?’)
• Barking & Dagenham ranks 7 of 32 boroughs in terms of ‘worthwhile’ (i.e. ‘to what extent do you feel things you do in your life are worthwhile?’)
• Barking & Dagenham ranks 6 of 32 boroughs in terms of happiness (i.e. ‘how happy did you feel yesterday?’)
• Barking & Dagenham ranks 6 of 32 boroughs in terms of anxiousness (i.e. ‘how anxious did you feel yesterday?’)

What schools are there in Barking & Dagenham and are they good?

In total Barking & Dagenham has 65 schools, which are broken down into:

• 44 state primary schools
• 13 state secondary schools
• 5 independent schools

Barking and Dagenham has a wide range of primary, secondary, and special schools serving the educational needs of its local community, including faith schools, academies, and free schools. Some notable examples include William Bellamy Primary School, Manor Junior School, Robert Clack School, Eastbury Community School and Dagenham Park Church of England School.

For a breakdown of all schools in the area and their latest ratings, search Ofsted’s reports.

Is Barking & Dagenham polluted?

According to data from the GLA and TFL Air Quality:

• Barking & Dagenham ranks 8 of 32 boroughs in terms of lowest NO2 concentration
• Barking & Dagenham ranks 9 of 32 boroughs in terms of lowest PM2 concentration
• Barking & Dagenham ranks 11 of 32 boroughs in terms of lowest PM10 concentration

What is the employment rate in Barking & Dagenham?

The employment rate in Barking & Dagenham is 71.9% which ranks 24 of 32 boroughs in terms of highest employment rate.

The employment rate in Barking and Dagenham is important to know for those considering moving to the area, as it can provide an indication of the job market and economic opportunities available in the borough.

Is Barking & Dagenham a wealthy area?

The average income in Barking & Dagenham is £31,800 according to data from HMRC. Of London’s boroughs, this ranks 32 of London’s boroughs (ranked by highest average income).

Barking & Dagenham is historically a deprived area and scores below average on many key poverty and inequality indicators, according to Trust for London.

Is Barking & Dagenham a religious area?

Like the rest of London, Barking & Dagenham is a diverse area with a mix of cultures and religions. According to the ONS:

• 53.9% of the resident population identifies as Christian
• 25.3% of the resident population identifies as Muslim
• 3.0% of the resident population identifies as Hindu
• 1.5% of the resident population identifies as Sikh
• 0.0% of the resident population identifies as Jewish
• 0.0% of the resident population do not identify as religious

How large is Barking & Dagenham?

Barking & Dagenham is 36.1 km2, making it the 20th largest borough in London.

Its population is estimated as 224,407 according to data from the GLA, ranking it 26 as the most populous borough.

Its population per km2 is 6,215, ranking it 18 as the most populous per km2 borough.

Is Barking & Dagenham safe?

According to data from the Metropolitan Police Service, in the last two years there were:

• 13,680 total reported crimes and 60.96 total crimes per 1k of the population, ranking Barking & Dagenham as 17 of boroughs with the least total number of crimes
• 709 total reported burglaries and 3.16 total burglaries per 1k of the population, ranking Barking & Dagenham as 11 of boroughs with the least number of burglaries
• 885 total reported cases of criminal damage and 3.94 total cases of criminal damage per 1k of the population, ranking Barking & Dagenham as 9 of boroughs with the least number of cases of criminal damage
• 813 total reported drug related crimes and 3.62 total drug related crimes per 1k of the population, ranking Barking & Dagenham as 30 of boroughs with the least number of drug related crimes
• 701 total reported robberies and 3.12 total robberies per 1k of the population, ranking Barking & Dagenham as 20 of boroughs with the least number of robberies
• 267 total reported sexual offences and 1.19 total sexual offences per 1k of the population, ranking Barking & Dagenham as 10 of boroughs with the least number of sexual offences
• 6,512 total reported thefts and 29.02 total thefts per 1k of the population, ranking Barking & Dagenham as 17 of boroughs with the least number of thefts
• 3,647 total reported violent crimes and 16.25 total violent crimes per 1k of the population, ranking Barking & Dagenham as 12 of boroughs with the least number of violent crimes

What public transport options does Barking & Dagenham have?

Barking & Dagenham has access to the London Underground’s District and Hammersmith & City lines, which run through Barking, Upney, Becontree, Dagenham Heathway and Dagenham East stations. In the very north of the borough, the Elizabeth line serve Chadwell Heath station which sits just inside of Barking and Dagenham’s border.

Generally with the tube it takes about 30-40 minutes by public transport to get from Barking & Dagenham to Central London.

The London Overground also serves Barking and Barking Riverside stations, while National Rail services stop at Barking and Dagenham Dock stations.

Finally, there are various bus services that operate in the borough, connecting it to different parts of London and neighbouring areas. They include routes that run through Barking, Dagenham, Becontree, and other areas of the borough. Some examples of the bus routes that serve the borough include Route 5, Route 169, Route 238, Route 287, and Route 368.

What places are in Barking & Dagenham?

Unsurprisingly the towns of Barking and Dagenham are located in the borough, as well as several other areas:

• Barking – the historic heart of the borough, home to a vibrant town centre.
• Dagenham – a former industrial area that is undergoing significant regeneration and development.
• Becontree – one of the largest housing estates in Europe, originally built to provide affordable homes for working-class families.
• Chadwell Heath – a suburban area with a range of local amenities.
• Creekmouth – an industrial area located on the banks of the River Thames.
• Marks Gate – a residential area on the eastern edge of the borough.
• Rush Green – a suburban area with several parks and green spaces.

What is Barking & Dagenham famous for?

Barking & Dagenham is not particularly particularly famous for any specific thing, however it is known for:

1. Barking Market – a historic market dating back to the 13th century, famous for its fresh produce and unique goods.
2. The Barking Abbey ruins – the remains of a former royal monastery founded in the 7th century.
3. The Eastbury Manor House – an Elizabethan manor house that dates back to the 1570s.
4. The Broadway Theatre – a popular performing arts venue that hosts a wide range of productions.
5. The Dagenham Ford Plant – a former car manufacturing facility that played a major role in the British automotive industry.
6. Valence House Museum – a local history museum that showcases the history of Barking and Dagenham.
7. Barking Riverside – a major regeneration project that is transforming the borough’s former industrial sites into a new community.
8. Dagenham Sunday Market – a bustling open-air market that has been running for over 50 years.
9. Barking Park – a large public park that features a lake, sports facilities, and a children’s play area.
10. The Dagenham Idol – a mysterious ancient figurine discovered in the borough that dates back to the Iron Age.
11. The Gascoigne Estate – a large council estate that has been the subject of numerous urban regeneration projects.
12. The Barking and Dagenham Youth Orchestra – a highly acclaimed youth orchestra that has performed at prestigious venues around the world.

What boroughs are next to Barking & Dagenham?

Barking & Dagenham is bordered by several other boroughs:

• To the north and the east it is bordered by the London Borough of Havering
• To the north and west it is bordered by the London Borough of Redbridge
• To the south it is bordered by the London Boroughs of Bexley and Greenwich
• To the west it is bordered by the London Borough of Newham