Peckham

Southwark · Zone 2

£550k median

Brixton

Lambeth · Zone 2

£497k median

Zone 2 · Head to head

Peckham vs BrixtonWhich Is Better to Live In?

The 20-second verdict

Two of inner South London’s liveliest Zone 2 neighbours, a mile apart and often shortlisted together. They score 52 and 50/100 overall. The real dividing line is the borough boundary: Peckham is London Borough of Southwark (SE15), Brixton is London Borough of Lambeth (SW9) — which sets different council tax and a different feel. The scoreboard below shows where each leads.

Choose Peckham if…

The Southwark side

You want Rye Lane and Bellenden Road on your doorstep — Peckham’s independent, arty core
A median of £550k fits your budget
You are happy with rail rather than a tube — Peckham runs on National Rail and the Overground
You would rather be in London Borough of Southwark — check the council tax row below

Choose Brixton if…

The Lambeth side

Markets, music and nightlife are the draw — Brixton Market and Electric Avenue
You want the fast Victoria line into the West End
A median of £497k fits your budget
You would rather be in London Borough of Lambeth — check the council tax row below

Money

House prices: Peckham vs Brixton

Both are inner Zone 2 and priced in the same bracket: Peckham at a median £550k, Brixton at £497k. The scoreboard marks which is the lower entry.

Median sold price Peckham £550k Brixton £497k leads

Flat median Peckham £430k leads Brixton £463k

Terraced median Peckham £866k leads Brixton £900k

Semi-detached median Peckham £1.22m Brixton £905k

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid data · 5 August 2026

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Side by side

Peckham vs Brixton: the numbers side by side

How Peckham and Brixton compare, measure by measure. Peckham leads on flat median, safety, schools, green space and pal score overall; Brixton leads on median sold price, value and transport.
Measure	Peckham	Brixton
Median sold price	£550k	£497k leads
Flat median	£430k leads	£463k
Value	55/100	56/100 leads
Safety	47/100 leads	31/100
Schools	48/100 leads	32/100
Transport	63/100	69/100 leads
Green space	45/100 leads	42/100
PAL Score overall	52/100 leads	50/100

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Getting in

Transport and commute: None (rail only) vs Victoria

The clearest difference on paper: Brixton has the Victoria line; Peckham is rail-only, on National Rail and the Overground. Our transport measure captures the gap.

PAL Transport score Peckham 63/100 Brixton 69/100 leads

Tube line Peckham None (rail only) Brixton Victoria

Nearest station Peckham None (rail only) Brixton Brixton

Source: Transport for London · 15 May 2026

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Safety

Crime and safety: is Brixton or Peckham safer?

Both are busy, mixed inner-London neighbourhoods. The safety scores below come from Met Police data; read each guide for the residential-versus-town-centre split.

PAL Safety score Peckham 47/100 leads Brixton 31/100

Residential crime rate (per 1,000) Peckham 130 leads Brixton 157

Source: Met Police · 15 May 2026

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Schools

Schools: Ofsted ratings compared

State-school strength is set out below, with all ratings from Ofsted.

PAL Schools score Peckham 48/100 leads Brixton 32/100

Outstanding primary schools Peckham 3 leads Brixton 2

Outstanding secondary schools Peckham 1 leads Brixton 0

Sources: Ofsted · Department for Education · 14 August 2026

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Running costs

Council tax and running costs: London Borough of Southwark vs London Borough of Lambeth

This is the one difference the two areas do not share: Peckham pays London Borough of Southwark’s council tax, Brixton pays London Borough of Lambeth’s. Unlike two areas in the same borough, here the annual bill genuinely differs — compare the bands below.

Band C council tax Peckham 1749 leads Brixton 1820

Band D council tax Peckham 1967 leads Brixton 2047

Band E council tax Peckham 2404 leads Brixton 2502

Sources: London Borough of Southwark · London Borough of Lambeth · 15 May 2026

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Lived experience

What are Peckham and Brixton like to live in?

By the Property Around London research team · drawn from our published Peckham and Brixton guides

These two get shortlisted together for a reason: both are arty, mixed, inner South London, and both trade on culture rather than calm. Arrive in Peckham and it is Rye Lane — the stalls, the fabric shops, Peckham Levels and the rooftop bars above the multi-storey — with the quieter, pastel Bellenden Road a few minutes west.

Brixton answers with the covered market, Electric Avenue, Coldharbour Lane and the venues around the Ritzy. The energy is comparable; the texture differs street by street.

The honest split is administrative as much as atmospheric. Peckham sits in London Borough of Southwark, Brixton in London Borough of Lambeth — different councils, different council tax, and the Victoria line on Brixton’s side against Peckham’s rail links. The scoreboard sets out where the data actually separates them.

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Micro-geography

Which part of Peckham or Brixton?

Peckham is SE15, in London Borough of Southwark: central Peckham and Rye Lane, the quieter Bellenden “village” to the west, and Peckham Rye and Nunhead towards the south-east. Brixton is SW9 and SW2, in London Borough of Lambeth: central Brixton and Coldharbour Lane in SW9, with Brixton Hill climbing into SW2. The two do not share a postcode district, and they do not share a borough — which is the single biggest practical difference between them.

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Your priorities

Which one suits you?

Tell us what matters and we’ll show which of the two fits — weighted from PAL Scores. It changes nothing about the data; it just re-weights it around you.

Select what matters to see your match.

Peckham 50

Brixton 50

Budget

Your priority

Peckham 55 Brixton 56

Brixton leads on this.

Safety

Your priority

Peckham 47 Brixton 31

Peckham leads on this.

Schools

Your priority

Peckham 48 Brixton 32

Peckham leads on this.

Commute

Your priority

Peckham 63 Brixton 69

Brixton leads on this.

Green space

Your priority

Peckham 45 Brixton 42

Peckham leads on this.

Weighted from PAL Scores (0–100). Figures update with the monthly data refresh.

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Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is Peckham cheaper than Brixton?

On median sold price they are close: Peckham is £550k against Brixton’s £497k (HM Land Registry). The side-by-side scoreboard above marks which is the lower entry point in the latest data.

Is Peckham a good place to live?

It scores 52/100 overall on the PAL Score. It is one of inner South London’s liveliest neighbourhoods — strong on independent food, drink and culture around Rye Lane — with the trade-off that it is rail-only rather than on the tube. Read the Peckham guide for the full picture.

Is Peckham in Southwark or Lambeth?

Peckham (SE15) is in the London Borough of London Borough of Southwark. Its neighbour Brixton (SW9) is in London Borough of Lambeth — a different borough, which is why the two pay different council tax.

Is Brixton or Peckham better for a night out?

Both are among South London’s strongest for it. Brixton has the market venues and Electric Avenue; Peckham has Rye Lane, Peckham Levels and its rooftop bars. Our food-and-drink and amenity scores, shown above, are the closest thing to a like-for-like read.

Is Peckham well connected?

Peckham is rail-based rather than on the Underground: National Rail and London Overground from Peckham Rye and Queens Road Peckham. Brixton, by contrast, sits on the Victoria line. Our transport score above reflects that difference.

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Read the full guides

Read the full Peckham guide → Read the full Brixton guide → All neighbourhood comparisons