What it's like to live in Brighton and Hove

Central BN1 is dominated by flats, conversions and older terraces rather than houses with gardens. Social renting is smaller here than nationally: 14.9% of homes across the council area, against 17.1% for England, split between council at 9.5% and housing association at 5.3%. Private renting is unusually high at 32.7%.

Brighton and Hove City Council is by far the biggest social landlord with around 12,680 homes, followed by Southern Housing, Hyde, Clarion and The Guinness Partnership.

Average weekly social rents in the council area in 2024/25 were about £94 for one bed, £108 for two and £125 for three. Demand is heavy: 4,272 households were on the council's housing register at 31 March 2025, and it works on need rather than as a simple queue.

Families are a smaller share of the population here than nationally: under-16s make up 15.3% across the council area against 18.6% for England. Central BN1 is more flats than family houses, so it tends to suit smaller households, though plenty of families do make it work.

For primary years, Middle Street Primary is a couple of minutes away, with St Paul's C of E, St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary and Nursery and Carlton Hill Primary all within half a mile. Secondary options within about two miles include Cardinal Newman, Dorothy Stringer, Varndean High and Hove Park Nevill Campus.

Check admissions and current Ofsted reports yourself, as catchments in Brighton shift and popular schools fill quickly. Jubilee Library is a useful free indoor space when the weather turns.

You can do a lot here without a car. Brighton station is about a a ten-minute walk from the middle of BN1, with London Road, Hove, Preston Park and Aldrington all within three miles for local hops and longer journeys.

Buses are the backbone of the city. Stops at the Clock Tower, Churchill Square, Imperial Arcade and Brighton Station are all on your doorstep, so getting across town or out to the suburbs is straightforward without driving.

Driving is the harder part. Central Brighton is dense, the streets are narrow and parking is tight and expensive, so a car can feel more like a liability than a help here. Walking is genuinely the fastest way to reach the shops, the seafront and the station.

This is the section where BN1 earns its keep. Churchill Square Shopping Centre, Imperial Arcade and Dukes Lane are all within about a tenth of a mile, so everyday shopping and browsing are on foot. Supermarkets are close too, from Sainsbury's Local and Tesco Express to smaller independents like Churchill's and Gardenia.

Film fans are spoilt. ODEON Brighton, Dukes at Komedia Picturehouse and Duke of York's Picturehouse are all nearby, along with Fabrica's arts space.

Pubs and bars are everywhere, which is a plus or a drawback depending on your view: expect noise at weekends. For exercise there is PureGym Brighton Central, Unified Strength and martial arts and dance classes close by. Community Base and the Brighthelm Centre host local groups and support services.

Brighton and Hove is a working city with a strong service, retail, hospitality and creative base, and central BN1 is where much of that trade happens. Across the council area, 59.2% of adults are in work, a little above the England figure of 57.4%.

Unemployment sits at 4.6% against 3.5% for England, and 4.3% of 16 to 64 year olds were claiming unemployment-related benefits in August 2026, slightly above the national 4%. Seasonal and shift work is common in a seaside city, which can mean flexible hours but less certainty.

Commuting by train is realistic from Brighton station, and the university presence adds jobs in education and student services.