What it's like to live in Hendon

Hendon's housing mix follows Barnet's overall pattern, and that pattern is unusual for social tenants. Across the borough, just 13.5% of homes are socially rented, split evenly between council and housing association, well below the England figure of 17.1%. Owner-occupation stands at 52.7% and private renting at a high 32.7%, so social homes here are in real demand.

Average weekly social rents in Barnet for 2024/25 were £120 for a one-bed, £139 for a two-bed and £157 for a three-bed. The main social landlords are the London Borough of Barnet with 9,115 homes, Notting Hill Genesis with 2,854, Peabody Trust with 1,718, Metropolitan Housing Trust with 1,001 and London & Quadrant with 791.

The borough skews slightly younger and more working-age than England, with 30.6% aged 25 to 44 and 14.4% aged 65 and over. Barnet's housing register held 3,485 households at 31 March 2025, and it is not a simple queue, which is part of why mutual exchange is worth pursuing.

Families have real choice within a short walk. Primary options nearby include St Mary's and St John's CofE School at the Neale House Campus, St Joseph's Catholic Primary, Parkfield Primary, Hasmonean Primary and Sunnyfields Primary, all within 0.6 miles. That mix of community and faith schools is one of the reasons families settle here.

For older children there is Hendon School, Beth Jacob Grammar School for Girls, Ayeshas Community School, Brampton College and Mapledown School, a special school, all within 0.7 miles. Worth checking admissions and catchment carefully before you commit to a swap, as popular schools fill quickly.

Outside school, Hendon Park, Grove Park, Sturgess Park and Malcolm Park give children space close to home, and Rushgrove Park is a little further out. Hendon Library runs the usual borrowing and study space, and Golders Green and Colindale libraries are both about 1.3 miles away. Barnet has a younger profile than England overall, with 20.4% of residents under 16, so there are plenty of other families around.

Transport is Hendon's strongest card. Hendon Central station is about 0.1 miles away on the Northern line, giving a direct ride into the West End and the City. Brent Cross and Colindale stations are also within reach, and Brent Cross West adds another option a mile out.

For longer journeys, Hendon station is around half a mile away on the national rail line, useful for travelling north out of London. Brent Cross bus station sits about half a mile away and acts as a local hub, so bus routes are easy to pick up without a long walk.

By car, the M1 and North Circular are both close, which is handy if you drive for work or need to get out of London quickly. The flip side is traffic and parking pressure on residential streets at busy times. On foot, most daily needs, shops, parks, the library, schools, a pharmacy, sit within a mile, so plenty of households here manage perfectly well without a car.

Brent Cross Shopping Centre, half a mile away, is the obvious anchor for shopping, eating out and a wet-weather day with the kids. Beyond that, Hendon's parks carry a lot of the leisure load: Hendon Park, Grove Park, Sturgess Park, Malcolm Park and Rushgrove Park are all within a mile and a half.

For exercise, there is a decent spread of gyms including Fitness Pod, The Gym, Old Master Gym, Park View healthclubs and TO GYM, so you can usually find something to suit your budget.

Pubs here reflect Hendon's strong Irish history, with The Bodhran, Claddagh Ring, O'Hanlons, The Greyhound and Rossi's Bar all nearby. Community life runs through venues like St Patrick's Centre, Trading Hut, Our Yard, Cycletastic and Comber Close Community Centre, which are worth looking into if you want to meet people quickly after a move. Hendon Library adds free indoor space for reading and groups.

Barnet's job figures are a little better than the national picture. Across the borough, 60.2% of adults are in work, against 57.4% for England. Unemployment sits at 4.4%, slightly above the England figure of 3.5%, and unemployment-related benefit claims in August 2026 stood at 5% of 16 to 64-year-olds compared with 4% nationally. These are borough-wide numbers, not Hendon alone.

In practice, many people living here commute. The Northern line from Hendon Central and the mainline from Hendon station put central London and other employment centres within a straightforward journey, which widens your options well beyond the local area.

Closer to home, the big local employers are the kind you would expect in a London suburb: retail and hospitality around Brent Cross Shopping Centre, schools and colleges, healthcare including BMI Hendon Hospital, and the shops and services along the local parades. If you drive, the M1 and North Circular open up work across north and west London.