Balham
vs Lavender
Lavender has the younger population: 34% of residents are aged 15–29, against 30% in Balham. Homes in Balham sold for a median of £752,000, in line with Lavender. Lavender has more green space nearby (10% within 500 m, against 7%).
People
Balham has 17,709 residents in 7,410 households; Lavender has 13,040 in 5,706. Balham has the higher share of residents aged 65 and over: 10%, 3.2 percentage points more than Lavender (Wandsworth: 10%). The share of people living alone is about the same in both (28% and 28%).
Homes and prices
The most common type of home is flats in Balham (29%) and terraced houses in Lavender (25%). Balham has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 50%, 8.5 percentage points more than Lavender (Wandsworth: 43%). Lavender has the higher share of private renting: 46%, 8.4 percentage points more than Balham (Wandsworth: 36%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £752,000 in Balham and £740,000 in Lavender, against £640,000 across Wandsworth.
Surroundings
Lavender has the higher share of land within 500 m that is green space: 10%, 3 percentage points more than Balham (Wandsworth: 12%). A typical postcode has 279 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in Balham, and 455 in Lavender. The typical postcode is 232 m from the nearest school in Balham and 410 m in Lavender. The typical postcode is 388 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in Balham and 619 m in Lavender. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 94% of premises in Balham and 93% in Lavender.
Safety
Over 12 months, police recorded 124 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in Balham and 177 in Lavender, against 101 across Wandsworth. Police.uk records crimes by approximate location, not by where victims or offenders live. Busy streets, shops, stations and nightlife record more. Figures are counts, not a measure of personal risk.
Sources: Census 2021 (ONS) · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data · official school registers · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Environment Agency · data.police.uk, 12 months to Aug 2026 · Ofcom Connected Nations
In brief.
Each ward in a few lines, from its own page.
Balham is one of 22 wards in Wandsworth, home to 17,709 people in 7,410 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £752,000 over the past two years, 18% above the Wandsworth median. On average 7% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 38% below the Wandsworth average.
Lavender is one of 22 wards in Wandsworth, home to 13,040 people in 5,706 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £740,000 over the past two years, 16% above the Wandsworth median. On average 10% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 12% below the Wandsworth average.
More comparisons.
Balham and Lavender next to other wards of Wandsworth.