Is Putney a Good Place to Live? A Local’s Advice (2022 Review)

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Is Putney a good place to live? As a twenty-something (well, nearly 30-year-old), I’m here to share whether I think Putney is a good place to live for young adults.

Is Putney a good place to live?

Well, that’s up for you to decide, but I’m here to give you a bit of a helping hand when choosing your new London neighbourhood. Exciting!

But, before we begin, I’ll just tell you that this is written from the viewpoint of a 20-something-year-old (well, nearly 30, but we won’t talk about that), and I’m in a relationship.

However, to make this a bit less biased, I have consulted single friends and families to chip in and give their opinion about Putney too.

All opinions have been merged together to create this wonderful blog post about whether Putney is a good place to live in London.

Ooh, and before I forget, I’ve written a LOT of posts about Putney and why it’s so wonderful (spoiler alert), and you can check them out here:

• Best Brunch in Putney: 11 Recommendations from a Local
• BEST Restaurants in Putney: 2022 Updated Guide
• Best Pubs in Putney: A Local’s Guide
• Fun Things To Do In Putney, London: A Local’s Guide

Is Putney a good place to live? An Overview

For those of you who don’t know, Putney is a leafy-green suburb in Southwest London.

It’s most famously known for being the starting point of the Oxford v Cambridge boat race, and is situated right on the River Thames.

It is located in the Borough of Wandsworth, which is also one of its neighbouring towns, as well as Fulham, Wimbledon, Barnes and Roehampton.

Putney is easy to reach from Central London, and is on both the main line (from Waterloo) and the District Line.

It’s a popular hub for commuters (and if you fancy something a bit different, you can even get the Uber boat from Putney Bridge directly into Central London).

One thing that really stands out to me about Putney is the amount of green space and parks.

I moved here from East London, so the sheer amount of trees, grass and woodland for me was enough to make me swoon.

It’s like having a secret pocket of the countryside in one of the busiest cities in the world.

Not only is Putney perfect for outdoor space, but it has a great atmosphere.

It isn’t a hub of 18-20-year-olds wanting to spend every waking hour drinking jaeger bombs, but it’s also not the home of ‘older’ clientele wanting to drink brandy and smoke cigars night and day.

It’s a real mix, and when you’re out and about socialising, the average age in Putney is around 28-40.

If you’re in a couple or late twenties and want somewhere to party, but also to appreciate parks, the river and more chill vibes in cute pubs, cafes and brunch spots, Putney is for you.

What is there to do in Putney?

There are a whole heap of things to do in Putney, and I promise if you move here you will never be bored.

Like seriously, we haven’t got round to doing HALF the things I want to do.

From river walks to picnics in Bishop’s park, live music on the high street and pub roasts, Putney has a lot to offer a newbie to the area.

In fact, I’ve written a guide all about the best things to do in Putney, just because there is so much.

It really is wonderful.

Personally, my favourite thing to do in Putney is to just sit by the river.

Putney Wharf has benches and beer gardens so you can even take (or buy) a pint and watch the world go by.

If you’re visiting Putney for the first time, some of my favourite things to do are…

• Walk along the river or through Bishop’s Park
• Stroll through Putney Heath (woodlands)
• Try foods from around the world at the local Lebanese, Brazilian, Indian, Turkish or hundreds of Italians
• Drink coffee in one of the cutest Putney coffee shops
• Have a sing-along to live music in either the Half Moon, East Putney Tavern or Lost Society
• Party the night away at Le Fez or Tequila Mockingbird
• Play Jungle Golf
• Hit up the shops including my favourites, Mountain Warehouse and Waterstones (they are lethal considering they’re only 2 minutes from my flat)
• Get a team together and do a pub quiz

There are so many more I could include, and these just involve a few. Just wait until I get to the part where I talk about the surrounding areas too!

Is it safe to live in Putney?

Yes, it is safe to live in Putney.

As a female, I have never felt unsafe walking around Putney at night or even after midnight.

Of course, as anywhere, you have to keep your wits about you and be sensible, but on the whole, Putney is a safe place to live.

Locals are friendly (hey, I’m one!), and there are ample opportunities to join in on clubs or activities to make friends.

Nightlife on the high street (especially Thurs-Saturday) does get busy but not anything too crazy.

In general, Putney is full of traditional pubs, bars and small clubs, so it’s never anything wild like Central London or some of the more ‘edgy’ areas.

Getting from Putney to Central London: What zone is Putney in?

Good news! Putney is super easy to get to Central London from and offers some of the best Central London links the southwest has to offer.

Putney is between zone 2 and 3, and it takes under 20 minutes to reach London Waterloo on the mainline train.

If you’re not in a rush, you can board the District Line at East Putney, but these trains do tend to be less frequent and sporadic. However, Tom does it every day and it isn’t a major problem (and is way cheaper than the main line).

Earls Court is roughly 10 minutes away from Putney and has links to the Picadilly Line, and Victoria is roughly 15 minutes on the District Line.

Can’t complain!

What shops are in Putney?

Knowing whether Putney is a good place to live can also be decided on what shops are down the high street. Shallow, but important, right?

Well, I know it may be unimportant to some, but if you’re like me, you’ll want a few decent shops on the high street to be able to visit when needed.

Here are some of my favourite shops (and not all of them!) that are on Putney high street.

• H&M
• Waterstones (with a cafe)
• The Source (no-plastic supermarket)
• Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, LIDL
• Sports Direct
• Mountain Warehouse
• Paul, Costa, Cafe Nero
• Tiger
• Paperchase

Want to know more? Check out my post: Shops in Putney: High Street, Supermarkets & Beyond

Can I live in Putney as a young adult?

Absolutely!

The average age in Putney is 37, and when you’re out and about, it’s likely that most people around you will be between the ages of 28-40.

For me, this is one of the best parts of living in Putney. Even though we do have a few ‘late night’ younger venues like Revolution, Putney generally attracts a crowd that wants to have a good time but not end up in a ditch somewhere.

That being said, you totally can if you want to 😅

Putney is full of pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, home-working spaces, gyms, parks, beer gardens, BYOBs, transport links, and everything that makes being a young adult fun.

You can totally live in Putney as a young adult and never get bored.

Is Putney posh?

This depends on what you think ‘posh’ is.

Is Putney an affluent area? Fairly. It’s not as affluent as its neighbours Richmond and Wimbledon, but there is a large part of Putney that is covered in multi-million-pound houses.

If you’re moving to Putney as a young adult, the flats and houses in an average price range aren’t too ‘posh’, yet aren’t too ‘common’. I think ‘posh’ is a very subjective phrase anyway.

Most flat blocks are 4 floors maximum, and the average 1 bedroom flat sells for £300-400k.

For me, being by the riverside, having large parks and woodlands nearby and having a well-kept high street means it’s just the right level of ‘posh’ (lol at this word).

Putney is also home to a number of private schools, such as Putney High School which is well known all over the country, but is also home to a number of your average public schools.

Living in Putney: At a Glance

• There are approximately 30 thousand residents living in Putney
• The average age in Putney is 37
• Lots of open spaces such as Bishop’s Park and Putney Heath, with Wimbledon Common around a 5-minute drive away
• 3 tube stations (East Putney, Putney, Putney Bridge) which are in zones 1 and 2
• 2 local cricket pitches, one golf course, 20 rowing clubs and Putney tennis club
• Over 100 restaurants and 25 bars
• Strangely part of the cheapest council tax borough in the country (Wandsworth)
• Home of MULTIPLE speed cameras (seriously, watch your speed around here!)
• The starting point of the Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race
• Situated along the River Thames & the famous Putney Bridge
• Sports are a big thing here – beer gardens will get packed out for any rugby/football/cricket games
• Around 45 minutes to Heathrow (car) or 1 hour to Heathrow via public transport (train)
• Walking distance to Wandsworth
• Close driving distance to Wimbledon, Richmond, Barnes, Kew Gardens, Hampton Court, Kingston, Teddington, Twickenham

Things to do near Putney

Enjoying Putney isn’t just the only good thing about living in Putney.

The surrounding areas of Putney are also pretty wonderful. Here are some of my favourites.

• Wimbledon Common and High Street: Have you ever been to Wimbledon? Wow, it is pretty special! Full of cute restaurants, bars, cafes, a huge common with a lake and ducks, Sunday markets, hearty roast dinners and even bottomless brunches. And let’s not forget it’s the home of tennis, Putney is a 5-minute drive from Wimbledon’s world-famous centre court!

• Richmond: Richmond (aka, the home of Sir David Attenborough. Is that not cool enough in itself?!) I’m joking, but Richmond is another incredible place near Putney. Walk along the riverside, rent a paddleboard or kayak, visit London’s only ‘flooding’ pub, have a cocktail and a steak at Gauchos or ponder the high street for some high-end clothes. Richmond is truly beautiful.

• Kew Gardens: Yep, Putney is only a 10-minute drive from the world-famous Kew Gardens! A perfect day out away from the hustle and bustle.

• Hampton Court: Henry VIII’s old stomping ground isn’t too far from Putney high street, and can be visited as a day trip.

• Richmond Park: The biggest royal park in London and home to over 650 deer. Need I say more?

• Twickenham Stadium: Rugby fan? The home of English rugby is only a 15-minute drive away.

• Chelsea: Love yourself a bit of Made in Chelsea? Next time you’re watching, look out for how many times they’re in Putney. It’s a lot! And that’s because we’re only over the bridge. Chelsea and King’s Road are within walking distance of Putney.

Best pubs and restaurants in Putney

The pubs are restaurants in Putney are one of the best things about living here.

Honestly, we still haven’t got round to even trying HALF of them.

Whether you fancy some live music and a roast dinner, or a belly dancer and some Lebanese food, Putney has it all.

I’ve even written a guide about the best restaurants and pubs in Putney because I think they’re that special. Oooh, and Putney is a cracker for brunch spots.

There are so many good pubs and restaurants, but here are some of my favourites.

• East Putney Tavern (EPT) for pub food and live music
• Lost Society for cocktails and late night music
• The Jolly Gardener for cute pub scenes and hearty food
• Bosa for unbelievable Lebanese
• Gazette for all the French food lovers
• Kashmir for insanely good Indian food
• Taj Mahal for late night booze up (it’s BYOB) with you pals

Is Putney a Good Place to Live? In a Nutshell

Well, there you have it. Putney: the place that stole my heart (and I don’t know if I’ll ever want to move again).

Putney is a wonderful place to live, especially if you don’t want to be right in the centre of London but still want some atmosphere.

Plus, if you’re a nature lover like me and can’t be surrounded by tower blocks and the concrete jungle, Putney is a little daily escape of the countryside.

I’m always available to contact on Instagram, and if you’re in Putney, be sure to say hello!

Happy travelling 😀
Jennie x

🔌 Whilst you won’t want to be glued to your phone whilst travelling London, I highly recommend carrying a power bank. I use this power bank, and it’s not let me down yet! It easily lasts for a whole week trip!

• Best Brunch in Putney: 11 Recommendations from a Local
• BEST Restaurants in Putney: 2022 Updated Guide
• Best Pubs in Putney: A Local’s Guide
• Fun Things To Do In Putney, London: A Local’s Guide