Comparison / London

Holland Park or St John's Wood: Which Is Better Value?

Holland Park averages £1,650,000 against £1,550,000 in St John's Wood, a gap of £100,000 or 6%. You would need £10,000 more deposit and about £526 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. St John's Wood charges £596 less council tax at Band D.

The short answer

Holland Park averages £1,650,000 against £1,550,000 in St John's Wood, a gap of £100,000 or 6%. You would need £10,000 more deposit and about £526 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. St John's Wood charges £596 less council tax at Band D.

Price and deposit

The headline gap is £100,000, or 6%. On a 10% deposit that is £10,000 more cash to find before you start. Detached homes average £7,500,000 against £8,500,000.

Holland Park against St John's Wood

Holland Park average price£1,650,000St John's Wood average price£1,550,000The gap£100,000
A £100,000 gap, which is £10,000 of extra deposit at 10% and about £526 a month more.

Town guides for each: Mortgage advice in Holland Park and Mortgage advice in St John's Wood.

Schools and families

Holland Park has more schools graded Outstanding at their last graded Ofsted inspection (before September 2024), with 2 against 0 in St John's Wood. Counting last graded Ofsted inspections (before September 2024), Holland Park has 3 schools and St John's Wood has 2 schools graded Good or better.

A strong catchment in the cheaper town can cost more than an average street in the dearer one. Compare catchments, not averages.

Running costs and getting to work

Band D council tax is £1,643 in Holland Park and £1,048 in St John's Wood, a difference of £596 a year.

The honest verdict

St John's Wood is cheaper to buy on these figures. Holland Park carries the higher price and, on this data, the stronger school profile.

Neither is right in the abstract. If the deposit is your constraint, the £10,000 difference matters more than anything else here. If catchment is the constraint, price follows the school you need.

What each town is actually like

Price is one axis. These are the things people move for, and the things they find out afterwards.

Holland Park

In its favour
  • A 54-acre park with the Kyoto Garden on the doorstep
  • Genuinely large houses with private gardens
  • One of the lowest Band D council tax bills in England
  • The Central line, Oxford Circus ~11 min, Bank ~20 min
Worth knowing
  • Among the most expensive districts in Britain
  • No accessible entry point for first-time buyers
  • Most houses here are Band H, and second homes pay more
  • Only one Tube station; the W14 streets are a walk from it

Best for Second-home buyers ★★★★★
A quiet, discreet, exceptionally secure and beautifully connected address with a great park on the doorstep, eleven minutes from Oxford Circus and a straightforward run to Heathrow, and a Band D council tax bill among the lowest in England, though the Royal Borough charges a higher rate on second homes.

St John's Wood

In its favour
  • London's original villa suburb, space, light and gardens
  • Jubilee line: Bond Street ~4 min, Canary Wharf ~20 min
  • Regent's Park and Primrose Hill on the doorstep
  • Lord's, Abbey Road and a genuine high street
Worth knowing
  • Among the most expensive postcodes in Britain
  • Most flats are leasehold; short leases cut value and lender choice
  • Portered-block service charges often run to five figures a year
  • Much freehold land is still Eyre Estate, with covenants and consents

Best for Families ★★★★★
The combination is genuinely rare: Regent's Park and Primrose Hill on the doorstep, Lord's and its nursery ground, the American School in London, Arnold House and St Christina's within walking distance, the newly amalgamated St John's Wood Primary and Harris Academy St John's Wood in the state sector, a real high street, and villa housing with actual gardens inside Zone 2.

Holland Park and St John's Wood, side by side

Measure Holland Park St John's Wood
Average property price £1,650,000 £1,550,000
Average detached £7,500,000 £8,500,000
10% deposit £165,000 £155,000
Illustrative monthly payment £8,681 £8,155
Band D council tax £1,643 £1,048
Outstanding rated schools 2 0
Good rated schools 1 2

Local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own figures before acting.

Ask about Holland Park

Three details is all we need. You are told before anything is passed to a partner firm.

Or message us now on WhatsApp. Mon to Sat, 9am to 8pm.

Ask about an introduction

The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to. There is no obligation.

Check broadband before you make an offer in Holland Park or St John's Wood

Broadband speeds can vary street by street in Holland Park or St John's Wood, so check the exact address before you commit. Ofcom's free checker shows which broadband speeds and mobile coverage are available at any UK property.

Want all your bills in one?

We can introduce you to a specialist who can combine your mobile, broadband and utilities into one bill. There's no fee for the introduction.

We don't provide these services ourselves. Switching household bills is not a regulated financial service, so FCA protections and the Financial Ombudsman do not apply. We'll only pass your details to the specialist if you ask us to. See our privacy notice.

Questions people ask

Is Holland Park or St John's Wood cheaper?
St John's Wood is cheaper on these figures, averaging £1,550,000 against £1,650,000. The gap is £100,000.
Which has better schools?
Holland Park has more schools graded Outstanding at their last graded Ofsted inspection (before September 2024), with 2 against 0 in St John's Wood.
Which is cheaper to run?
Band D council tax is £1,643 in Holland Park and £1,048 in St John's Wood.
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Holland Park or St John's Wood?
Use Ofcom's free broadband and mobile checker at checker.ofcom.org.uk. Enter the property's postcode and choose the address to see which broadband speeds and mobile coverage are available before you make an offer.

Read next

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Back to blog