Safety index · Wandsworth, London · data through April 2026
Is Balham safe?
Balham records more reported crime than most London neighbourhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 35 out of 100 — 4 points above the Inner London median of 31, ranking 60th of 248 Inner London areas — based on 332 incidents reported to the police within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre (data through April 2026).
The largest reported category here is violent crime (16% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 53 · 16% | |
| Anti-social behaviour | 75 · 23% | |
| Vehicle crime | 55 · 17% | |
| Public order | 20 · 6% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 16 · 5% | |
| Other theft | 28 · 8% |
Walking in Balham at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same live crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Pick the safer way, share your walk, and check in when you arrive. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- Northcote38/100 · Elevated
- Trinity34/100 · Elevated
- Clapham Common & Abbeville32/100 · Elevated
- South Balham37/100 · Elevated
- Lavender32/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is Balham safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 35/100). At night, prefer lit, busier streets — a short detour often avoids the clusters on the map above.
What is the most common crime in Balham?
Violent crime — 53 of 332 incidents (16%) reported within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre through April 2026.
How is the Balham safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each police-recorded incident by severity (violence weighs more than shoplifting), sums the last available period within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre, and normalises against national crime rates onto a 0–100 scale — higher is safer. It describes reported crime only; it is not a guarantee of safety.