When most people think of London, the picture Westminster. Its landmarks - from Buckingham Palace to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament - are iconic, and recognisable around the world. It is among the most beautiful parts of London, with some of the most regal buildings (technically speaking), and some of the most sought-after real estate in the world. In Westminster, you could be forgiven for believing you are in the centre of the universe - at the heart of it all.
This is an area that has a high concentration of commercial enterprises and visitor attractions, as opposed to a residential district. However, it is becoming more popular as a place to live, and those who do live there tend to have lived there for many generations.
The crime rate ranges from above average to very high in this area - but this is not unusual for a busy tourist area with a high concentration of commercial enterprises. This does not necessarily reflect the likelihood that residents of this area will be the victims of a crime.
Parking can be difficult and expensive in this area. Fewer people own cars here than they do in London overall, and traffic can be congested. This area is within the congestion charge zone.
The area has increasingly seen new places opening to cater to a residential crowd, especially nearby in Victoria. There are many pubs, restaurants, and bars, and for anything you can't find in the area itself, it's an easy jaunt to Soho and Covent Garden by Tube, bus, cycle, or on foot.
Around 80% of this area's residents are working-aged, and more of the remaining residents are pensioners than children - suggesting that this is not particularly a family area - and most housing is flats, rather than family homes. However, there is excellent access to green space, with parks like Hyde Park that have many sport and leisure offerings nearby, and a good selection of schools. Those who live here tend to stick around - some of the families that live in Westminster have done for many generations.
The vast majority of accommodation - about 95% - is flats rather than houses. Still, there is good access to green space in the form of small squares and the larger St James's Park, and both the riverfront and Hyde Park are nearby for even more open space. Hyde Park offers equestrian facilities.
Westminster Station is in Zone 1 and is on the Circle, District, and Jubilee Lines. St James's Park is also on the Circle and District Lines, as is Victoria - which is also on the Victoria Line. Victoria provides rail services, and the coach station of the same name provides long-distance and tour bus services. There are countless local buses in the area.