Tooting is a suburb that is popular with both families and young professionals. It has something to offer people of all ages, and offers good compromises on many of the choices London residents have to make - central or calm, well-connected or affordable, and family-friendly or lively are all dilemmas Tooting answers. With two Northern Line stations and a rail station, transport into Central London is easy and quick, but it remains a peaceful, green suburb. That's not to say there's no nightlife or cafe culture, though - there's plenty on offer to everyone who makes Tooting their home.
Tooting has a sense of community and a lively cosmopolitan atmosphere, helped by the fact that it is very diverse and popular with both families and young professionals. This liveliness in on display in the local market and in the area's parks as well as at restaurants and bars that feel like true neighbourhood hangouts, and along its 'curry corridor'.
Tooting is a safe place to live. The neighbourhood and the wider surrounding area are rated as having average crime by the Met police, with no nearby above-average or high-crime hotspots. The 2014/2015 crime and violence against the person rates were similar to those of London overall.
Parking is not especially difficult in this part of London. The rate of car ownership in Tooting is a little low for London, at just over one car for every two households. Road links are fairly good, and include the A24 and the London Road.
There's a wide variety of restaurants, pubs, and bars in Tooting - and the Northern Line offers easy access to other nearby nightlife hotspots including Central London.
Property in Tooting consists mainly of Victorian terraces, which would make suitable family homes. The Tooting Commons offer over 200 acres of green and open space, including a very large Lido, and there are several other parks and play areas in the neighbourhood. Families have a lot of choice when it comes to schools, as well as activities targeted toward children. The percentage of residents who are children aged 0-15 is just a bit lower than the overall London rate.
The range of property available in Tooting includes many Victorian terraces, which may make suitable homes for pets. The Tooting Commons offer residents and their pets over 200 acres of green and open space, and there are several smaller parks in the area - including Figge's Marsh and Lavender Park.
Tooting has excellent transport links, particularly for a Zone 3 part of London that is south of the river. Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway stations both offer access to the Northern Line, while Tooting station is served by Southern and Thameslink trains. The area is also well-served by buses, and road links include the A24 and the London Road