Portsmouth PO1
Portsmouth 028 · 3 sub-areas · 5,450 residents
Portsmouth 028 is a densely populated pocket of Portsmouth with around 5,450 residents and one of the highest concentrations of social housing in the city — nearly seven in ten homes are socially rented. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for around £1,120 a month, noticeably below the UK national median, though the area sits among Portsmouth's most deprived neighbourhoods by IMD ranking.
Portsmouth PO1 is a mid-density neighbourhood of Portsmouth in the South East region. It sits between busier and quieter parts of the local authority and isn't dominated by a single use — there's a mix of workplaces, housing and local services. The demographic profile leans family-aged, with a clear share of households with school-age children.
Overview
What's it like to live in Portsmouth PO1?
The area is unusually green for its density — 7 parks and 4 playgrounds sit within five minutes' walk of the centroid; Recorded crime is higher than the national norm — common for built-up urban areas, but worth weighing if you're looking for a quieter base; Public transport is genuinely strong; most errands and a fair share of social life don't need a car; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,357 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 3 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Portsmouth PO1 in Portsmouth
Living in Portsmouth PO1
Portsmouth 028 stands apart from much of the rest of Portsmouth by the sheer scale of its social housing. Around 67% of homes here are socially rented — a proportion that's genuinely rare across the South East and shapes almost everything about how the neighbourhood feels: it's more settled, more community-rooted, and considerably less transient than the student-heavy or private-rental-dominated parts of the city nearby.
The cost picture reflects that tenure mix. Median rents sit around £1,360 a month across all bedroom sizes, but private-market two-beds run closer to £1,120 — below the national two-bed median. For buyers, the median sale price is roughly £209,000, and with a years-to-deposit figure of 3.4 years, the path to ownership is more achievable here than in much of the South East. Council tax (Band D) comes to around £2,292 a year.
The neighbourhood skews young: about a quarter of residents are under 18, and another quarter are aged 18–34. Single-person households make up 38% of homes. The degree-qualification rate sits at around 19%, noticeably below the regional South East average. Unemployment claimant rate at 4.6% is elevated compared to the national picture, and the IMD decile of 1 places this among the most deprived 10% of neighbourhoods in England.
Practically, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 700 metres away — about a nine-minute walk — which gives reasonable access to Portsmouth's wider network. The area has 100% gigabit broadband coverage, with no premises below the universal service obligation threshold, which is a genuine infrastructure plus. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on how the neighbourhood breaks down locally.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Portsmouth 028 a nice place to live?
- It depends on your priorities. Rents are genuinely affordable for the South East, the rail station is walkable, and broadband is excellent. The trade-off is a high crime rate — around three times the national average — and an IMD decile of 1, placing it among England's most deprived 10% of neighbourhoods. It suits people prioritising cost over environment, particularly those accessing social housing.
- What is the rent in Portsmouth 028?
- A one-bedroom runs around £893 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,120, and a three-bedroom around £1,345. These are estimates scaled from city-level data using local sale prices. Private supply is limited given the high social-housing share, so competition for available lets can be stronger than the prices suggest.
- Is Portsmouth 028 safe?
- Crime runs at around 260 incidents per 1,000 residents annually — roughly three times the UK national rate. This is one of the higher-crime parts of Portsmouth and sits in the most deprived 10% of English neighbourhoods by IMD. It's a meaningful concern rather than a minor caveat, and worth weighing carefully if safety is a top priority.
- What's the commute from Portsmouth 028 to Portsmouth city centre?
- The nearest mainline rail station is about 700 metres away — a nine-minute walk — which gives good access to Portsmouth's network. Most residents commute by car (around 43%), with relatively few using public transport (13%). The rail journey to London takes roughly 96 minutes.
- Who lives in Portsmouth 028?
- Mostly social renters — around 67% of homes are socially rented, one of the highest concentrations in the South East. The population skews young, with a quarter under 18 and another quarter aged 18–34. Single-person households are common (38%), and the degree-qualification rate at 19% is below regional norms.
- What schools are near Portsmouth 028?
- There are 85 schools within 2km, but only around 28% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding school is about 3.4km away. If school quality is a key factor, check individual catchment boundaries carefully before choosing an address here.
- How affordable is buying a home in Portsmouth 028?
- More achievable than most of the South East. The median sale price is around £209,000, and the years-to-deposit figure sits at 3.4 years — relatively accessible by regional standards. Owner-occupation is low at 14%, partly reflecting the area's social-housing character, so the private purchase market is smaller than typical.