Boroughly > Compare > Tooting vs Balham
Two areas people weigh against each other constantly. Here's the honest side-by-side - price, the seven life scores, and who each one actually suits.
| Criterion | Tooting | Balham |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 3.5/10 | 4.1/10 |
| Schools | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Parks & green space | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Transport | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Diversity & inclusion | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| LGBTQ+ friendly | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Buzz & nightlife | 8/10 | 7/10 |
Tooting is the cheaper of the two - roughly £585k against £697k, about 19% less. Over a 25-year mortgage that gap is the single biggest practical difference between them.
Tooting scores clearly better on diversity & inclusion - 9/10 against 7/10.
| If you're... | Lean towards | Because |
|---|---|---|
| Families with school-age children | Balham | stronger combination of school and green-space scores |
| Young professionals | Tooting | more going on in the evening and better connections |
| First-time buyers | Tooting | better price-to-transport trade-off |
| Anyone wanting a quieter life | Balham | calmer, greener and lower-crime scoring |
Tooting is cheaper on average. Tooting runs about £585k to buy and £1,950/mo to rent a two-bed; Balham is around £697k and £2,100/mo.
Balham scores better on the combination families usually weigh most - schools, green space and safety. Tooting scores 7/10 for schools and 7/10 for parks; Balham scores 8/10 and 7/10.
Tooting scores 8/10 for transport and Balham scores 8/10. Journey times depend far more on where you're actually going than on a general score - set your real destinations on the Boroughly map to compare door to door.