"In the space of just 26.2 miles, the route takes you through neighbourhoods where rents can vary from £1,500 per month to £6,000 per month, highlighting just how broad a range of homes, lifestyles and budgets the capital has to offer"
- Marc von Grundherr - Benham and Reeves
New research from London lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves has used the London Marathon route as a lens on the capital's rental market, finding that average asking rents range from £1,500 to £6,000 per month across the 26.2-mile course.
The firm analysed current asking rents across the postcode districts that make up the route from Blackheath to The Mall, revealing how dramatically rental values shift from one neighbourhood to the next.
Across the full route, the average monthly rent stands at £2,916. But that headline figure masks significant variation, with runners passing through some of the capital's most affordable postcodes before finishing in some of its most expensive.
The cheapest point on the course falls at miles four and five, along Woolwich Road in SE7, where average asking rents currently sit at £1,500 per month. SE18, covering miles two and three around Charlton Park Lane and John Wilson Street, is the second most affordable stretch at £2,000 per month, a figure matched in the SE8 postcode around Deptford and Deptford Creek at miles seven and eight.
Blackheath, where the race begins, commands an average monthly rent of £2,200, while the Canada Water and Rotherhithe section spanning miles nine to 11 comes in at £2,300. As the route moves into central London, rents begin to climb. The stretch around St Katharine Docks and Shadwell, covering miles 13, 14 and 22, averages £2,708 per month, while the Canary Wharf section across miles 15 to 21 commands £2,600.
Bermondsey at mile 12 is among the first areas to break the £3,000 threshold, with average asking rents of £3,250. Tower Hill at mile 23 follows at £3,800, and Blackfriars at mile 24 sits at £3,300.
The highest rents appear in the final miles. Embankment at mile 25 averages £4,000 per month, before the route reaches St James's and The Mall in the SW1 postcode, where mile 26 and the finish line average £6,000 per month.
"The London Marathon route is a perfect demonstration of the diversity of the London rental market," said Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves.
"In the space of just 26.2 miles, the route takes you through neighbourhoods where rents can vary from £1,500 per month to £6,000 per month, highlighting just how broad a range of homes, lifestyles and budgets the capital has to offer."
"Areas such as Woolwich, Deptford and Blackheath continue to provide excellent value for tenants, particularly given their strong transport links and proximity to central London," he added.
"At the same time, locations such as Embankment, St James's and The Mall sit amongst the capital's most prestigious addresses and command rents that reflect their status, amenities and prime location."
"What this really shows is that London remains a market of huge choice, whether tenants are looking for affordability, riverside living, vibrant neighbourhoods or a prime central London address," von Grundherr concluded.
