Neighbourhood · Medway

Chatham South West: house prices and how the area is changing

Official figures for the Chatham South West neighbourhood of Medway, England (ONS area Medway 021). Headline figures assembled 25 October 2026. Postcodes ME1, ME4. Figures that read a point use the neighbourhood's centre, near ME4 6QJ.

A neighbourhood with below-average incomes, changing little against Medway

Chatham South West is a neighbourhood with below-average incomes; it is changing little against Medway (few signs of gentrification: 1 of 20 signals rising, 2 falling). Houses here typically resell for £277,000 (median resale price, 2023-2025). Recorded crime is higher than across Medway (1.6 times the borough's rate), schools nearby are improving in line with the council's and the nearest station, Chatham, is about an 11-minute walk from the neighbourhood's centre.

The neighbourhood in brief, from the figures on this page. Summary updated 25 October 2026; source dates are shown below.

Typical house price

£277,000

Median resale price of houses in the neighbourhood, 2023-2025; +26% against 2017-2019.

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data

Affluence today

Below average income

How well off the neighbourhood is now, from household income, home prices and deprivation.

Source: ONS, HM Land Registry, MHCLG Indices of Deprivation

Signs of gentrification

Few signs

Weighted balance -0.09; 1 of 20 signals up, 2 down, against the borough.

Source: Official statistics on prices, incomes, benefits, businesses, schools and more (a full report shows every signal)

Deprivation

Decile 3 of 10

English Indices of Deprivation 2025: 1 is the most deprived tenth of neighbourhoods, 10 the least. At the neighbourhood's centre; its 4 small areas range from decile 3 to 5.

Source: MHCLG English Indices of Deprivation 2025

Average household income

£52,600

ONS estimate for the neighbourhood (modelled, with a margin of error).

Source: Office for National Statistics

Recorded crime

1.6 times the borough's rate

Crimes recorded by the police over 12 months (not anti-social behaviour) per resident, against the borough. Crime per resident can overstate the risk in busy centres where many people work or visit.

Source: Police.uk

Schools getting better

In line with the council's

Nearby state schools' latest Ofsted inspections and results, against the council's schools.

Source: Ofsted, Department for Education

Where Chatham South West sits in Medway

Typical house price: 8th lowest of 38 neighbourhoods in Medway
Average household income: 12th lowest of 38 neighbourhoods in Medway

Ranked among the council's neighbourhoods by the figures on each one's own page, checked 25 October 2026: typical prices are HM Land Registry resale medians over the latest three-year window, household income the ONS's modelled estimate, with a margin of error, so neighbourhoods a place or two apart may not really differ.

Prices over time in Chatham South West

Median resale price of houses each year here and across Medway, 1995 to 2026 (HM Land Registry Price Paid Data: standard sales, new builds left out). Years with fewer than 10 sales here are left out. 2026 is the year so far (dashed).

Median resale price of flats each year here and across Medway, 1998 to 2026 (HM Land Registry Price Paid Data: standard sales, new builds left out). Years with fewer than 10 sales here are left out. 2026 is the year so far (dashed).

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data, held locally and checked 25 October 2026. Medians each year, not a valuation of any home.

How the area is changing, signal by signal

1 of 20 counted signals point towards rising affluence against Medway, 2 the other way and 17 in line. A reading of official statistics against the borough, not a prediction; a full report shows every signal's figures and weight. Where this reading sits among every neighbourhood in England and Wales: the gentrification league table.

Rising against the borough

Anti-social behaviour

Falling behind the borough

Recorded crime
Home improvement applications

Stations and schools nearby

Nearest station

Chatham Railway station, about an 11-minute walk from the neighbourhood's centre (830 m in a straight line). About 15 trains an hour leave between 07:00 and 19:00 on a weekday: Southeastern to London Victoria (46 to 57 min); Southeastern and Thameslink to Rainham (Kent) (about 10 min).

Station locations: NaPTAN (Department for Transport). Trains: Network Rail's timetable for Tuesday 6 October 2026, with the timetabled minutes of direct trains; timetabled, not live running. Distances from the neighbourhood's centre in a straight line, walked at 4.8 km/h; the real route is longer.

Nearest state schools

Nearest state primary school Balfour Junior School 230 m from the neighbourhood's centre. Ofsted: Ungraded visit: School remains Good (May 2024).
Nearest state secondary school St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School 530 m from the neighbourhood's centre. Ofsted: No overall grade: Good in 1 area, Requires improvement in 3 (Oct 2024).

Schools: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (20 October 2026); inspections: Ofsted's management information as at 30 September 2026, in Ofsted's own words. Straight-line distances; not a catchment or admissions assessment.

Questions about Chatham South West

What is the typical house price in Chatham South West?

£277,000. Median resale price of houses in the neighbourhood, 2023-2025; +26% against 2017-2019.

How does Chatham South West compare with the rest of Medway?

Typical house price: 8th lowest of 38 neighbourhoods in Medway. Average household income: 12th lowest of 38 neighbourhoods in Medway.

Is Chatham South West an affluent area?

Below average income. How well off the neighbourhood is now, from household income, home prices and deprivation.

Is Chatham South West gentrifying?

Few signs. Weighted balance -0.09; 1 of 20 signals up, 2 down, against the borough.

What is the nearest station to Chatham South West?

Chatham. Railway station, about an 11-minute walk from the neighbourhood's centre (830 m in a straight line). About 15 trains an hour leave between 07:00 and 19:00 on a weekday: Southeastern to London Victoria (46 to 57 min); Southeastern and Thameslink to Rainham (Kent) (about 10 min).

Which state schools are nearest to Chatham South West?

Nearest state primary school. Balfour Junior School. 230 m from the neighbourhood's centre. Ofsted: Ungraded visit: School remains Good (May 2024). Nearest state secondary school. St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School. 530 m from the neighbourhood's centre. Ofsted: No overall grade: Good in 1 area, Requires improvement in 3 (Oct 2024).

Each answer repeats a figure shown above, with its source there.

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Nearby neighbourhoods in Medway

Postcode districts

Neighbourhood names: House of Commons Library, MSOA Names, Open Parliament Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains public sector information (MHCLG, Police.uk, Ofsted, Department for Education) licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Station locations from NaPTAN (Department for Transport), Open Government Licence v3.0. Trains: contains information of Network Rail Infrastructure Limited licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures describe the area, not any home, and are not a valuation or a prediction.