Highgate vs Muswell Hill

Highgate and Muswell Hill are two hilltop villages in Haringey, separated by the ancient woodland of Highgate Wood and Queen's Wood, and each earns a nine out of ten for green space on our measure. Both suit people who want a calm, leafy part of north London, but there is a trade-off between price and transport.

Highgate is the dearer village, by roughly £250 per month for one bedroom on our numbers, and it has a Northern line station, which puts the West End and the City within direct reach. Its old village, Georgian houses, historic pubs and Highgate Cemetery give it a distinctive character, and Hampstead Heath and Waterlow Park are close. It scores slightly higher for safety, cafés and nightlife, although neither area is known for going out.

Muswell Hill has no tube. Most commutes start with a bus down to Highgate or East Finchley or a train from Alexandra Palace or Hornsey, which is why it has one of the lower connectivity scores in the area. What it offers is space and value: a large Edwardian Broadway of shops, cafés and restaurants, family houses and mansion flats, and Alexandra Palace and its park on the edge of the neighbourhood.

Highgate is worth the premium for people who need a tube station within walking distance and want historic streets and the Heath. Muswell Hill suits families and people who work from home or travel less often, and who would rather put the difference in rent towards more space.