Watling Street is in St. Albans and in St Albans district. AL1 2QF is located in the Sopwell electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of St Albans. This postcode has been in use since 1980-01-01.
StreetScan combines information about Watling Street, St. Albans, AL1 2QF and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: AL1 2PA, AL1 2QG, AL1 2NT, AL1 2QH, AL1 2QQ, AL1 2NY, AL1 2NS, AL1 2PE, AL1 2PW.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The area surrounding AL1 2QF has a slightly higher male population, with 50.3% of residents being male. Several factors can contribute to this, including areas with industries or sectors that predominantly employ men, proximity to universities or technical schools with a higher enrollment of male students, presence of all-male or predominantly male institutions (military academies, boarding schools).
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 50.1% | 49.7% | -0.4% | 51.0% | -1.3% |
| Male | 49.9% | 50.3% | 0.4% | 49.0% | 1.3% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 28.9% | 34.5% | 5.6% | 37.9% | -3.4% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 53.8% | 50.7% | -3.1% | 44.2% | 6.5% |
| Married: Same sex | 0.4% | 0.3% | -0.1% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Separated | 1.5% | 1.4% | -0.1% | 2.2% | -0.8% |
| Divorced | 7.9% | 7.2% | -0.7% | 9.1% | -1.9% |
| Widowed | 7.5% | 5.9% | -1.6% | 6.1% | -0.2% |
Across the UK, the average 48.4% rated their health as Very Good, 33.6% as Good, 12.7% as Fair, 4% as Bad, and 1.2% as Very Bad.
Population age significantly impacts residents' health. Additionally, socioeconomic status plays a crucial role: higher income levels and lower poverty rates are linked to better health outcomes. Affluent areas benefit from higher living standards, access to private healthcare, and healthier lifestyle choices.
This area has a high percentage of residents reporting their health as Good or Very Good (86.4%) compared to the average (82%). This typically indicates either a younger population or more affluent area.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good health | 52.1% | 56.9% | 4.8% | 48.4% | 8.5% |
| Good health | 31.1% | 29.5% | -1.6% | 33.6% | -4.1% |
| Fair health | 11.7% | 10.1% | -1.6% | 12.7% | -2.6% |
| Bad health | 4.8% | 2.3% | -2.5% | 4.0% | -1.7% |
| Very bad health | 0.3% | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.2% | 0.1% |
During the 2021 census, the educational qualifications of residents across the UK were as follows: 18.2% had no qualifications, 9.6% had 1-4 GCSEs, 13.4% had 5 or more GCSEs and 1-2 A/AS Levels, 16.9% had 2 or more A Levels, 33.8% held a degree (or equivalent), and 5.4% had completed an apprenticeship.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 26.3% | 15.8% | -10.5% | 18.2% | -2.4% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 10.2% | 9.6% | -0.6% | 9.6% | 0.0% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 11.7% | 15.8% | 4.1% | 13.4% | 2.4% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.1% | 3.8% | -0.3% | 5.3% | -1.5% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 12% | 14.1% | 2.1% | 16.9% | -2.8% |
| Degree or Similar | 28.2% | 36.4% | 8.2% | 33.8% | 2.6% |
| Other | 7.5% | 4.5% | -3.0% | 2.8% | 1.7% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 68.1% of the residents identify as white, which is lower than the UK average of 81.4%, there are significant representations of other ethnic groups.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladeshi | 10% | 11.6% | 1.6% | 1.1% | 10.5% |
| Chinese | 0.6% | 0.5% | -0.1% | 0.7% | -0.2% |
| Indian | 1.1% | 5.3% | 4.2% | 3.1% | 2.2% |
| Pakistani | 1.1% | 3.8% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1.1% |
| Other Asian | 0.6% | 0.8% | 0.2% | 1.6% | -0.8% |
| Black African | 4.6% | 2.5% | -2.1% | 2.5% | 0.0% |
| Black Caribbean | 2.8% | 1.5% | -1.3% | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Other Black | 1.4% | 2.3% | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.8% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| Mixed White and African | 0.6% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 0.4% | 1.4% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 0.3% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.9% | -0.1% |
| Mixed Other | 0.3% | 1% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| White | 76.1% | 68.1% | -8.0% | 81.4% | -13.3% |
| Other | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 1.6% | -1.6% |
In this area, 83.2% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is similar to the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 85.2% | 83.2% | -2.0% | 83.2% | 0.0% |
| European Union | 2% | 3.5% | 1.5% | 6.1% | -2.6% |
| Rest of Europe | 0% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Africa | 2.8% | 3% | 0.2% | 2.7% | 0.3% |
| Middle East and Asia | 7.4% | 7.5% | 0.1% | 5.6% | 1.9% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 2.6% | 1.3% | -1.3% | 1.3% | 0.0% |
| Oceania | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 84.3% | 83.2% | -1.1% | 83.2% | 0.0% |
| 10+ Years | 2.3% | 11.3% | 9.0% | 9.8% | 1.5% |
| 5-10 Years | 0.6% | 3% | 2.4% | 2.9% | 0.1% |
| 2-5 Years | 3.7% | 0.8% | -2.9% | 2.2% | -1.4% |
| Less than 2 years | 9.1% | 1.8% | -7.3% | 1.9% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 80.2% | 76.7% | 3.5% |
| Ireland | 1% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Germany | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Italy | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.2% |
| Other EU countries | 2.8% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Central and Western Africa | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 1.3% | 0.2% | 1.1% |
| Southern Asia | 1% | 1.2% | -0.2% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| No passport held | 12% | 13.5% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 27.1% | 37.2% | -10.1% |
| Christian | 46.2% | 46.2% | 0.0% |
| Hindu | 2.3% | 1.7% | 0.6% |
| Muslim | 15.6% | 6.5% | 9.1% |
| Sikh | 2.5% | 0.9% | 1.6% |
| Other religion | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.1% |
| Not answered | 5.8% | 6.0% | -0.2% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Watling Street was 50.4 per 1,000 residents, which is 51.8% lower than the Sopwell average. The most reported crime type was Anti-social behaviour.
Watling Street has the 8th lowest crime rate of 23 local areas in Sopwell and the 199th highest crime rate of 430 local areas in St Albans .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 8.0 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been falling year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -50.6%.

Households in this area have a higher level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 86% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43 Watling Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £1,240,000 | 2024-11-04 | £1,240,000 |
| 77 Watling Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £675,000 | 2023-10-16 | £706,587 |
| 79 Watling Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £675,000 | 2020-12-11 | £776,061 |
| 75 Watling Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £712,500 | 2019-08-23 | £854,502 |
| 73 Watling Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £785,000 | 2019-03-08 | £958,203 |
AL1 2QF area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 3% residents of this area were unemployed, while the average in the UK was 4.83%. A low level of unemployment in an area indicates a strong job market, where most people who are seeking work can find employment. This generally reflects a healthy economy in the area.
| Full-Time Employee | 97 |
| Retired | 50 |
| Part-Time Employee | 33 |
| Self-Employed | 33 |
| Looking after home or family | 25 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 18 |
| Other | 11 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 10 |
| Unemployed | 9 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 5 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 37 |
| Human health and social work activities | 22 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 17 |
| Information and communication | 15 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 11 |
| Education | 11 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 11 |
| Construction | 10 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 8 |
| Other | 8 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 8 |
| Transport and storage | 6 |
| Manufacturing | 2 |
| Real estate activities | 2 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muriel Green Nursery School Church Crescent , AL3 5JB | 3out of 4 | 2,276 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Adrian Roman Catholic Primary School Watling View , AL1 2PB | 3out of 4 | 275 yd | Voluntary aided school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Mandeville Primary School Mandeville Drive , AL1 2LE | 3out of 4 | 478 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Killigrew Primary and Nursery School West Avenue , AL2 3HD | 3out of 4 | 813 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| The Abbey Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans Grove Road , AL1 1DQ | 4out of 4 | 1,395 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Prae Wood Primary School King Harry Lane , AL3 4HZ | 3out of 4 | 1,449 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Marlborough Science Academy Watling Street , AL1 2QA | 3out of 4 | 322 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Loreto College Hatfield Road , AL1 3RQ | 4out of 4 | 2,376 yd | Academy converter | No | Girls | More About School |
| Verulam School Brampton Road , AL1 4PR | 3out of 4 | 3,253 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Boys | More About School |
| Beaumont School Austen Way , AL4 0XB | 4out of 4 | 4,230 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Albans Girls' School Sandridgebury Lane , AL3 6DB | 4out of 4 | 4,248 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Girls | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oaklands College Oaklands Campus , Hatfield Road AL4 0JA | - not rated | 4,943 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Ryder Academy Drakes Drive , AL1 5AR | 3out of 4 | 2,695 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watling View School Watling View , AL1 2NU | 3out of 4 | 402 yd | Community special school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| St Columba's College King Harry Lane , AL3 4AW | - not rated | 892 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Albans School Abbey Gateway , AL3 4HB | - not rated | 1,771 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
| St Albans Independent College 69 London Road , AL1 1LN | - not rated | 1,811 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Albans High School for Girls Townsend Avenue , St Albans AL1 3SJ | - not rated | 2,719 yd | Other independent school | No | Girls | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | Unit 6, St Albans Retail Park | 755 yd | |
| BaxterStorey @ Premier Foods, Premier House | Centrium, Griffiths Way | 922 yd | |
| Caffe Carluccio's | Sainsburys, Everard Close | 1,036 yd | |
| Cottonmill Community & Cycling Centre | 12 Old Oak, Cottonmill Lane | 1,079 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| The King Harry Ph | 2 King Harry Lane, St Albans | 810 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheong's Chinese | 35 Vesta Avenue, St Albans | 345 yd | |
| Smoky Boys | 33 Vesta Avenue, St Albans | 345 yd | |
| Sunlight Fish and Chips | 35 Vesta Avenue, St Albans | 345 yd | |
| Golden Grill | 37 Vesta Avenue, St Albans | 345 yd | |
| Chikizza | 34B Abbots Avenue West, St Albans | 697 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Range Home and Leisure & Iceland | Unit 1, Griffiths Way | 755 yd | |
| Aldi Stores Ltd. | 5 Graham Close, St Albans | 805 yd | |
| Sainsbury's | Sainsburys, Everard Close | 1,036 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mandeville Primary School MANDEVILLE DRIVE | grass pitches | 374 yd |
| The Marlborough Science Academy WATLING STREET | grass pitches, swimming pool, tennis courts | 471 yd |
| Killigrew Junior School EAST CLOSE | grass pitches | 848 yd |
| St Columbas College 8-10 8-10 KING HARRY LANE | grass pitches, health and fitness suite, tennis courts | 1,002 yd |
This statistics are based on Active Places Data - Contains Data © Sport England
| Percentage of premises that have Superfast Broadband (30Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (100Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 2Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 5Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 10Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 30Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Median download speed | 158.6 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 224.3 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 600 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 600 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 20 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 22 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 40 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.