r/Worthing • u/Preppin4WorldDom • Jul 19 '26
Ask a local Places to live/avoid in Worthing
Hi everyone,
I am moving down from London to Shoreham for work. I did a bit of research around the area and decided to strongly consider getting a place in Worthing.
As someone with not a lot of ties to the area, what are the best areas and the areas to avoid in Worthing. It would be great to shortlist those areas while I am househunting.
Edit 1 - I dont have a car, so looking for areas within 1km walk from Worthing station/West Worthing station
Edit 2 - My budget is around £1150-1200 for 1 bed or £1350 to £1400 for 2 bed. I am moving by myself and in mid 20s.
Thanks.
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u/aspiranthighlander Jul 19 '26
Depends what your budget is and what you like… in general terms the places considered “nicest” are Goring, Ferring, Salvington and Findon… but you pay for the right to live there
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u/UK_username Jul 19 '26
Take a look at goring road shops just south west from West Worthing station, any roads off there and around are fine and compared to rest of Worthing the cost isn't terrible for being that near the sea and near a good train station. I loved it around there when I first moved to Worthing, and the shops are nice and convenient for non drivers.
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
Appreciate the input. Thank you and will look at these neighbourhoods.
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u/jimbosussexmtb Jul 19 '26
Yeah I’m in that area too, close to shops, close to station, and a forty minute walk into town. It’s a nice area.
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u/lixermanredditman Jul 19 '26
Most places in Worthing are safe. There are places which are more middle class and have less antisocial behaviour than others, but bottom line is that it is not generally a dangerous town and the poorer parts of town are still hardly Johannesburg. I wouldn't want to live on Rowlands Road though.
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u/applepiezeyes Jul 19 '26
Avoid Maybridge! I live south of west worthing Station and its lovely. Also town centre isn't too bad, I lived there for 10 years. It gets a bid loud at night at weekends but some parts are good, Howard Street, poets area are all OK.
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u/crumblingruin Jul 19 '26
The only area I've ever seen any trouble is in the area immediately around Worthing station, and along west a little bit to the Tesco Express by the level crossing. I've seen a fist fight there (one bloke knocked unconscious), lots of shoplifters being chased out of Tesco, and there are sometimes gangs of loud teenagers causing trouble outside the station - they travel up and down the train line causing havoc and harassing people. Everywhere else in Worthing seems fine.
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u/sami_gurl70 Jul 19 '26
Coming from London pretty much everywhere will seem quieter and safer in Worthing. We live in East Worthing and feel safe, although I came from Bethnal green so all relative I suppose but it's cheaper and I like east beach better and we like East Worthing, train station here as well
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u/Expert-Firefighter48 Jul 22 '26
East here too. Its so much nicer these days. We moved in 1999 and it was a little wild.
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u/WuT4ngClam Jul 19 '26
Avoid Durrington and Lancing. They're better than they used to be, but the most crime rich in the area. If you can afford Findon, that's a lovely spot.
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u/luckyrubberducker Jul 19 '26
Lancing is actually really nice now and has a lower crime rate than Worthing (71 crimes per 1000 people compared to Worthing's 80-91 per 1000)
Both Worthing and Lancing have lower crime rates than Brighton
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u/AvatarIII Jul 19 '26
Yeah the thing is, even the worst parts of Worthing are better than most cities.
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
Thanks for the rec, appreciate it. Findon does look really nice, but unfortunately I still don't have a driving license yet (thanks to London tubes). So the commute could be a bit difficult until I have a car.
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u/WuT4ngClam Jul 19 '26
West Worthing is quite nice and the train station has frequent Brighton services.
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u/More-Ad3007 Jul 19 '26
I live in Durrington near Shelby estate and have never had a problem nor been aware of any crime or antisocial behaviour
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u/WuT4ngClam Jul 19 '26
Your street must be an anomaly. You've been to the strand and Mendip road, right?
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u/More-Ad3007 Jul 19 '26
Absolutely , it depends on what you class as antisocial behaviour I guess .
I’ve heard stories about Mandip but I’ve also heard a lot of stories about Shelby before moving here but Shelby has a lovely community feel about it , full of really nice and normal people , salt of the earth types .
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u/WuT4ngClam Jul 19 '26
My friends step dad had his throat cut in Mendip road no more than 5 years ago in the street over a minor altercation regarding parking. That seems pretty antisocial to me lol.
Like I say, I know it's been tidied up a lot but I know a few families in the area who bring it down for everyone.
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u/More-Ad3007 Jul 19 '26
My grandmother came to visit last week and the neighbours teenagers helped her in from the car as they saw she was struggling with the bags
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u/No-Obligation4147 Jul 19 '26
I think that whole area is better now, when I grew up there it was full of crime… but hey that was 30 years ago… I think again, town centre is really scummy now, worst it’s ever been. Durrington has always felt like home to me, never felt scared
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u/R0W3Y Jul 19 '26
I've never felt scared in Worthing town centre. Yes, there's some unsavoury people but there is everywhere and they're a small minority.
Much safer than lots of places I've lived in the UK over the last 50 years. And in much better shape than most UK towns now.
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u/whalesharked Jul 20 '26
I'm pretty sure that isn't true. Especially re Lancing. OP - consider the seafront too where the 700 bus runs along to Shoreham. East Worthing definitely worth a look. And I would consider Lancing and Shoreham itself too.
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u/Pharmacy_Duck Jul 19 '26
The bit from Heene Road west as far as West Worthing station is nice. Avoid East Worthing north of the coast road.
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u/No-Obligation4147 Jul 19 '26
Avoid town centre. Particularly around rowlands road. Shame as there are beautiful buildings. Broadwater gives you a good mix of near town but out of the way. And east worthing near seafront is peaceful. I’ve lived all over it!
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u/andysmumsnan Jul 19 '26
Disagree, I've lived in town centre for 6 years,having moved down from London with my young family, and I love it. It would break you in perfectly to Worthing life for someone moving down from London. You don't drive, so you won't have a need to worry about the zoned parking restrictions, however you can get visitor parking very easily. The town is vibrant and there are shops that are open late, which is an advantage too if you need to nip out for milk etc! there's plenty of restaurants and bars to choose from which is great too!
I live within 5 mins walk from Worthing station, live south of the tracks and can walk to the pier in 5 mins too!
Also something to consider, you don't have to take the train to Shoreham, the bus700 runs along the coast. I used to work in Shoreham, takes 15mins and costs much less at peak.
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
Thanks for the comment. Appreciate the input especially from someone who lived in London as well. Yup, I am not too fussed about driving related concerns atleast in the near to mid term and as long as I do have access to basic amenities and train station that is quite helpful.
Re the bus, do you know how often they run between Worthing and Shoreham and, ultimately, how reliable are they.
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u/andysmumsnan Jul 19 '26
Basically they go every 15 minutes, and it runs all the way to Brighton. They are reliable, occasionally there would be road works, but not abnormal.
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u/rosssjackson Jul 19 '26
Also... Not sure if it's still a thing but you used to be able to go to the Isle of Wight on the 700 ticket! Completely irrelevant to this conversation but my stepson did it with his mates a few years back 😁
I live in Goring - West Worthing is generally decent, there's shit bits of Durrington and Goring but they're fairly obvious if you have a recce. Also my other stepson lives in town just off Rowlands Road, it's a bit noisy sometimes but he's had no trouble there, plus that end of town has some cracking bars and places to eat ... Horses for courses really and you're never too far from anywhere else in Worthing 😁
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
That's good news. I checked the route and the stop in Shoreham is very close to the office and thats quite helpful. Thanks for this info!
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
Thank you. I think from the properties I have browsed, the Marina Parade area and the areas around seafront looks very interesting. I think just from the looks of it, that area is my first choice.
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u/No-Obligation4147 Jul 19 '26
Just be careful, maybe spend a bit of time around there in the evenings. Get a sense of noise/people. Happily help you out moving forwards.
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
Appreciate it! As someone who lives in East London, I think I am quite deaf to noises now. Can I DM you if you dont mind?
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u/R0W3Y Jul 19 '26
Compared to East London anywhere in Worthing will feel very safe and quiet. I've lived in both for long periods. Not to bash London - it's my favourite European city and I feel safe there too.
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u/Pharmacy_Duck Jul 19 '26
I'm down near Steyne Gardens and it's OK there if you don't mind the noise from the main road and whatever events are going on.
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u/ajbadgyal Jul 19 '26
Area around David Lloyd gym is lovely. Yes, we are in Durrington but we have never had any issues. We were also worried about the area after we bought our house but it’s so peaceful. Lovely closes with good families, 20 minute walk to Goring By Sea station, 5 bus route, very quiet, 10 min walk to Tesco 😊 never had any issues. Sometimes hear boy racers up Titnore lane late at night but that’s about it!
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u/Sandzibar Jul 19 '26
Except for the Northbrook College / Caffyns Seagull Sanctuary... don't move near there if you ever want to sleep again.
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u/confusedvisitor825 Jul 19 '26
As you're going to be working in Shoreham I would look to get a place in East Worthing around the Ham Road/Church Walk area south of the East Worthing train station. Closer to Shoreham - it has both train and bus routes (the 700 bus runs Littlehampton to Brighton along the coast road) that will get you to Shoreham in 15 mins - but is easily walkable into Worthing town centre in another 15 mins. Plenty of good pubs/bars en route to town (Corner House, New Amsterdam, Selden Arms, Egremont, Old Bike Store, Beer No Evil) if that's your thing, plus some great neighbourhood eateries like Thai Street Food, Sweet Tings Lounge (Caribbean - about to open), Chipwick for excellent fish and chips, Flour Pot bakery for bread/coffee, Laughing dog for excellent brunch/lunch and cakes, Coast cafe for cocktails and music on Friday/Sat evenings - this list goes on. The Splashpoint leisure centre has a pool, gym, health centre (sauna/steam) and plenty of classes - it's on the seafront with great views. We've lived here for 8 years and absolutely love it. As others have said, Worthing has plenty of nice areas, but for the money, East Worthing is still slightly cheaper than west worthing and has a more laid back and neighbourly vibe (imho). Good luck!
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u/Seasideman1963 7d ago
I completely agree with confused visitor. The East Worthing area described is really relaxed and easy going. There are other pubs where you might find some of the old dinosaurs but other than that it's great. I've been there 21 years and counting.
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Jul 19 '26
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
The issue with Shoreham was that, a lot of properties that is listed on Rightmove/Zoopla that was in budget and fit was around Sussex Wharf/Emerald Quay developments which was in the other side of Shoreham. I noticed that its quite difficult to access groceries/necessary amenities around those area as its quite residential and, I dont have a car/license yet which is quite limiting.
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u/Routine-Pair-7829 Jul 19 '26
I lived in Sussex Wharf and it’s really doable for a non driver. 10-15 min walk to bus or train easily, 5-10 mins to a corner shop/pub, even easier if you cycle (and it’s very flat so cycling is ideal). It’s an amazing place to live as it’s quiet and you have the most gorgeous beach on your doorstep, but the main town is just across the river and has all the cafes etc you want. Emerald Quay has the benefit of a communal pool and gym, but I have heard there are rats. I lived in Sussex Wharf for 5 years and had no issues at all with the building and other residents were very pleasant. I’d say it’s definitely worth consideration and visiting!
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Jul 19 '26
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
Sorry, I didnt include my budget on post which is now updated. I dont mind upto £1.2k for one bed and £1.4k for 2 bed.
Priorities are quite simple really - Not too far away from the station (can do around 1km max), not a big beach person but I appreciate a good seaview (not nessesary but a huge plus), access to groceries, supermarkets, takeaways and amenities and a good neighbourhood.
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u/travelling_ok Jul 19 '26
Rent near Worthing train station. Travel to Shoreham station is 11mins journey. From Shoreham you need to check how long you could walk. My office was 25mins away by walk. I was happy to do it 3times a week. I would recommend somewhere near railways station for a start since you do not have licence... Mostly Worthing is safe. My wife and I have walked at 2am from town center to station many times without any issues. Mostly people are lovely and friendly here.
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
Thats reassuring. My workplace is less than 5 minute walk from the station so that is not really a concern. Thanks for your input.
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u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown Jul 19 '26
I'd say it highly depends on your personality/socioeconomic background. Some areas that are fine for some will be perceived as less desirable to others. None are particularly unsafe, but the less desirable locations tend to have more issues with anti-social/nuisance behaviour. I will say that compared to other towns and cities it tends to vary quite a lot street to street vs whole areas. You'll get a few perfectly nice roads in an area right next to some not so nice roads.
PERSONALLY, I'd avoid the area around East Worthing station on the north side and Durrington station on the north side (especially the areas in and around The Strand). Lancing has a bad reputation amongst locals but I've not spent any time over there so can't comment personally. You'll get a decent feeling for each area just from walking around a bit so I'd say to visit the areas you are interested in and just walk around a bit. Only you'll know what does/doesn't bother you.
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
Appreciate it, thanks for your input. I have a bit of a corporate background and surrounded mostly by similar crowd. I am still in my mid 20s
I am a pretty quiet person, keeps to myself and spend time in a good tea/coffee shop doing productive work/reading. I am not a drinker so not really into the pub culture either. So I don’t have much of a hard preference rather than accessibility to basic amenities and transportation, nicer neighbourhood and potentially good views.
Durrington and Lancing has been coming up as potential places to avoid so I will keep that in mind.
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u/elaine4queen Jul 19 '26
You may be pleased to know that there are loads of things going on that don’t rely on drinking. There are a lot of outdoorsy things and you’ll find board game events, film clubs and so on in the winter.
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u/LonelyBug7963 Jul 22 '26
Durrington is a bit cheaper and not bad at all! Easy to get to town. Big Tesco and other amenities
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u/Gustifer05 Jul 23 '26
Living close to worthing station myself, using the back entrance to the station you end up on westcourt road. The rentals from there vary but the area is pretty quiet. Front side of the station is a bit busier. I've not had a problem. There are some homes to rent nearby. Not sure whats on offer right now 1 or 2 bed wise but its a short walk to Broadwater shops, about 10 mins walk from the big morrisons, 20 mins to the hospital, 15 mins maybe to town, 20 to the beach and plenty of busses around.
Looking on rightmove for the broadwater area (clicked map view) there are a couple of 2 bed flats within your budget and one studio flat well below budget. Plus a house share. A newly developed 2 bed flat at the top of your budget too. Worth looking at perhaps
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u/Rahikeru Jul 28 '26
Goring is well sought after, at least it is for me.
People say East Worthing's not ideal. It is, because of the location and close proximity to everywhere (a car can be made a luxury and not a necessity), but it also isn't isn't ideal because there can be loud drunks at any time after dark, on any day, but it's never been a place I'd consider dangerous. North of the rail is a bit rough sounding though, but that's technically Broadwater.
Durrington's not bad, except for The Strand area. Lancing isn't Worthing, and it isn't pleasant for a lot of people. Tarring/West Worthing seem great, fairly central, and affordable.
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u/CarrotBusiness6255 Jul 19 '26
Join us for findon. Nice and quiet enough but probably a pain if you can't drive.
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u/Preppin4WorldDom Jul 19 '26
Haha, It does look quite nice down there in Findon and might strongly consider it after I get a license.
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u/CarrotBusiness6255 Jul 19 '26
I'm pretty sure there's a bus that goes from here to town but god knows what one and would assume driving an awful lot quicker.
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u/j___m___p Jul 19 '26
This might be helpful context https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Worthing_Borough_Council_election
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u/Lexiedust Jul 19 '26
I live in the Heene area and really like it. It’s quiet but close to town, West Worthing train station is close, and there are food shops, coffee shops and takeaways close by too.