Parow has a safety index of 31 out of 100 (Higher reported crime). This is a relative measure comparing reported crime across Cape Town suburbs, not an absolute safety guarantee. The Parow precinct recorded approximately 4,748 crimes in the most recent annual period. Absolute crime volume is near the city average.

Parow sits in the mid-range for Cape Town property values. The median is R1.4M, placing it in the 40th percentile, broadly in line with the city median. Note that these figures are based on the City of Cape Town General Valuation 2022 and reflect municipal valuations, not necessarily current market prices.

What are utility costs in Parow?

The median monthly water cost per account in Parow is R1,476, 124% above the city median of R658.

What is the municipal debt in Parow?

As of May 2026, the average outstanding municipal debt per account in Parow is R52,449, 495% above the city median of R8,815. Figures include all account types, so may overstate household debt in areas with commercial activity.

Parow

A suburb with higher reported crime, below-average property values, and well-connected public transport relative to Cape Town.

Safety31/100Safer than 21% of Cape Town suburbs (relative)Property4-600kTop 60%Healthcare17 facilitiesmore access than most suburbs CouncilAbove avg complaints3d median resolution TransportMinibus taxi coveragewell-connected area

Data current as of June 2026

The neighbourhood

What's it like to live here?

Parow is a neighbourhood in Northern Suburbs, Cape Town, where property values are moderate by Cape Town standards. The area's safety profile is below the city average for reported safety. There are several places of worship in the area. The dominant commuter mode is private vehicle.

How is the area changing?

In Parow, crime levels are stable based on the most recent quarterly comparison. Property values have grown above inflation between valuation rolls. The suburb is within a City-designated Development Focus Area, signalling future investment and infrastructure priorities.

What should buyers know?

School and matric pass rate data is limited for Parow. In this area, service complaints are generally resolved within a few days. The suburb is well-served by nearby healthcare facilities.

Neighbourhood summary generated from StreetSignal data and reviewed by our team.

These statistics describe the suburb as a whole. Conditions vary between streets and neighbourhoods within any suburb.

For home buyers & families

Is Parow safe?

Higher reported crime

Higher crimeModerateLower crime

80th percentile among 744 suburbs · based on precinct-level data shared with 28 suburbs · Data: Q4 2025/2026 (Jan–Mar 2026) · relative index, not an absolute safety measure

ModerateAbsolute crime volume

4 748 reported crimes per year · city median: 4 280

↓ 4.3% vs Q3 2024

Crime is higher than most of Cape Town. Contact crime (assault, robbery) dominates the reported crime profile. Check the breakdown below for specifics.

Detailed data

Safety index (resident-adjusted) How is this calculated?: 31 / 100
Contact crime rate: 451,206 per 100k residents
Station population: 60 881
Harm rate (per resident): 26/100
Harm volume (absolute): 37/100
Data period: Q4 2025/2026 (Jan–Mar 2026)
Source: SAPS via DataFirst · CC-BY 4.0

This data reflects crimes reported to SAPS Parow precinct, which covers Parow and surrounding suburbs. Reported crime may differ from actual crime levels.Full methodology

Disagree with this score? Challenge the methodology ›

Source: SAPS via DataFirst · Q4 2025/2026

FOR BUYERS & INVESTORS

What do properties cost in Parow?

40th percentile

City of Cape Town Development Focus Area

Parow is within the Goodwood / Parow / Elsies River Industrial development focus area. The City of Cape Town has designated this area as a development priority, signalling committed public investment in infrastructure, services, and economic opportunity.

Source: CCT District Spatial Development Framework (January 2023). Development focus areas indicate City planning intent, not guaranteed timelines.

Planned development

1 hectares of land in Parow are earmarked for new development across 4 parcels, primarily High Density Residential (1ha).

Source: CCT District Spatial Development Framework (January 2023). Development areas indicate planning designation, not construction timelines.

The median property value in Parow is R1.4M. Property values have grown by 6.2% per year since 2018.

A 6.2% annual growth rate (CAGR) over the valuation period.

Value band distribution – Parow properties (GV2022)

0-200k

2-400k

4-600k ◀

6-800k

800k-1M

1-1.5M

Property values are based on the City of Cape Town's 2022 General Valuation roll. GV is an assessed value for municipal rating purposes; transaction prices frequently exceed GV. Recent sales transaction data and rental market data are not available as open data in South Africa.

Median GV2022: R1,400,000
Value growth (CAGR 2018–2022): +6.2% per year↑ Growing
City-wide value percentile: 40th percentile
Dominant value band: 4-600k
Source: CCT GV 2022 · Open Data Policy 27781
Vintage: General Valuation 2022 (municipal valuation, not current market price)

Source: City of Cape Town GV2022

FOR RESIDENTS

What do utilities cost in Parow?

Computed from City of Cape Town billing data

Water

R1 476 / month

124% above city median

Electricity

R2 936 / month

55% above median of CoCT-billed suburbs

Based on a small number of accounts

Water trend:Dec 2025: R1 579Jan 2026: R1 412Feb 2026: R1 476

Electricity trend:Dec 2025: R2 936Jan 2026: R2 715Feb 2026: R3 216

Monthly cost per account from City of Cape Town billing data. Water coverage: 647 suburbs. Electricity coverage: 384 suburbs.

INVESTMENT ACTIVITY

Development activity in Parow

↓ Decreasing

Parow had 28 building plans approved in the last three financial years (FY22/23 to FY24/25), averaging 9 per year. Most were renovations and extensions.

3-year approvals: 28
Annual average: 9/yr
Avg project value: R1.4M

Building plans approved by the City of Cape Town (2014-2025). Approvals indicate planned investment, not completed construction. This data reflects formal building activity only and does not capture informal construction, backyard dwellings, or building work undertaken without a formal plan submission. In areas with high informality, actual construction activity may be substantially higher than these figures suggest. Source: CoCT Building Development Management (DAMS).

Source: DBE EMIS · Q2 2025

FOR COMMUTERS

How connected is Parow?

Private vehicle dominant

Parow has 53 minibus taxi routes, including routes to the CBD. The most common way people get to work is by private vehicle (79%).

Taxi connectivity

Well connected

53 routes

91st percentile · 44 destinations · CBD-connected

Atlantis(wesfleur), Belhar delft, Bellville, Bellville (via cape town, n1, vanguard dr & voortrekker rd), Bellville (via n2, cape town, n1, vanguard dr & voortrekker rd), Bishop lavis +38 more

Based on CCT minibus taxi route data. Routes matched by name and spatial proximity (500m). Methodology ›

Commute mode share

Anyone relocating to Parow needs a car. The 79% private vehicle share is a socioeconomic profile signal, not a walkability score – in working-class Cape Town suburbs the same walking rate indicates structural necessity. Here it is lifestyle choice.

Private vehicle

79%

Walking

MyCiTi bus

Minibus taxi

12%

Cape Town transport context: In South African cities, transport mode is a socioeconomic proxy – high private vehicle = affluent, high minibus taxi = working class, high walking = structural necessity not preference. StreetSignal reports modal share rather than a walkability index, which would misrepresent SA urban mobility. Methodology ›

Dominant mode: Private vehicle (79%)
Source: CCT Household Survey 2024

Source: City of Cape Town Open Data · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

What are living conditions in Parow?

Full municipal services

Parow has a service delivery index of 99+ out of 100, above the city median of 84.5. 97% of dwellings are formal structures.

Computed from the City of Cape Town 2024 Household Survey, Parow survey group (46 households). direct.

› Monthly accommodation expenditure (R4,835) is 2.9× the city median of R1,674.› High digital connectivity: 93% of households have home internet access.

Access to basic services

99+City median: 85

Piped water: 100.0%
Flush toilet: 100.0%
Weekly refuse: 100.0%
Grid electricity: 100.0%

Housing & tenure – Informal or family-compound housing

97City median: 68

Formal dwellings: 97.2%
Owner-occupied: 35.0%
Rented: 36.4%

Environmental risk – Low risk exposure

3risk index · higher = greater risk · City median: 26

Flooding risk: 0.0%
Fire risk: 2.2%
Violent crime: 0.9%
Non-violent crime: 0.0%

Economic structure – Moderate material pressure

Food spending share: 22.8%; Share of income spent on food
City median: 35.3%
Comfortable, moderate discretionary income · 92nd percentile
Hardship dimensions: 0; Areas of material need (out of 8)
Grant income share: 10.0%; of households receiving grants
Monthly savings: R1,196; Weighted mean per household

Digital inclusion – Fibre-connected suburb

Home fibre: 93.4%; City median: 46.5%
Mobile only: 6.6%
No access: 0.0%

Food security

Adult food insecurity: 2.2%; City median: 18.3%
Child food insecurity: 2.2%; City median: 13.0%
Food insecurity prevalence: 2.2%; City median: 22.3%

Demographics & community

Avg household size: 3.1 people
Avg children per household: 0.7

Asset ownership

Computer access: 76.8%
Fridge ownership: 100.0%
Property ownership: 0.0%
Geyser ownership: 87.8%
Borehole access: 14.3%

Home-based economy

Home-based business: 6.7%; of households operate a home-based business
WFH full-time: 1.8%

Source: City of Cape Town 2024 Household Survey. Survey group: Parow. direct.

Energy access

20%

Free basic electricity

5.6%

City median

20% of electricity connections in Parow receive free basic electricity under the City's indigent support programme. Free basic electricity is a constitutional entitlement providing a monthly allocation to qualifying households. The proportion reflects the reach of the City's indigent support in this suburb, not a measure of poverty.

Source: CCT prepaid electricity data (2025/11/30 to 2026/01/31). Covers prepaid connections only. Credit-metered households are not included. 8,023 connections.

Source: City of Cape Town household survey · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

How responsive are municipal services in Parow?

Responsive

The City of Cape Town resolves service requests in Parow in a median of 3 days, compared to the city-wide median of 1 day. This is based on 8,039 service requests to the City of Cape Town.

Computed from City of Cape Town service request data

Below-average municipal responsiveness. A 3-day median resolution is slower than the city median – infrastructure complaints take meaningfully longer to resolve.

Median days to resolve
City median: 1

12th

Percentile
across Cape Town

27%

Resolved
same day

Suspect Tampering (9%)Plumbing (8%)Sewerage overflow (7%)Power outage (7%)Electrical (4%)

Service requests logged: 8 039
Requests resolved: 58% (4 686 of 8 039)
75% resolved within: 11 days
90% resolved within: 27 days
Source: CCT service request database

Community & faith

Places of worship

4 registered

Christian

Places of worship per suburb from City of Cape Town open data, supplemented with OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Coverage: 373 of 744 suburbs.

Municipal complaints

Complaints & top issues

Above city average

Complaint rate How is this calculated?: 5863.9 per 1,000 households
Total complaints: 7 973
Unresolved: 42.0%

Top issues: Suspect Tampering (685), Plumbing (606), Sewerage overflow (556)

Source: City of Cape Town C3 service requests

MUNICIPAL FINANCE

Municipal debt in Parow

495% above city median

Computed from City of Cape Town financial data

Municipal debt in Parow averages R52 449 per account, compared to the city median of R8 815.

R52 449

per account

495% above city median

Trend:Mar 2026: R52 449Apr 2026: R52 397May 2026: R53 514

Breakdown as of May 2026

Property rates: R3 316 772
Electricity: R9 339 266
Water: R3 730 485
Refuse: R897 427
Sewerage: R1 857 392
City-wide cleaning: R70 150
Improvement district: R0

Outstanding municipal arrears from City of Cape Town financial records. Coverage: 741 suburbs. Per-account figures available for 582 suburbs.

FOR FAMILIES

What services are near Parow?

Well served

Healthcare access

17 within 5km

Nearest public: Parow Clinic/CDC · Clinic · 0.4 km
Nearest private: Cape Eye Hospital · Private Hospital · 2.4 km
Public facilities: 12
Private facilities: 5

This suburb has access to both public and private healthcare within 5 km.

The nearest fire station to Parow is Goodwood, 2.4 km away. The nearest public pool is Parow Valley Swimming Pool, 1.1 km away. The nearest clinic is Parow Clinic/Cdc, 0.4 km away.

Nearest clinic: Parow Clinic/Cdc · 0.4 km
Nearest library: Parow · 0.6 km
Nearest park / open space: Da Gama Park · 0.36 km