Athlone 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 Athlone precinct recorded approximately 12,048 crimes in the most recent annual period. Absolute crime volume is above the city average.

Is Athlone affordable?

Athlone sits in the mid-range for Cape Town property values. The median is R1.4M, placing it in the 38th 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.

Athlone

Safety 31/100 Safer than 34% of Cape Town suburbs (relative) Property 1-1.5M Top 62% Schools 7 86% matric pass rate Healthcare 27 facilities more access than most suburbs Council Near avg complaints 1d median resolution Transport Minibus taxi coverage well-connected area

Data current as of March 2026

The neighbourhood

What's it like to live here?

Athlone is a neighbourhood in Southern Suburbs, Cape Town, where property values are moderate by Cape Town standards. The area's safety profile is among the more challenging areas for reported safety in Cape Town. There is a strong presence of places of worship serving the community. The dominant commuter mode is private vehicle. Policing falls under the Athlone SAPS precinct.

How is the area changing?

In Athlone, crime is declining based on the most recent quarterly comparison. Property values have broadly tracked inflation between valuation rolls. The suburb is within a City-designated Development Focus Area, signalling future investment and infrastructure priorities.

What should buyers know?

Athlone is well-served by schools, and matric results sit slightly below the city average. In this area, the City typically resolves service complaints promptly. 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 Athlone safe?

Higher reported crime

Higher crime Moderate Lower crime

85th percentile among 744 suburbs · relative index, not an absolute safety measure

High Absolute crime volume

12 048 reported crimes per year · city median: 10 468

↓ 12.1% vs Q3 2024

Crime is higher than most of Cape Town but has been decreasing over the past year. 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 725,392 per 100k residents

Station population 80 519

Harm rate (per resident) 30/100

Harm volume (absolute) 33/100

Data period Q3 2025/2026 (Oct–Dec 2025)

Source SAPS via DataFirst · CC-BY 4.0

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

Disagree with this score? Challenge the methodology ›

Source: SAPS via DataFirst · Q3 2025/2026

FOR BUYERS & INVESTORS

What do properties cost in Athlone?

38th percentile

City of Cape Town Development Focus Area

Athlone is within the Athlone 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

4 hectares of land in Athlone are earmarked for new development across 1 parcel, primarily Mixed Use (4ha).

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

The median property value in Athlone is R1.4M. Property values have grown by 4.6% per year since 2018.

A 4.6% annual growth rate (CAGR) over the valuation period.

Value band distribution – Athlone properties (GV2022)

4-600k

6-800k

800k-1M

1-1.5M ◀

1.5-2M

2-2.5M

2.5-3M

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 R1,350,000

Value growth (CAGR 2018–2022) +4.6% per year ↑ Growing

City-wide value percentile 38th percentile

Dominant value band 1-1.5M

Source CCT GV 2022 · Open Data Policy 27781

Source: City of Cape Town GV2022

FOR PARENTS

How are schools in Athlone?

7 schools nearby

Athlone has 7 schools within reach. The area matric pass rate is 85.8%, below the city median of 90.0%. Schools include Al-Azhar High School.

Adjusted pass rate

85.8%

City median: 90.0%

Schools contributing

312 candidates

Median quintile

Q4-Q5

IND

Al-Azhar High School

Independent · Grades 8–12 · 496 learners · 16:1 learner-educator ratio

PrivateFavourable class size

IND

Little Greenies Preparatory

Independent · Grades R–7 · 35 learners · 11.7:1 learner-educator ratio

PrivateFavourable class size

Alicedale Primary School

Public · Grades R–7 · 570 learners · 31.7:1 learner-educator ratio

Quintile 5School fees apply

Garlandale Primary School

Public · Grades R–7 · 341 learners · 26.2:1 learner-educator ratio

Quintile 5School fees applyFavourable class size

Garlandale Sekondêr

Public · Grades 8–12 · 782 learners · 30.1:1 learner-educator ratio

Quintile 5School fees apply

Ned Doman High School

Public · Grades 8–12 · 620 learners · 31:1 learner-educator ratio

St. Raphael'S Rc Primary School

Public · Grades R–7 · 671 learners · 35.3:1 learner-educator ratio

Quintile 5School fees apply

Quintile 5 is the highest government-funding category - fees apply, but these are the best-resourced public schools in South Africa. Rankings set by the WCED against community socioeconomic index. Learner-educator ratio (LER) is from EMIS Q2 2025; under 30:1 is favourable by WCED standards, over 40:1 indicates strained capacity. What quintile means ›

Source: DBE EMIS · Q2 2025

FOR COMMUTERS

How connected is Athlone?

Private vehicle dominant

Athlone has 34 minibus taxi routes, including routes to the CBD. The most common way people get to work is by private vehicle (83%).

Taxi connectivity

Well connected

34 routes

82nd percentile · 19 destinations · CBD-connected

Athlone, Athlone (via klip rd, plantation, wetton, lansdowne & jan smuts dr), Athlone (via m5 & klipfontein rd), Athlone (via m5, ottery rd, rosmead, milner & klipfontein), Bonteheuwel, Bridgetown +13 more

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

Commute mode share

Anyone relocating to Athlone needs a car. The 83% 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

83%

Walking

12%

Minibus taxi

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 (83%)

Source CCT Household Survey 2024

Source: City of Cape Town Open Data · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

What are living conditions in Athlone?

Full municipal services

Athlone has a service delivery index of 96.8 out of 100, above the city median of 84.5. 91% of dwellings are formal structures.

Computed from the City of Cape Town 2024 Household Survey , Athlone survey group (84 households). direct.

Home fibre internet reaches 87% of households

› High digital connectivity: 87% of households have home internet access.

Access to basic services

97 City median: 85

Piped water

94.6%

Flush toilet

94.3%

Weekly refuse

99.0%

Grid electricity

99.4%

Housing & tenure – Mixed tenure community

91 City median: 68

Formal dwellings

91.0%

Owner-occupied

62.4%

Rented

12.3%

Environmental risk – Low risk exposure

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

Flooding risk

1.7%

Fire risk

1.2%

Violent crime

2.9%

Non-violent crime

0.1%

Economic structure – Moderate material pressure

Food spending share

33.1%

Share of income spent on food
City median: 35.3%
Comfortable, moderate discretionary income · 65th percentile

Hardship dimensions

Areas of material need (out of 8)

Grant income share

24.0%

of households receiving grants

Monthly savings

R629

Weighted mean per household

Spending priorities – top priority: Food

Food

71.6%

of households prioritise

Electricity

61.3%

of households prioritise

Petrol/transport

48.5%

of households prioritise

Rent/bond

20.6%

of households prioritise

School fees

10.3%

of households prioritise

Digital inclusion – Fibre-connected suburb

Home fibre

87.1%

City median: 46.5%

Mobile only

10.4%

No access

2.6%

Food security

Adult food insecurity

1.2%

City median: 18.3%

Child food insecurity

1.4%

City median: 13.0%

Food insecurity prevalence

4.0%

City median: 22.3%

Demographics & community

Avg household size

3.4 people

Avg children per household

0.6

Asset ownership

Computer access

77.5%

Fridge ownership

98.6%

Property ownership

1.4%

Geyser ownership

82.8%

Borehole access

12.2%

Home-based economy

Home-based business

9.2%

of households operate a home-based business

WFH full-time

5.5%

WFH part-time

0.2%

How Athlone compares

Food insecurity 93% below the city average for adult food insecurity

Material hardship 73% below the city average for material hardship

Income 4.0× the city average for median household income

Food spend share 6% below the city average for food expenditure share

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

Energy access

20%

Free basic electricity

5.6%

City median

20% of electricity connections in Athlone 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. 9,239 connections.

Source: City of Cape Town household survey · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

How responsive are municipal services in Athlone?

Highly responsive

The City of Cape Town resolves service requests in Athlone in a median of 1 day, compared to the city-wide median of 1 day. This is based on 16,071 service requests to the City of Cape Town.

Computed from City of Cape Town service request data

Infrastructure problems get fixed fast. The median resolution under one day means Athlone residents experience responsive municipal service – a signal of well-maintained infrastructure and efficient complaint routing.

Median days to resolve
City median: 1

49th

Percentile
across Cape Town

39%

Resolved
same day

Power outage (22%)Sewerage overflow (7%)Street lights out (6%)Suspect Tampering (4%)Duplicate (3%)

Service requests logged 16 071

Requests resolved 80% (12 936 of 16 071)

75% resolved within 5 days

90% resolved within 14 days

Source CCT service request database

Community & faith

Places of worship

20 registered

Christian

Islamic

Other

Registered places of worship per suburb from City of Cape Town open data. Coverage: 299 of 744 suburbs.

Municipal complaints

Complaints & top issues

Near city average

Complaint rate How is this calculated? 1650.5 per 1,000 households

Total complaints 16 004

Unresolved 20.0%

Top issues: No Power (3 584), SEW: Blocked/Overflow (1 156), Street Lights - All Lights Out (1 017)

Source: City of Cape Town C3 service requests

FOR FAMILIES

What services are near Athlone?

Well served

Healthcare access

27 within 5km

Nearest public Hazendal Satellite · Community Day Centre · 0.9 km

Nearest private Rondebosch Medical Centre · Private Hospital · 1.9 km

Public facilities 20

Private facilities 7

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

The nearest fire station to Athlone is Wynberg, 4.8 km away. The nearest public pool is Athlone Swimming Pool, 1.4 km away. The nearest clinic is Hazendal Satellite, 0.9 km away.

Nearest clinic Hazendal Satellite · 0.9 km

Nearest library Athlone · 0.6 km

Nearest park / open space Grassmere Street Park · 0.07 km