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Somerset West

Safety 75/100 Safer than 73% of Cape Town suburbs (relative) Property 1-1.5M Top 32% Schools 8 nearby Healthcare 6 facilities more access than most suburbs Council Below avg complaints 2d median resolution Transport Minibus taxi coverage well-connected area

Data current as of

The neighbourhood

What's it like to live here?

Somerset West is a neighbourhood in Helderberg, Cape Town, where property values sit in the middle-to-upper range for Cape Town. The area's safety profile is among the more challenging areas for reported safety in Cape Town. There are several places of worship in the area. The dominant commuter mode is private vehicle. Policing falls under the Somerset West SAPS precinct.

How is the area changing?

In Somerset West, crime levels are stable based on the most recent quarterly comparison. Property values have broadly tracked inflation between valuation rolls.

What should buyers know?

Somerset West is well-served by schools. 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 Somerset West safe?

Lower reported crime

83rd percentile among 744 suburbs · relative index, not an absolute safety measure

Low Absolute crime volume
8 016 reported crimes per year · city median: 10 468
↓ 2.2% vs Q3 2024
Crime is low by Cape Town standards. Contact crime (assault, robbery) dominates the reported crime profile.

Detailed data

Safety index (resident-adjusted) How is this calculated? 75 / 100
Contact crime rate 401,600 per 100k residents
Station population 67 476
Harm rate (per resident) 78/100
Harm volume (absolute) 72/100
Data period Q3 2025/2026 (Oct–Dec 2025)
Source SAPS via DataFirst · CC-BY 4.0

This data reflects crimes reported to SAPS Somerset West precinct, which covers Somerset West 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

Read more: Safest suburbs in Cape Town (2026): what the data actually shows

FOR BUYERS & INVESTORS

What do properties cost in Somerset West?

68th percentile

The median property value in Somerset West is R2.5M. Property values have grown by 4.7% per year since 2018.

A 4.7% annual growth rate (CAGR) over the valuation period.
Value band distribution – Somerset West properties (GV2022)

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 R2,510,000
Value growth (CAGR 2018–2022) +4.7% per year ↑ Growing
City-wide value percentile 68th 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 Somerset West?

8 schools nearby

Somerset West has 8 schools within reach. Schools include Altena Primary School.

Matric results: pass rate data currently covers 157 of 744 suburbs. Somerset West will surface when DBE suburb-level data is processed in the next pipeline run. About coverage ›
Q2
Altena Primary School
Public · Grades R–7 · 1,162 learners · 31.4:1 learner-educator ratio
No-fee school
IND
Bizweni Primary School
Independent · Grades R–7 · 166 learners · 15.1:1 learner-educator ratio
PrivateQuintile 5School fees applyFavourable class size
IND
Curro Somerset West
Independent · Grades R–12 · 485 learners · 11.3:1 learner-educator ratio
PrivateNo-fee schoolFavourable class size
IND
Montgomery And Miller Academy
Independent · Grades R–12 · 72 learners · 6:1 learner-educator ratio
PrivateFavourable class size
IND
Manah Private Academy
Independent · Grades R–12 · 37 learners · 7.4:1 learner-educator ratio
PrivateFavourable class size
IND
Tereo Project
Independent · Grades R–7 · 111 learners · 15.9:1 learner-educator ratio
PrivateNo-fee schoolFavourable class size
Q5
Somerset-Wes Laerskool
Public · Grades R–7 · 915 learners · 25.4:1 learner-educator ratio
Quintile 5School fees applyFavourable class size
Q5
Somerset-Wes Met Primary School
Public · Grades R–7 · 832 learners · 36.2:1 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 Somerset West?

Private vehicle dominant

Somerset West has 70 minibus taxi routes. The most common way people get to work is by private vehicle (92%).

Taxi connectivity Ranks this suburb's taxi route access against all 744 Cape Town suburbs. Based on routes matched by name and within 500m of suburb centre. Large suburbs may have higher actual connectivity than shown. Full methodology ›

Well connected
70 routes
92nd percentile · 52 destinations
Advanced medical technology(somerset west), Cassablanca, Diaz street(somerset west), Drama street(somerset west), Firgrove, Firgrove (r102) +46 more
Based on CCT minibus taxi route data. Routes matched by name and spatial proximity (500m). Methodology ›

Commute mode share

Anyone relocating to Somerset West needs a car. The 92% 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
92%
Walking
2%
Minibus taxi
6%
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 (92%)
Source CCT Household Survey 2024

Source: City of Cape Town Open Data · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

What are living conditions in Somerset West?

Full municipal services

Somerset West has a service delivery index of 98.2 out of 100, above the city median of 84.5. 99% of dwellings are formal structures.

Computed from the City of Cape Town 2024 Household Survey , Somerset West survey group (57 households). direct.

10% of households have experienced flooding
› Monthly accommodation expenditure (R3,048) is 1.8× the city median of R1,674.› 10% of households have experienced flooding, indicating elevated environmental vulnerability.

Access to basic services

98 City median: 85
Piped water
99.0%
Flush toilet
94.4%
Weekly refuse
99.7%
Grid electricity
99.7%

Housing & tenure – Mixed tenure community

99 City median: 68
Formal dwellings
98.6%
Owner-occupied
64.3%
Rented
21.9%

Environmental risk – Elevated risk exposure

37 risk index · higher = greater risk · City median: 26
Flooding risk
10.1%
Fire risk
0.0%
Violent crime
2.1%
Non-violent crime
2.2%

Economic structure – Moderate material pressure

Food spending share
35.8%
Share of income spent on food
City median: 35.3%
Comfortable, moderate discretionary income · 56th percentile
Hardship dimensions
0
Areas of material need (out of 8)
Grant income share
16.0%
of households receiving grants
Monthly savings
R498
Weighted mean per household

Spending priorities – top priority: Food

Food
86.5%
of households prioritise
Electricity
79.9%
of households prioritise
Petrol/transport
76.1%
of households prioritise
Rent/bond
26.1%
of households prioritise
School fees
22.4%
of households prioritise

Digital inclusion – Fibre-connected suburb

Home fibre
78.4%
City median: 46.5%
Mobile only
10.8%
No access
4.3%

Food security

Adult food insecurity
4.2%
City median: 18.3%
Child food insecurity
0.0%
City median: 13.0%
Food insecurity prevalence
6.8%
City median: 22.3%

Demographics & community

Avg household size
2.7 people
Avg children per household
0.5

Asset ownership

Computer access
79.7%
Fridge ownership
95.4%
Property ownership
1.1%
Geyser ownership
87.3%
Borehole access
8.9%

Home-based economy

Home-based business
17.3%
of households operate a home-based business
WFH full-time
1.9%
WFH part-time
2.0%

How Somerset West compares

Food insecurity 77% below the city average for adult food insecurity
Material hardship 87% below the city average for material hardship
Income 2.0× the city average for median household income
Asset ownership 34% above the city average for household asset ownership

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

Energy access
16%
Free basic electricity
5.6%
City median

16% of electricity connections in Somerset West 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. 14,411 connections.

Source: City of Cape Town household survey · 2024

FOR RESIDENTS

How responsive are municipal services in Somerset West?

Responsive

The City of Cape Town resolves service requests in Somerset West in a median of 2 days, compared to the city-wide median of 1 day. This is based on 5,638 service requests to the City of Cape Town.

Computed from City of Cape Town service request data
Below-average municipal responsiveness. A 2-day median resolution is slower than the city median – infrastructure complaints take meaningfully longer to resolve.
2
Median days to resolve
City median: 1
41st
Percentile
across Cape Town
26%
Resolved
same day
Sewerage overflow (12%)Burst pipe (6%)Power outage (5%)No supply (4%)Water leak (4%)
Service requests logged 5 638
Requests resolved 72% (4 085 of 5 638)
75% resolved within 8 days
90% resolved within 26 days
Source CCT service request database
Community & faith

Places of worship

7 registered
Christian
6
Jewish
1

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

Municipal complaints

Complaints & top issues

Below city average
Complaint rate How is this calculated? 952.7 per 1,000 households
Total complaints 5 517
Unresolved 28.0%

Top issues: SEW: Blocked/Overflow (657), WAT: Burst Pipe (331), No Power (281)

Source: City of Cape Town C3 service requests

FOR FAMILIES

What services are near Somerset West?

Well served

Healthcare access

6 within 5km
Nearest public Somerset West CDC · Community Day Centre · 0.8 km
Nearest private Mediclinic Vergelegen · Private Hospital · 0.5 km
Public facilities 4
Private facilities 2

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

The nearest fire station to Somerset West is Somerset West, 1.2 km away. The nearest public pool is Strand Swimming Pool, 4.5 km away. The nearest clinic is Mediclinic Vergelegen, 0.5 km away.

Nearest clinic Mediclinic Vergelegen · 0.5 km
Nearest library Somerset West · 0.7 km
Nearest park / open space Gordon Road Park 2 · 0.04 km

Fire station

1.2
km to nearest
fire station
Somerset West
community station
within-5km
response
category

Cape Town has 32 fire stations serving 744 suburbs. Source: CCT open data.

Public swimming pools

4.5
km to nearest
public pool
1
pools
within 5 km
1
pools
within 10 km
Nearest pool Strand Swimming Pool

Cape Town operates 35 public swimming pools. Source: CCT open data.

Distances straight-line from suburb centroid.

Source: City of Cape Town facility registry

Similar suburbs

Audas Estate R1.5-2M
75 →
Berbago R1.5-2M
75 →
Heritage Park R1.5-2M
75 →
Diep River R1-1.5M
77 →
Plumstead R1.5-2M
77 →
Explore surrounding areas

Bordering suburbs

32 adjacent

Suburbs that border or sit adjacent to Somerset West. Each has its own safety profile, property market, and service data.

Audas Estate Bene Township Bizweni Boskloof Bridgebank Bridgewater Carey Park Carwick Erinvale Estate Gants Park Garden Village Goedehoop Golden Acre Helderzicht Heritage Park Humanshof Kalamunda Land En Zeezicht Longdown Estate Martinville Morningside Rome Glen Roundhay Silvertas Somerset West Country Club Stellenbosch Farms Strand Strand Golf Club Strandvale Stuarts Hill Van Der Stel Victoria Park
Further reading

Related articles

Cape Town Crime Statistics by Suburb (2026 Data)
2026-03-18
Safe Affordable Suburbs in Cape Town (2026 Data)
2026-03-08
10 Safest Suburbs in Cape Town (2026 Crime Data)
2026-03-08
Is Somerset West Safe? 7/100 Safety Score (2026)
2026-04-24
Building on this data? Access all 744 suburbs via the free REST API or explore commercial access.
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Somerset West · -34.0863°S, 18.8564°E

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