Living in Novena
Novena scores 71/100 median overall across 84 HDB blocks and about 46,640 residents. It is strongest on schools and daily needs, and weakest on value (lease). Median commute to the city centre is about 27 minutes.
How Novena scores
- Transport
- 50
- Food
- 76
- Schools
- 100
- Healthcare
- 83
- Daily needs
- 90
- Green space
- 78
- Connectivity
- 57
- Value (lease)
- 32
- Leisure
- 69
Commute by public transport
- Raffles Placecity centre
- 27min
- one-north
- 38min
- Jurong East
- 56min
- Changi Airport
- 58min
Median door-to-door minutes, weekday 08:00, OneMap routing. Compare all towns →
What Novena is like to live in
Novena is a compact HDB town of 84 scored blocks housing roughly 46,640 residents. Across the nine liveability pillars its clearest strengths are schools and daily needs, while value (lease) is where it lags relative to the rest of Singapore. On our persona composites it reads best for young families, scoring 78/100 for that group.
Getting around and to work
The median block in Novena reaches Raffles Place in about 27 minutes by public transport on a weekday morning, and the town’s best-connected blocks are faster still. Commute varies block to block, so screen against the job hub that matters to you — the CBD, one-north, Jurong East or Changi — rather than the town average alone.
Where to look within Novena
Novena spans 1 subzone — Balestier. The highest-scoring blocks below are a good starting shortlist; open any block for its full scores, nearest amenities with walk times, and exact commute itinerary.
Highest-scoring blocks in Novena
Who lives here
Census 2020 · Novena planning area- Age profile
- In Novena, 15.6% of residents are under 15 and 17.6% are 65 or older.
- 45–498.8%40–448.5%35–397.4%50–547.3%
- Household income
- 47.7% of Novena households earn $10,000 or more a month (gross, from work).
- $20,000+27.4%No working person15.6%$2,000–2,9994.7%$15,000–17,4994.6%
- Dwelling mix
- 45.8% of Novena households live in HDB flats; 53.8% in condominiums or landed homes.
- Condominiums and other apartments41.8%HDB 3 room flats18.3%HDB 4 room flats15.4%Landed properties12%
- Household size
- 43.4% of Novena households are one or two people; 2-person households are the most common.
- 2-person23.5%1-person19.9%3-person18.4%4-person17.6%
- In education
- Of Novena residents currently in education, 19.3% attend polytechnic or university.
- Primary40.7%Secondary23.3%University13%Pre primary8.3%
- Commute to work
- 47.8% of working Novena residents commute by public transport; 39.3% drive or ride.
- Car31%MRT LRT and bus21.4%Bus17.1%No transport required10.8%
Resident data for the Novena planning area, Census 2020 — Singapore Department of Statistics, via OneMap (Singapore Land Authority).