Dalston is one of East London's hipster heartlands. Traditionally working-class it now includes the two neighbourhoods of Kingsland and Shacklewell whilst being really close to Shoreditch, so it's beginning to become a hipsters area. The area has always had a huge shifting immigrants population, from Jews, to the Caribbean community to modern influxes of Turks and Poles. Dalston is a typical multicultural area that is becoming more and more fashionable. Housing in Dalston is in keeping with the London norm. You'll be lucky to get anything for less than £150 but there are more cheap options than in areas closer to the centre. The majority of the housing in Dalston is a combination of 19th and 20th century properties and post-war council estates. Living in Dalston is convenient for those studying at London Metropolitan University or the University of East London. It's also close enough to the centre to commute to many other major campuses. Dalston is connected to the wider city by Dalston Kingsland (Overground) or Dalston Junction (Overground) and potentially by a new Dalston station as part of Crossrail 2.