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Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood
vs Thornton Heath

Thornton Heath has the younger population: 20% of residents are aged 15–29, against 16% in Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood. Homes in Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood sold for a median of £440,000, 10% above Thornton Heath. Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood has more green space nearby (22% within 500 m, against 11%).

Map of Croydon with Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood highlighted
Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood
345 postcodes
Map of Croydon with Thornton Heath highlighted
Thornton Heath
251 postcodes
Map of Croydon
Croydon
city average

People

Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood has 16,351 residents in 7,218 households; Thornton Heath has 17,995 in 7,070. Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood has the higher share of residents aged 65 and over: 12%, 1.8 percentage points more than Thornton Heath (Croydon: 14%). Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood has the higher share of people living alone: 34%, 4.1 percentage points more than Thornton Heath (Croydon: 28%).

16,351Residents (2021)
17,995Residents (2021)
390,719Residents (2021)
7,218Households
7,070Households
152,945Households
15.5%Aged 15–29
19.9%Aged 15–29
18.3%Aged 15–29
12.3%Aged 65 and over
10.5%Aged 65 and over
13.6%Aged 65 and over
34.2%Living alone
30.1%Living alone
28.2%Living alone

Homes and prices

The most common type of home is flats in Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood (43%) and terraced houses in Thornton Heath (34%). Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 55%, 4.1 percentage points more than Thornton Heath (Croydon: 55%). Thornton Heath has the higher share of private renting: 29%, 3.4 percentage points more than Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood (Croydon: 26%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £440,000 in Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood and £400,000 in Thornton Heath, against £425,000 across Croydon.

£440,000Median sale price
£400,000Median sale price
£425,000Median sale price
54.8%Owner-occupied
50.7%Owner-occupied
54.7%Owner-occupied
25.7%Private renting
29.1%Private renting
25.8%Private renting
17.6%Social renting
18.6%Social renting
17.9%Social renting
8.0%Detached houses
4.4%Detached houses
12.2%Detached houses
15.4%Semi-detached houses
18.7%Semi-detached houses
24.7%Semi-detached houses
15.5%Terraced houses
33.8%Terraced houses
23.3%Terraced houses
42.7%Flats
24.9%Flats
29.0%Flats

Surroundings

Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood has the higher share of land within 500 m that is green space: 22%, 10.8 percentage points more than Thornton Heath (Croydon: 14%). A typical postcode has 179 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood, and 118 in Thornton Heath. The typical postcode is 264 m from the nearest school in Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood and 301 m in Thornton Heath. The typical postcode is 1,113 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood and 708 m in Thornton Heath. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 77% of premises in Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood and 88% in Thornton Heath.

21.6%Green space within 500 m
10.8%Green space within 500 m
14.2%Green space within 500 m
179Services within 15 min (median)
118Services within 15 min (median)
105Services within 15 min (median)
264 mNearest school (median)
301 mNearest school (median)
–Nearest school (median)
1.1 kmNearest tram or rail (median)
708 mNearest tram or rail (median)
–Nearest tram or rail (median)
0Postcodes in flood risk areas
0Postcodes in flood risk areas
335Postcodes in flood risk areas
76.6%Gigabit broadband (premises)
88.5%Gigabit broadband (premises)
88.2%Gigabit broadband (premises)

Safety

Over 12 months, police recorded 83 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood and 109 in Thornton Heath, against 108 across Croydon. Police.uk records crimes by approximate location, not by where victims or offenders live. Busy streets, shops, stations and nightlife record more. Figures are counts, not a measure of personal risk.

83Recorded crime per 1,000 residents
109Recorded crime per 1,000 residents
108Recorded crime per 1,000 residents

Sources: Census 2021 (ONS) · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data · official school registers · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Environment Agency · data.police.uk, 12 months to Aug 2026 · Ofcom Connected Nations

In brief.

Each ward in a few lines, from its own page.

Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood

Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood is one of 28 wards in Croydon, home to 16,351 people in 7,218 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £440,000 over the past two years, 4% above the Croydon median. On average 22% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 52% above the Croydon average.

Thornton Heath

Thornton Heath is one of 28 wards in Croydon, home to 17,995 people in 7,070 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £400,000 over the past two years, 6% below the Croydon median. On average 11% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 24% below the Croydon average.

More comparisons.

Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood and Thornton Heath next to other wards of Croydon.

Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood vs Norbury ParkCrystal Palace & Upper Norwood vs South NorwoodCrystal Palace & Upper Norwood vs Bensham ManorThornton Heath vs Bensham ManorThornton Heath vs South NorwoodThornton Heath vs Norbury ParkAll wards of Croydon