Fairfield
vs Waddon
Fairfield has the younger population: 26% of residents are aged 15–29, against 19% in Waddon. Homes in Waddon sold for a median of £330,000, 7% above Fairfield. Waddon has more green space nearby (13% within 500 m, against 4%).
People
Fairfield has 15,642 residents in 7,499 households; Waddon has 18,842 in 7,421. Waddon has the higher share of residents aged 65 and over: 10%, 5.6 percentage points more than Fairfield (Croydon: 14%). Fairfield has the higher share of people living alone: 39%, 7.1 percentage points more than Waddon (Croydon: 28%).
Homes and prices
In both, flats are the most common type of home: 71% of homes in Fairfield and 42% in Waddon. Waddon has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 45%, 22.2 percentage points more than Fairfield (Croydon: 55%). Fairfield has the higher share of private renting: 58%, 30 percentage points more than Waddon (Croydon: 26%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £308,000 in Fairfield and £330,000 in Waddon, against £425,000 across Croydon.
Surroundings
Waddon has the higher share of land within 500 m that is green space: 13%, 8.7 percentage points more than Fairfield (Croydon: 14%). A typical postcode has 355 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in Fairfield, and 221 in Waddon. The typical postcode is 305 m from the nearest school in Fairfield and 301 m in Waddon. The typical postcode is 261 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in Fairfield and 466 m in Waddon. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 76% of premises in Fairfield and 88% in Waddon.
Safety
Over 12 months, police recorded 354 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in Fairfield and 127 in Waddon, 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.
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.
Fairfield is one of 28 wards in Croydon, home to 15,642 people in 7,499 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £308,000 over the past two years, 28% below the Croydon median. On average 4% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 70% below the Croydon average.
Waddon is one of 28 wards in Croydon, home to 18,842 people in 7,421 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £330,000 over the past two years, 22% below the Croydon median. On average 13% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 9% below the Croydon average.
More comparisons.
Fairfield and Waddon next to other wards of Croydon.