Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02000202

Thornton Heath West

Thornton Heath West is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,929 residents in Croydon. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Croydon
8,929

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,037

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

12,146.6

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

60.9%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

32.9%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

36.8%

Adults with a degree or above

ONS Census 2021 · qualifications

Neighbourhoods most like this one

Closest matches elsewhere in England and Wales, across 14 Census themes. Similarity is statistical, not a recommendation, and says nothing about how anywhere feels to live in.

Rowan Road, Merton9,329 residents · 68.3% owned · 26.0% no carPollards Hill, Merton8,306 residents · 49.4% owned · 29.6% no carStreatham Vale, Lambeth7,559 residents · 53.8% owned · 36.9% no carSouth Chingford, Waltham Forest8,973 residents · 60.0% owned · 27.0% no carMitcham East, Merton9,009 residents · 49.6% owned · 35.9% no carGraveney, Merton8,641 residents · 62.7% owned · 33.6% no car

Most similar within Croydon

The closest matches in the same local authority.

West Thornton North, Croydon9,656 residents · 55.2% owned · 35.7% no carWest Thornton South & Ampere Way, Croydon9,067 residents · 51.1% owned · 31.5% no carNorbury West, Croydon9,025 residents · 52.0% owned · 35.1% no carThornton Heath North East, Croydon8,414 residents · 61.4% owned · 33.8% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Thornton Heath West

People, households and homes at the stated Census geography. These describe the 2021 population, not the occupants of a particular home.

Tenure

Owned60.9%
1,851 households
Private rented30.9%
938 households
Social rented7.5%
229 households
Shared ownership0.6%
17 households
Lives rent free0.1%
2 households
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Terraced58.8%
1,783 households
Semi-detached14.6%
443 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement12.3%
372 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits6.4%
195 households
Detached6.4%
193 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop1.3%
38 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.3%
9 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
0 households
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household46.4%
1,409 households
No cars or vans in household32.9%
999 households
2 cars or vans in household16.5%
500 households
3 or more cars or vans in household4.2%
127 households
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms53%
1,610 households
2 bedrooms19%
577 households
4 or more bedrooms18.6%
566 households
1 bedroom9.3%
282 households
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household58.1%
1,766 households
One-person household23.8%
724 households
Other household types18%
547 households
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household24%
728 households
1 person in household23.9%
724 households
3 people in household18.4%
557 households
4 people in household17.2%
522 households
5 people in household8.3%
253 households
6 people in household6.1%
184 households
8 or more people in household1.1%
34 households
7 people in household1.1%
33 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1518.5%
1,653 residents
15–2920.2%
1,807 residents
30–4420.9%
1,868 residents
45–6427.3%
2,435 residents
65 and over13%
1,163 residents
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African32.9%
2,934 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh31%
2,767 residents
White24.5%
2,185 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups7.2%
639 residents
Other ethnic group4.5%
406 residents
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above36.8%
2,629 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications19.3%
1,382 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications13.7%
980 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications12.1%
864 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications10.4%
742 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship4%
284 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.7%
265 residents aged 16 and over
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)60.3%
4,309 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive37%
2,642 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student2.7%
195 residents aged 16 and over
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations17.7%
1,268 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers13.4%
959 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed11.7%
839 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations11.5%
824 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations11.3%
804 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations10.2%
729 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students10.2%
726 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations9.4%
672 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations4.5%
324 residents aged 16 and over
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health50.2%
4,482 residents
Good health34.6%
3,086 residents
Fair health11.4%
1,022 residents
Bad health3%
272 residents
Very bad health0.8%
67 residents
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act86.7%
7,745 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act13.3%
1,183 residents
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension46%
1,395 households
Household is deprived in one dimension35.1%
1,064 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions15%
455 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions3.6%
109 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.4%
12 households
Thornton Heath West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Each percentage uses its Census table’s own total. Rounding and source categories can affect totals. ONS Census data · OGL v3.0.

How the similarity is worked out

Alike on the Census, which is not the same as alike to live in.

Every neighbourhood is described by its shares across the Census themes above — tenure, housing, cars, household make-up, age, ethnic group, qualifications, work, health and deprivation — each theme weighted equally, which is the approach ONS takes in its own Output Area Classification. The neighbourhoods listed are the closest on those numbers, published in full rather than folded into a score. Nothing here measures schools, crime, prices or what a place is like to be in, and a close match is a statistical fact rather than a suggestion to move.

Browse every neighbourhood in Croydon

Evidence ledger

Source and date are part of the record.

Shared catalogue checked 2026-08-28: 88 candidate data layers listed. Catalogue presence is not publication approval; only separately approved public projections may be shown.