Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02000314

West Thamesmead

West Thamesmead is a Census neighbourhood of about 14,106 residents in Greenwich. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Greenwich
14,106

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,537

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,429.6

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

33.5%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

37.7%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

40.5%

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.

Erith East, Bexley8,176 residents · 41.4% owned · 36.5% no carLonesome, Merton9,323 residents · 49.1% owned · 34.1% no carThornton Heath North West, Croydon8,888 residents · 47.3% owned · 40.8% no carCrossway Park, Bexley8,062 residents · 42.6% owned · 34.2% no carWaddon South, Croydon10,857 residents · 45.1% owned · 31.3% no carCreekmouth & Barking Riverside, Barking and Dagenham14,055 residents · 40.1% owned · 35.0% no car

Most similar within Greenwich

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Abbey Wood South, Greenwich7,041 residents · 47.5% owned · 37.0% no carPlumstead Common & Riverside, Greenwich10,618 residents · 33.1% owned · 45.1% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in West Thamesmead

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

Tenure

Private rented37%
1,679 households
Owned33.5%
1,521 households
Social rented25.5%
1,156 households
Shared ownership3.6%
165 households
Lives rent free0.4%
16 households
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement38.7%
1,754 households
Terraced33.8%
1,531 households
Semi-detached19.3%
876 households
Detached6.6%
299 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits1%
47 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.4%
19 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.2%
8 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
2 households
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household46.3%
2,102 households
No cars or vans in household37.7%
1,708 households
2 cars or vans in household13%
589 households
3 or more cars or vans in household3%
137 households
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

2 bedrooms46.2%
2,095 households
3 bedrooms27.6%
1,250 households
1 bedroom15.5%
703 households
4 or more bedrooms10.8%
488 households
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household62.8%
2,845 households
One-person household24.9%
1,130 households
Other household types12.3%
556 households
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household24.9%
1,130 households
2 people in household23.8%
1,080 households
3 people in household19.3%
877 households
4 people in household18.2%
827 households
5 people in household8.4%
379 households
6 people in household3.7%
166 households
7 people in household0.9%
42 households
8 or more people in household0.8%
35 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1523.2%
3,268 residents
15–2922.2%
3,130 residents
30–4424.9%
3,513 residents
45–6424.8%
3,493 residents
65 and over5%
700 residents
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African43.9%
6,195 residents
White34.4%
4,847 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh10.4%
1,472 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups7.1%
1,001 residents
Other ethnic group4.2%
590 residents
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above40.5%
4,316 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications15.9%
1,698 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications13.5%
1,440 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications12.8%
1,362 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications9.8%
1,044 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship4%
431 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.4%
357 residents aged 16 and over
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)60.6%
6,457 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive35.7%
3,803 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student3.7%
390 residents aged 16 and over
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations17%
1,807 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed14.1%
1,497 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations12.3%
1,309 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations11.6%
1,234 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers11.2%
1,192 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students10.6%
1,129 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations9.5%
1,008 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations9.1%
974 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations4.7%
500 residents aged 16 and over
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health55.8%
7,874 residents
Good health30.3%
4,273 residents
Fair health9.8%
1,383 residents
Bad health3.2%
446 residents
Very bad health0.9%
129 residents
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act86.1%
12,151 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act13.9%
1,955 residents
West Thamesmead · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension43.9%
1,991 households
Household is deprived in one dimension35.2%
1,596 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions15.1%
683 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions5.6%
254 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.3%
12 households
West Thamesmead · 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 Greenwich

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.