Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02000680

Upper Sydenham

Upper Sydenham is a Census neighbourhood of about 7,035 residents in Lewisham. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Lewisham
7,035

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

2,913

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

9,170

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

44.4%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

47.0%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

52.4%

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.

Gipsy Hill, Lambeth7,665 residents · 37.4% owned · 47.9% no carNorth Dulwich, Southwark7,487 residents · 34.9% owned · 56.0% no carCroydon Minster & Waddon North, Croydon11,925 residents · 40.3% owned · 48.3% no carBounds Green, Haringey7,988 residents · 40.6% owned · 40.3% no carRoehampton North East, Wandsworth10,767 residents · 42.6% owned · 42.0% no carWest Norwood East, Lambeth9,533 residents · 42.7% owned · 47.7% no car

Most similar within Lewisham

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Perry Vale, Lewisham8,134 residents · 48.0% owned · 44.0% no carSydenham Wells, Lewisham8,131 residents · 41.4% owned · 45.5% no carLower Sydenham, Lewisham8,267 residents · 45.6% owned · 43.8% no carBrockley West, Lewisham8,295 residents · 36.3% owned · 49.3% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Upper Sydenham

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

Tenure

Owned44.4%
1,293 households
Social rented31.6%
921 households
Private rented21.8%
636 households
Shared ownership1.8%
51 households
Lives rent free0.4%
12 households
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement53.8%
1,566 households
Terraced19.2%
559 households
Semi-detached10.2%
298 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits10.1%
294 households
Detached3.5%
102 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop1.7%
50 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse1.1%
31 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.4%
11 households
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

No cars or vans in household47%
1,370 households
1 car or van in household43.7%
1,273 households
2 cars or vans in household7.5%
218 households
3 or more cars or vans in household1.8%
52 households
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

2 bedrooms40.1%
1,166 households
3 bedrooms27.1%
790 households
1 bedroom19.6%
569 households
4 or more bedrooms13.2%
385 households
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household59.4%
1,729 households
One-person household30.4%
884 households
Other household types10.2%
298 households
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household31.5%
918 households
1 person in household30.4%
884 households
3 people in household17.9%
522 households
4 people in household13.1%
382 households
5 people in household4.5%
130 households
6 people in household1.2%
36 households
7 people in household0.8%
22 households
8 or more people in household0.5%
16 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1520.3%
1,427 residents
15–2917.6%
1,241 residents
30–4426.6%
1,872 residents
45–6425.3%
1,778 residents
65 and over10.2%
716 residents
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White54.7%
3,849 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African24.9%
1,752 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups8.6%
605 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh7.2%
504 residents
Other ethnic group4.6%
326 residents
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above52.4%
2,886 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications13.1%
722 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications13.1%
719 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications9.5%
523 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications6.5%
356 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship2.9%
162 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.6%
141 residents aged 16 and over
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)67.2%
3,704 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive30.4%
1,672 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student2.4%
132 residents aged 16 and over
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations25.2%
1,387 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations18.2%
1,002 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers9.8%
542 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations9.7%
535 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed8.9%
488 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations8.7%
479 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations8.3%
458 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students7.6%
421 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations3.6%
197 residents aged 16 and over
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health54.6%
3,841 residents
Good health30.7%
2,163 residents
Fair health10%
707 residents
Bad health3.6%
252 residents
Very bad health1%
72 residents
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act85%
5,979 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act15%
1,056 residents
Upper Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension47.6%
1,388 households
Household is deprived in one dimension33.1%
963 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions14.2%
415 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions4.5%
131 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.5%
16 households
Upper Sydenham · 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 Lewisham

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.