Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02000687

Lower Sydenham

Lower Sydenham is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,267 residents in Lewisham. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Lewisham
8,267

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,455

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

10,636.9

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

45.6%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

43.8%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

50.3%

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 carCrystal Palace Triangle, Croydon9,211 residents · 48.6% owned · 42.0% no carWest Norwood East, Lambeth9,533 residents · 42.7% owned · 47.7% no carSouth Norwood Hill, Croydon9,049 residents · 50.6% owned · 44.2% no carWest Dulwich, Lambeth9,809 residents · 39.3% owned · 49.2% no carFurzedown East, Wandsworth7,866 residents · 41.3% owned · 45.8% no car

Most similar within Lewisham

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Sydenham Wells, Lewisham8,131 residents · 41.4% owned · 45.5% no carPerry Vale, Lewisham8,134 residents · 48.0% owned · 44.0% no carUpper Sydenham, Lewisham7,035 residents · 44.4% owned · 47.0% no carManor House, Lewisham8,155 residents · 48.1% owned · 45.6% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Lower Sydenham

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

Tenure

Owned45.6%
1,575 households
Social rented30.5%
1,054 households
Private rented23%
796 households
Shared ownership0.6%
21 households
Lives rent free0.3%
9 households
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement31.3%
1,081 households
Terraced28%
966 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits23.6%
816 households
Semi-detached10.2%
353 households
Detached3.6%
123 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop2.4%
84 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.7%
25 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
5 households
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household44.8%
1,549 households
No cars or vans in household43.8%
1,512 households
2 cars or vans in household9.5%
328 households
3 or more cars or vans in household1.9%
66 households
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

2 bedrooms34.8%
1,201 households
3 bedrooms27%
933 households
1 bedroom22.9%
792 households
4 or more bedrooms15.3%
528 households
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household59.9%
2,065 households
One-person household30.6%
1,056 households
Other household types9.5%
329 households
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household32.5%
1,125 households
1 person in household30.6%
1,059 households
3 people in household17.6%
607 households
4 people in household12.7%
440 households
5 people in household4%
137 households
6 people in household1.8%
62 households
8 or more people in household0.5%
18 households
7 people in household0.3%
10 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1518.7%
1,548 residents
15–2915.6%
1,290 residents
30–4427.7%
2,285 residents
45–6425.6%
2,116 residents
65 and over12.4%
1,023 residents
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White57%
4,708 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African25.9%
2,145 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups7.8%
648 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh6%
500 residents
Other ethnic group3.2%
265 residents
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above50.3%
3,329 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications14.4%
955 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications12.1%
799 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications9.9%
653 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications8.4%
559 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship2.7%
181 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.2%
143 residents aged 16 and over
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)67%
4,433 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive31%
2,054 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student2%
133 residents aged 16 and over
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations24.7%
1,636 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations17.2%
1,140 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers10.7%
706 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations10.5%
693 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed9.9%
654 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations9.3%
613 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations7.9%
526 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students6.2%
409 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations3.7%
242 residents aged 16 and over
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health51.3%
4,238 residents
Good health32.2%
2,664 residents
Fair health11.9%
983 residents
Bad health3.5%
292 residents
Very bad health1.1%
90 residents
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act84.1%
6,953 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act15.9%
1,314 residents
Lower Sydenham · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension47.3%
1,635 households
Household is deprived in one dimension32.9%
1,137 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions14.7%
508 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions4.5%
154 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.6%
21 households
Lower 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.