Croydon: population and statistics
Croydon has a population of 410,085 (2025) across 86.5 km², or 4,742 people per km². It ranks 19 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +7.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 410,085 residents
- 86.5 km²
- 4,742 people/km²
Croydon in numbers
Population of Croydon over time
Croydon had 381,277 residents in 2015 and 410,085 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 392,101 |
| 2021 | 390,691 |
| 2022 | 393,903 |
| 2023 | 402,011 |
| 2024 | 408,636 |
| 2025 | 410,085 |
All indicators for Croydon
Value for the area, then the regional average and the UK median (for counts: regional and UK totals). The gauge places the area between the lowest and highest value in the UK.
Population
| Indicator | Croydon | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 14.3% | 12.6% | 20.4% | ranked 321 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.7% | 17.8% | 17.4% | ranked 49 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Croydon | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 169,360 dwellings | 3,863,730 | 27,429,300 | ranked 19 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 51.5% | 50.9% | 31.6% | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 15.7% | 18.5% | 18.1% | ranked 206 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 152,945 households | 111,538 | 61,440 | ranked 21 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 60.2% | 47.1% | 84.7% | ranked 295 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 39.7% | 52.8% | 14.8% | ranked 24 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 56.1% | 47.2% | 67.3% | ranked 271 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 25.8% | 29.9% | 17.6% | ranked 50 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 17.9% | 22.7% | 14.3% | ranked 89 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £390,041 | £555,175 | £272,474 | ranked 82 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −3.4% | −2.8% | 2.2% | ranked 337 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Croydon | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.0% | 2.2% | 1.2% | ranked 51 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 74.7% | 70.7% | 76.7% | ranked 190 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.4% | 12.6% | 7.8% | ranked 71 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Croydon | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 16,610 sites | 611,345 | 3,232,440 | ranked 36 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 40.5 per 1,000 | 67.0 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 227 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 14,955 businesses | 552,505 | 2,786,975 | ranked 36 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £44,326 | £46,514 | £38,490 | ranked 60 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Croydon | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 73.8% | 74.7% | 76.3% | ranked 230 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 6.3% | 5.5% | 3.2% | ranked 17 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Croydon | London | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 33.6% | 41.3% | 18.5% | ranked 29 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 33 local authorities in London, Croydon ranks 1 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.1% in Croydon, compared with an average of 0.1% in London and 3.4% across the UK.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 6.3% in Croydon, compared with an average of 5.5% in London and 3.8% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 15.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in London for “Population”.
- Number 1 in London for “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”.
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: higher than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 12,111 football pitches.
- 16.7 times denser than the UK average.
Business sectors: Croydon
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Wholesale and retail trade15.6% ×1.0
- Construction14.8% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical14.7% ×1.1
- Information and communication8.9% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services8.1% ×1.0
- Health and social work7.4% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services6.8% ×1.0
- Other service activities4.6% ×1.1
Where is Croydon?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Croydon?
Croydon has 410,085 residents (2025), ranking 19 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Croydon?
Croydon covers 86.5 km², with a density of 4,742 people per km².
Is the population of Croydon growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Croydon went from 381,277 to 410,085, a change of +7.6%.
Where is Croydon?
Croydon is in London (region). Latitude 51.371, longitude −0.099.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Croydon?
In Croydon, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.1% (2021), ranking 246 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Croydon?
In Croydon, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 6.3% (2026), ranking 17 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Which local authorities border Croydon?
The nearest to Croydon are Sutton (6.7 km), Merton (7.5 km), Bromley (9.0 km), Lewisham (9.9 km), Lambeth (10 km).