Higher Drive is in Purley and in Croydon district. CR8 2HL is located in the Kenley electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Croydon South. This postcode has been in use since 1990-07-01.
StreetScan combines information about Higher Drive, Purley, CR8 2HL and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: CR8 2HS, CR8 5BX, CR8 4AG, CR8 4AE, CR8 5LS, CR8 2HJ, CR8 2XG, CR8 4AH, CR8 5LY.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The area surrounding CR8 2HL has a slightly higher male population, with 50.8% of residents being male. Several factors can contribute to this, including areas with industries or sectors that predominantly employ men, proximity to universities or technical schools with a higher enrollment of male students, presence of all-male or predominantly male institutions (military academies, boarding schools).
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 49% | 49.2% | 0.2% | 51.0% | -1.8% |
| Male | 51% | 50.8% | -0.2% | 49.0% | 1.8% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
In the immediate vicinity of CR8 2HL there is a very large concentration of residents that are married - 60.6% of the resident population. In contrast, the average marriage rate across the census is about 44%.
Areas with a high percentage of married residents are typically suburban neighborhoods, towns with good schools and family-friendly amenities, and regions with affordable, spacious housing options. Additionally, such areas can be popular among retirees.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 27.8% | 29.1% | 1.3% | 37.9% | -8.8% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 58.4% | 60.6% | 2.2% | 44.2% | 16.4% |
| Separated | 0.8% | 0.4% | -0.4% | 2.2% | -1.8% |
| Divorced | 5.7% | 4.8% | -0.9% | 9.1% | -4.3% |
| Widowed | 7.3% | 5.2% | -2.1% | 6.1% | -0.9% |
Across the UK, the average 48.4% rated their health as Very Good, 33.6% as Good, 12.7% as Fair, 4% as Bad, and 1.2% as Very Bad.
Population age significantly impacts residents' health. Additionally, socioeconomic status plays a crucial role: higher income levels and lower poverty rates are linked to better health outcomes. Affluent areas benefit from higher living standards, access to private healthcare, and healthier lifestyle choices.
This area has a high percentage of residents reporting their health as Good or Very Good (93.7%) compared to the average (82%). This typically indicates either a younger population or more affluent area.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good health | 53.9% | 61.4% | 7.5% | 48.4% | 13.0% |
| Good health | 38.9% | 32.3% | -6.6% | 33.6% | -1.3% |
| Fair health | 5.9% | 4.7% | -1.2% | 12.7% | -8.0% |
| Bad health | 1% | 1.3% | 0.3% | 4.0% | -2.7% |
| Very bad health | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 1.2% | -0.9% |
During the 2021 census, the educational qualifications of residents across the UK were as follows: 18.2% had no qualifications, 9.6% had 1-4 GCSEs, 13.4% had 5 or more GCSEs and 1-2 A/AS Levels, 16.9% had 2 or more A Levels, 33.8% held a degree (or equivalent), and 5.4% had completed an apprenticeship.
In the area around CR8 2HL this area, 9.2% of residents have no qualifications. This is significantly lower than the UK average of 18.2%. This area stands out for its high percentage of residents with higher education degree or similar. The UK average is 33.8%, while in this area it is 58.8%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 6.5% | 9.2% | 2.7% | 18.2% | -9.0% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 11.4% | 3.2% | -8.2% | 9.6% | -6.4% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 19.2% | 10% | -9.2% | 13.4% | -3.4% |
| Apprenticeship | 1.6% | 4% | 2.4% | 5.3% | -1.3% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 9.4% | 12.4% | 3.0% | 16.9% | -4.5% |
| Degree or Similar | 46.9% | 58.8% | 11.9% | 33.8% | 25.0% |
| Other | 4.9% | 2.4% | -2.5% | 2.8% | -0.4% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 61.4% of the residents identify as white, which is lower than the UK average of 81.4%, there are significant representations of other ethnic groups.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladeshi | 0% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Chinese | 1.3% | 0.9% | -0.4% | 0.7% | 0.2% |
| Indian | 11.8% | 14.7% | 2.9% | 3.1% | 11.6% |
| Pakistani | 1% | 4.7% | 3.7% | 2.7% | 2.0% |
| Other Asian | 1.3% | 0.9% | -0.4% | 1.6% | -0.7% |
| Black African | 4.2% | 4.7% | 0.5% | 2.5% | 2.2% |
| Black Caribbean | 1.3% | 1.6% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Other Black | 1% | 0.6% | -0.4% | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 1.3% | 1.9% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Mixed White and African | 1.3% | 0.6% | -0.7% | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 2.9% | 2.2% | -0.7% | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Mixed Other | 2% | 2.5% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 1.7% |
| White | 70.3% | 61.4% | -8.9% | 81.4% | -20.0% |
| Roma | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Arab | 0.3% | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.3% |
In this area, 79.4% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is similar to the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 83.3% | 79.4% | -3.9% | 83.2% | -3.8% |
| European Union | 2% | 3.4% | 1.4% | 6.1% | -2.7% |
| Rest of Europe | 0% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.8% | 0.4% |
| Africa | 7.8% | 6.2% | -1.6% | 2.7% | 3.5% |
| Middle East and Asia | 5.2% | 7.5% | 2.3% | 5.6% | 1.9% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 1% | 1.6% | 0.6% | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Oceania | 0.7% | 0.6% | -0.1% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 82% | 79.9% | -2.1% | 83.2% | -3.3% |
| 10+ Years | 0% | 18.5% | 18.5% | 9.8% | 8.7% |
| 5-10 Years | 1% | 1.3% | 0.3% | 2.9% | -1.6% |
| 2-5 Years | 1.6% | 0.3% | -1.3% | 2.2% | -1.9% |
| Less than 2 years | 15.4% | 0% | -15.4% | 1.9% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 94.3% | 76.7% | 17.6% |
| Germany | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Other EU countries | 1.3% | 1.5% | -0.2% |
| Other Europe | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| South-East Asia | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| No passport held | 1.9% | 13.5% | -11.6% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 23.8% | 37.2% | -13.4% |
| Christian | 45.1% | 46.2% | -1.1% |
| Buddhist | 1.9% | 0.5% | 1.4% |
| Hindu | 10.3% | 1.7% | 8.6% |
| Muslim | 9.1% | 6.5% | 2.6% |
| Sikh | 0.3% | 0.9% | -0.6% |
| Other religion | 2.2% | 0.6% | 1.6% |
| Not answered | 7.2% | 6.0% | 1.2% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Higher Drive was 19.5 per 1,000 residents, which is 69.0% lower than the Coulsdon Town average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Higher Drive has the 12th lowest crime rate of 70 local areas in Coulsdon Town and the 88th lowest crime rate of 1,082 local areas in Croydon .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 9.8 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been falling year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has risen by about 121.1%.

Households in this area have a higher level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 87% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat 4 98 Higher Drive, Purley, Greater London Flats/Maisonettes, a newly built property | £525,000 | 2025-03-21 | £510,917 |
| Flat 8 98 Higher Drive, Purley, Greater London Flats/Maisonettes, a newly built property | £560,000 | 2025-03-07 | £544,979 |
| 98 Higher Drive, Purley, Greater London Detached, an established residential building | £1,680,000 | 2022-08-18 | £1,550,902 |
| 110 Higher Drive, Purley, Greater London Detached, an established residential building | £875,000 | 2022-08-09 | £807,761 |
| 102 Higher Drive, Purley, Greater London Detached, an established residential building | £775,000 | 2022-07-28 | £729,650 |
CR8 2HL area has a very high level of entrepreneurship. Only 9% of streets have higher percent of entrepreneur residents. 15% of population in this area is self-employed, while the average in the UK is 9.7%. High number of entrepreneurs usually leads to relatively high economic growth, higher paid jobs and better quality of life in the area.
CR8 2HL area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 2% residents of this area were unemployed, while the average in the UK was 4.83%. A low level of unemployment in an area indicates a strong job market, where most people who are seeking work can find employment. This generally reflects a healthy economy in the area.
| Full-Time Employee | 100 |
| Retired | 39 |
| Self-Employed | 38 |
| Part-Time Employee | 33 |
| Looking after home or family | 13 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 11 |
| Other | 7 |
| Unemployed | 6 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 5 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 0 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 28 |
| Human health and social work activities | 25 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 15 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 15 |
| Education | 13 |
| Information and communication | 12 |
| Construction | 11 |
| Other | 10 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 9 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 7 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 6 |
| Manufacturing | 5 |
| Transport and storage | 5 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 2 |
| Real estate activities | 2 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purley Nursery School 58 Pampisford Road , CR8 2NE | 4out of 4 | 1,987 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaumont Primary School Old Lodge Lane , CR8 4DN | 4out of 4 | 530 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Harris Primary Academy Kenley 51 Little Roke Road , CR8 5NF | 4out of 4 | 975 yd | Academy sponsor led | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| The Hayes Primary School Hayes Lane , CR8 5JN | 3out of 4 | 1,157 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| New Valley Primary School New Valley Primary School , Purley CR8 4AZ | 3out of 4 | 1,199 yd | Academy sponsor led | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Oasis Academy Byron St David's , Off Stoneyfield Road CR5 2XE | 4out of 4 | 1,690 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodcote High School Meadow Rise , CR5 2EH | 3out of 4 | 1,995 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Riddlesdown Collegiate Honister Heights , CR8 1EX | 4out of 4 | 2,135 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Thomas More Catholic School Russell Hill Road , CR8 2XP | 3out of 4 | 2,317 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| The John Fisher School Peaks Hill , CR8 3YP | 3out of 4 | 2,816 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Boys | More About School |
| Oasis Academy Coulsdon Homefield Road , Old Coulsdon CR5 1ES | 3out of 4 | 3,047 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Nicholas School Reedham Drive , CR8 4DS | 3out of 4 | 575 yd | Community special school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St David's School 23-25 Woodcote Valley Road , CR8 3AL | - not rated | 1,617 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Cumnor House School 1 Woodcote Lane , CR8 3HB | - not rated | 2,419 yd | Other independent school | No | Girls | More About School |
| Laleham Lea School 29 Peaks Hill , CR8 3JJ | - not rated | 2,605 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Cumnor House School 168 Pampisford Road , CR2 6DA | - not rated | 2,886 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Boys | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Griffins Breakfast/Afterschool Club At Beaumont Primary | Beaumont Primary School, Old Lodge Lane | 466 yd | |
| Reedham Park Tennis Club | Old Lodge Lane, Purley | 507 yd | |
| Hill House Nursing Home | 50 Park Road, Kenley | 601 yd | |
| Dhabagrillz | 40 Godstone Road, Kenley | 745 yd | |
| Top Cafe | 8 Godstone Road, Kenley | 745 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rafa Portcullis Club | R A F A Portcullis Club, Kenley Aerodrom, Victor Beamish Avenue | 23 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect Kebab | 22 Godstone Road, Kenley | 745 yd | |
| Hot Wok | 38 Godstone Road, Kenley | 745 yd | |
| Kenley House Chinese Takeaway | 2 Station Approach, Hayes Lane | 1,001 yd | |
| Chicken World | 74 Godstone Road, Kenley | 1,060 yd | |
| Star Chippy | 85 Stoats Nest Road, Coulsdon | 1,093 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-Operative Food | 60 Godstone Road, Kenley | 1,014 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Higher Drive Recreation Ground DENSHAM DRIVE | tennis courts | 226 yd |
| Reedham Park Lodge Hill | tennis courts | 342 yd |
| Beaumont Primary School OLD LODGE LANE | grass pitches | 660 yd |
| Kenley Sports Club LITTLE ROKE ROAD | grass pitches | 773 yd |
| Harris Primary Academy Kenley LITTLE ROKE ROAD | grass pitches | 865 yd |
This statistics are based on Active Places Data - Contains Data © Sport England
| Percentage of premises that have Superfast Broadband (30Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (100Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 80.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 80.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband | 80.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 2Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 5Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 10Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 30Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Median download speed | 66.4 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 162.7 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 15.8 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 17.7 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 50 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.