Which of these is safest and most desirable to live

[commuters30]

Which of these areas / stations are the most desirable to live if you had a choice? Which ones have anti social or problems like that near station areas? For each one, any particularly rough parts to avoid?

1. Sanderstead (seems quiet particularly around ridge way)

1. Kenley (very steep, some big house?)

1. Upper Warlingham

1. Whyteleafe South

1. South Croydon

1. Riddlesdown

I’d avoid Croydon altogether.

I'd avoid Croydon but also think due to fantastic transport connections and investment there's serious money to be made. I arrived in London in 1980. People advised to avoid Wandsworth. Terribly rough you know. I didn't take their advice

Please, do not listen people who just pass Croydon, never lived in here and are very snobbish. All areas you have listed are very nice areas. If you have children, Sanderstead would be better as there are great primary schools and Riddlesdown collegiate (outstanding secondary) is nearby. Also look at the train connection - which is more suitable for you. Purley (has a train station) and Selsdon (no train station but easy commute to East/South Croydon stations) are very good and safe too.

@JTRO thank you so much - that is a relief!!!

Everyone keeps telling me Croydon is dangerous, avoid it, etc. But the way I'm thinking about this - unless I hang around at 2am or get into dodgey areas, it's just another residential area.

Thanks!

Oh good grief, ignore the first two posters who clearly haven't a clue what they're talking about!

All the areas you mention are perfectly nice and perfectly safe. I live in one of them . They don't have 'rough' areas at all - the only very vaguest exception might be 'south Croydon' depending on where you mean exactly as of course 'south' becomes 'central' at some point!

Sanderstead would be my pick if you have kids as JTro says. Nice villagey feel (duckpond, Waitrose, park, etc), handy shops and great primary schools, with Riddlesdown Collegiate/Warlingham School for secondary. Although it's probably the priciest of all the areas you mention.

Kenley and Purley have some beautiful houses and most areas are a wee bit cheaper than Sanderstead (although Purley can get very pricy too). Kenley doesn't really have a 'centre' and Purley's isn't quite so pretty, based as it is around a big roundabout!, but it's very useful for shops and buses.

Upper Warlingham is taking you a little bit further out - but again some lovely parts, very green, lots of big houses, two train lines nearby.

Riddlesdown is mainly residential with fewer amenities but it does have the benefit of tonnes of green space.

South Croydon is great for transport and restaurants etc but is more built-up and has a busier vibe. Still perfectly safe though, imo.

What's your budget?

No problems around the stations at all, unless you count being mown down at South Croydon by hordes of small boys in Whitgift School blazers.

Their parents obviously think it's worth braving the journey from lovely areas like Clapham, Wandsworth and Battersea to get an education on the mean streets of the Cronx...

All of those areas are standard outer London commuter areas, pretty middle class, and absolutely fine! many people live in Caterham, Warlingham, woldingham too and use that line to commute. It's great for commuting especially if you stop at Caterham as that is still zone 6.

Even central Croydon is fine, just very under invested and scruffy at the moment but no more dangerous than any other built up urban area and certainly no worse than most of London.

Even Cr

Croydon’s a great place to live

We’re in Addiscombe which is more central and great transport links. Also a real sense of community

All the places you’ve listed are nice - I’ve got friends in Riddlesdown - but I wouldn’t really call any of the Croydon as such (ok maybe south Croydon is!). They’re all much more leafy suburban places