Forest Hill area report

Highlights

Forest Hill is a London neighbourhood with a population of 16,682. The median house price stands at £440,000, with 410 sales in the past 12 months and prices at £5,100 per square metre. Flats dominate the market at £380,000 median, while semi-detached homes median at £946,500. About 35 percent of neighbourhoods in England are more deprived than Forest Hill. The area has a median age of 37.0 years, with 46.7 percent of homes owner-occupied. The local authority is London Borough of Lewisham. Educational attainment is relatively high, with 58.5 percent of residents aged 16 and over holding level 4 qualifications or above. Air quality is moderate, with nitrogen dioxide at 16.8 annual mean and particulate matter at 8.2. Broadband coverage is strong at 79.9 percent gigabit-capable connectivity. The neighbourhood contains 19 conservation areas, including Dulwich Wood, Forest Hill, and Sydenham Park, plus 33 listed buildings.

Data updated 2026/2025. Forest Hill, London — a free, sourced local-area report from Acreright. Every figure shows its source and date; where the data isn't reliable we say so rather than guess.

This district. Figures below lead with Forest Hill’s own data where it exists; wider-area statistics are clearly labelled.

Within London, Forest Hill ranks 7th cheapest of 33, 21st safest and 7th most affordable.

What does it cost?

• £440,000 median home price (HM Land Registry Price Paid, May 2026) Across this district

Sold prices in Forest Hill have risen 11% over the last five years (UK House Price Index).

Who lives here?

• 16,682 residents (ONS Census 2021 (Nomis), 2021) Across this district

About 35% of neighbourhoods in England are more deprived than Forest Hill (English Indices of Deprivation, decile 4 of 10, national basis). Little changed since 2019 (decile 5).

Schools

• 95% of inspected schools rated Good or Outstanding (Get Information About Schools (GIAS) + Ofsted inspections MI, 2026) Across this district

Getting around

• ≈11 min fastest train to London (OpenStreetMap + National Rail timetable (ATOC/RDG, GTFS), 2026) This district
• 80% of premises can get gigabit broadband (Ofcom Connected Nations, 2024) Across this district

Has it been a good investment?

Investment context: a gross rental yield of about 5.6% (area median rent against the median sold price) — appraise a specific property at /appraisal/forest hill.

Compare every area in London: London area guide & rankings.

Nearby areas we cover: Perry Vale, Sydenham, Honor Oak.