Caterham vs Forest Row
Which is better to live in? Distance: 14.1 miles apart.
The verdict
When it comes to cost of living, Forest Row wins on house prices with a 1% gap. Forest Row has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Caterham edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Caterham
£534,519
Forest Row
£526,850
Crime Rate
Caterham
55.2
Forest Row
40.7
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Caterham
100.0%
Forest Row
100.0%
Avg Download Speed
Caterham
390.3
Forest Row
388.1
EPC Rating
Caterham
67.6
Forest Row
71.4
Median Income
Caterham
£35,440
Forest Row
£32,873
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in South EastAt £526,850, Forest Row undercuts Caterham (£534,519) by around 1% on average house prices. The most affordable entry point in Caterham is a flat at £280,876, while in Forest Row it is a flat at £228,167.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: semi-detached homes are 25% pricier in Caterham (£513,719 vs £410,389).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Caterham prices grew faster — 24% vs 5%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in South EastResidents of Forest Row experience less crime overall, with a rate of 40.7 per 1,000 versus 55.2 per 1,000 in Caterham. The most common crime category in Caterham is violent-crime, while in Forest Row it is violent-crime.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Both towns share the same top crime category: violent crime.
Schools & Education
Best for schools in South EastOf the 6 schools in Caterham, 100% are in the top two inspection bands. In Forest Row, which has 1 schools, the figure is 100%.
Caterham School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 6 schools (5 primary, 1 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Forest Row School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 1 school (1 primary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Caterham | Forest Row |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 6 | 1 |
| Primary | 5 | 1 |
| Secondary | 1 | 0 |
| % Top two bands | 100% | 100% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Broadband in Caterham averages 390.3 Mbps – ahead of Forest Row's 388.1 Mbps. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 96.1% of premises in Caterham and 95.1% in Forest Row. Gigabit availability stands at 74.3% in Caterham and 73.9% in Forest Row.
Caterham is the faster of the two by 1% on average download speed (390 vs 388 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Energy efficiency favours Forest Row, scoring 71.4 on average (band C) compared to 67.6 (band D) in Caterham. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,184 in Caterham and £1,236 in Forest Row. 49.7% of homes in Caterham have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 63.6% in Forest Row.
Forest Row has more energy-efficient housing — 63.6% reach band C or above, vs 49.7% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £35,439.5 in Caterham and £32,873 in Forest Row. The median age is 42.4 in Caterham and 46.9 in Forest Row. Employment rates stand at 60.5% in Caterham and 59% in Forest Row. Owner-occupancy is 64.6% in Caterham versus 74.8% in Forest Row. Caterham has a population of 22,757 and Forest Row has 3,881.
| Indicator | Caterham | Forest Row |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,757 | 3,881 |
| Median Age | 42.4 | 46.9 |
| Median Household Income | £35,439.5 | £32,873 |
| Employment Rate | 60.5% | 59% |
| Owner Occupied | 64.6% | 74.8% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 39.2% | 35.7% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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