Town comparison
Forest Row vs Haywards Heath
Which is better to live in? 8.7 miles apart — compared on house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more.
The verdict
Overall, Forest Row offers lower property prices by roughly 4%. Forest Row has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Forest Row edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Forest Row
£526,850
Haywards Heath
£547,040
Crime Rate
Forest Row
40.7
Haywards Heath
45.8
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Forest Row
100.0%
Haywards Heath
100.0%
Avg Download Speed
Forest Row
388.1
Haywards Heath
426.8
EPC Rating
Forest Row
71.4
Haywards Heath
70.6
Median Income
Forest Row
£32,873
Haywards Heath
£32,006
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in South EastThe average house price in Forest Row is £526,850, which is 4% less than Haywards Heath at £547,040. The most affordable entry point in Forest Row is a flat at £228,167, while in Haywards Heath it is a flat at £268,501.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: semi-detached homes are 21% pricier in Haywards Heath (£516,364 vs £410,389).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Haywards Heath prices grew faster — 26% vs 5%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in South EastCrime is lower in Forest Row (40.7 per 1,000) compared to Haywards Heath (45.8 per 1,000), a 13% difference. The most common crime category in Forest Row is violent-crime, while in Haywards Heath 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 EastForest Row has 100% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 100% in Haywards Heath. Forest Row has 1 schools in total, while Haywards Heath has 9.
Forest Row School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 1 school (1 primary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Haywards Heath School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 9 schools (8 primary, 1 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Forest Row | Haywards Heath |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 1 | 9 |
| Primary | 1 | 8 |
| Secondary | 0 | 1 |
| % Top two bands | 100% | 100% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Haywards Heath offers faster average downloads at 426.8 Mbps, compared to 388.1 Mbps in Forest Row. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 95.1% of premises in Forest Row and 98.1% in Haywards Heath. Gigabit availability stands at 73.9% in Forest Row and 82.8% in Haywards Heath.
Haywards Heath is the faster of the two by 10% on average download speed (427 vs 388 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Forest Row are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 71.4 (band C) versus 70.6 (band C) in Haywards Heath. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,236 in Forest Row and £1,218 in Haywards Heath. 63.6% of homes in Forest Row have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 62.4% in Haywards Heath.
Forest Row has more energy-efficient housing — 63.6% reach band C or above, vs 62.4% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £32,873 in Forest Row and £32,005.5 in Haywards Heath. The median age is 46.9 in Forest Row and 47 in Haywards Heath. Employment rates stand at 59% in Forest Row and 57.8% in Haywards Heath. Owner-occupancy is 74.8% in Forest Row versus 71.8% in Haywards Heath.
| Indicator | Forest Row | Haywards Heath |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,881 | 40,528 |
| Median Age | 46.9 | 47 |
| Median Household Income | £32,873 | £32,005.5 |
| Employment Rate | 59% | 57.8% |
| Owner Occupied | 74.8% | 71.8% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 35.7% | 36.8% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How far apart are Forest Row and Haywards Heath?
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