Forestdale or Harold Wood: Which Is Better Value?
Forestdale averages £500,000 against £490,000 in Harold Wood, a gap of £10,000 or 2%. You would need £1,000 more deposit and about £53 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Harold Wood charges £175 less council tax at Band D.
Forestdale averages £500,000 against £490,000 in Harold Wood, a gap of £10,000 or 2%. You would need £1,000 more deposit and about £53 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Harold Wood charges £175 less council tax at Band D.
Price and deposit
The headline gap is £10,000, or 2%. On a 10% deposit that is £1,000 more cash to find before you start. Detached homes average £525,000 against £550,000.
Forestdale against Harold Wood
Town guides for each: Mortgage advice in Forestdale and Mortgage advice in Harold Wood.
Schools and families
Harold Wood holds its own on schools, with 1 graded Outstanding at their last graded Ofsted inspection (before September 2024) against 0 in Forestdale. Counting last graded Ofsted inspections (before September 2024), Forestdale has 4 schools and Harold Wood has 3 schools graded Good or better.
A strong catchment in the cheaper town can cost more than an average street in the dearer one. Compare catchments, not averages.
Running costs and getting to work
Band D council tax is £2,600 in Forestdale and £2,425 in Harold Wood, a difference of £175 a year.
The honest verdict
Harold Wood is cheaper to buy on these figures. Forestdale carries the higher price and, on this data, not the stronger school profile.
Neither is right in the abstract. If the deposit is your constraint, the £1,000 difference matters more than anything else here. If catchment is the constraint, price follows the school you need.
What each town is actually like
Price is one axis. These are the things people move for, and the things they find out afterwards.
Forestdale
In its favour- A quiet, leafy, low-density family estate
- Littleheath Woods & Selsdon Wood on the doorstep
- Its own Good primary school
- Open greens, ponds & a semi-rural feel
- No railway or tram station, buses & a car
- Shops & buzz are in Selsdon & Croydon, not here
- A car-and-bus commute, with changes into town
- 1960s-70s homes may need construction & roof checks
Best for Families ★★★★★
A quiet, safe, low-density estate with its own Good primary (Forestdale Primary), open greens, ponds and Littleheath Woods and Selsdon Wood on the doorstep, a genuinely green, family-friendly setting close to Croydon.
Harold Wood
In its favour- A popular, well-connected village-y suburb
- Its own Elizabeth line station (fast direct to the City)
- Character Edwardian & inter-war housing
- New-build homes at King George
- Mid-to-higher value for the borough (Elizabeth line premium)
- The outer, Essex-border edge of London
- Period homes need condition checks
- Surface-water flood risk on the lower ground near the Ingrebourne
Best for Commuters (to London) ★★★★★
Its own Elizabeth line station gives fast direct trains to the City, Farringdon and the West End, a genuine step change and the suburb's biggest asset.
Forestdale and Harold Wood, side by side
| Measure | Forestdale | Harold Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Average property price | £500,000 | £490,000 |
| Average detached | £525,000 | £550,000 |
| 10% deposit | £50,000 | £49,000 |
| Illustrative monthly payment | £2,631 | £2,578 |
| Band D council tax | £2,600 | £2,425 |
| Outstanding rated schools | 0 | 1 |
| Good rated schools | 4 | 2 |
Local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own figures before acting.
Ask about Forestdale
Three details is all we need. You are told before anything is passed to a partner firm.
The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to. There is no obligation.
Check broadband before you make an offer in Forestdale or Harold Wood
Broadband speeds can vary street by street in Forestdale or Harold Wood, so check the exact address before you commit. Ofcom's free checker shows which broadband speeds and mobile coverage are available at any UK property.
We can introduce you to a specialist who can combine your mobile, broadband and utilities into one bill. There's no fee for the introduction.
We don't provide these services ourselves. Switching household bills is not a regulated financial service, so FCA protections and the Financial Ombudsman do not apply. We'll only pass your details to the specialist if you ask us to. See our privacy notice.
Questions people ask
Is Forestdale or Harold Wood cheaper?
Which has better schools?
Which is cheaper to run?
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Forestdale or Harold Wood?
Read next
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.