as someone that lives there I can give you a good guide.
in the 70's and 80's Croydon attracted many professionals [Lawyers, Doctors etc] who commuted to the centre of London [only about 25-30 minutes away by train] it was a nice place to live and thats why my parents moved here. then the chavs started to migrate here
The town centre is typical of most urban cities -lots of rubbish chain stores and hardly any green areas [although there is a huge new park in development.] There are a few historical buildings though and houses are mostly Victorian and Art Deco build.
Croydon pretty much covers all social classes. There are the council estates, regular 'burbs, middle class areas and mansions [a few celebrities have houses here.]
Where Kate grew up its more of a suburban/middle class area [certainly when she lived there it would have housed those professionals I mentioned]
When you tell people you are from Croydon they immediately start thinking you live on a council estate and own a pair of VERY WHITE rebok classics but I live next to a nature reserve in a small leafy village and Im more likely to be found in the library than on a street corner mugging old ladies
.She was such a beauty.
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