Many of the population of Haywards Heath are commuters - many to London on the excellent rail service (when there are no floods, snow or the wrong type of leaves of course!).  Others work on the south coast or in nearby Burgess Hill or Crawley.  The railway, the original reason for the growth of Haywards Heath, has been responsible in recent years for an influx of new residents eager to escape from the Greater London area.

The service sector including financial services of various types and local government jobs accounts for roughly 70% of the employment in the area. For those interested in gaining employment with the local government, their web site has a jobs section! (www.midsussex.gov.uk/) However manufacturing, mainly light industry, accounts for more than 10% of the workforce.

Burgess Hill, a few miles to the south of Haywards Heath, is the centre of much employment with a particularly strong emphasis on modern, high tech industries.

Haywards Heath has a mix of housing, mainly private but with some local authority housing also.  There are a large number of flats, most of which are within a stone's throw of the station, providing the ideal home for young commuters.