Crystal Palace Park is uniquely located in an area of south east London where five boroughs meet.  These are Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark with a combined population of 1.39 milllion people according to 2001 census data.  The London Borough of Bromley is the local authority for the Park.

Some of London's most diverse population live in this area. Just under a third of the population are from ethnic minorities.  This includes the Afro-Caribbean, Somali, Congolese, Nigerian, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese and Eastern European communities.  These communities are a testament to the rich diversity of the area and its ability to welcome new arrivals from outside the area.

Various faith groups are represented in the local area.  Several Hindu temples, International Society for Krishna Consciousness ("Hare Krishnas") places of worship, Buddhist temple, Reform Jewish Synagogue, a multitude of mosques and Muslim cultural centres can be found in the vicinity of Crystal Palace.  The local Muslim community is the largest religious minority and reflects the global nature of Islam, with believers of Pakistani, Somali, Nigerian and Arab backgrounds making up the congregations.  The local Christian community is very diverse and caters for all denominations from several Catholic and Anglican Churches to various other denominations where the bulk of the congregation is drawn from ethnic minorities.  There is even a Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transexual (LGBT) church in Penge.

The local cuisine reflects the cultural diversity of the area. On the door step of Crystal Palace Park and the National Sports Centre is the Norwood Triangle, a hot spot for restaurants and nightlife.  Within a mile of the park restaurants offering cuisines from all over the world including Indian, Bangladeshi, Italian, French, Portuguese, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese (Cantonese), Japanese, Caribbean (Creole), Mediterranean, Somali and West African.

The local areas have over 50 pubs and bars within a short walk of the park. They range from traditional pubs, contemporary bars and bistros.