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Chadwell Heath is a relatively affluent suburban area of the London Borough of Redbridge. It straddles the boundary of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and the London Borough of Redbridge, and it is located 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Charing Cross. It became a coaching stop and absorbed the neighbouring hamlet of Chadwell Street in the parish of Barking. Chadwell Heath station opened in 1864, connecting it to central London by rail. After the First World War the area developed as a residential suburb and formed the northern limit of the Becontree estate, causing an increase in population density. It has formed part of Greater London since 1965. Chadwell Heath is within the Romford post town and the London 020 telephone area code. It was the final residence of Eva Hart, a survivor of the RMS Titanic, and a local pub is named after her.

The name 'Chadwell' is first recorded in 1254 as Chaudewell and means 'the cold spring'. The name was first applied to a settlement on the Barking side of the ancient Barking/Dagenham boundary and it was also known as Chadwell Street; 'Street' having the older meaning of a hamlet. In the 17th century the Blackheath Common in Dagenham parish was renamed Chadwell Heath. As the settlements merged the Chadwell Street name was lost in favour of Chadwell Heath.

Chadwell Heath was known for a strong community spirit, with a thriving white working class community, that consisted of English and Irish residents; many of whom worked for the number of factories that were in the area in the 1970/80s - located, roughly where Halfords and Iceland now are. Many Dagenham residents moved to Chadwell Heath to become owner occupiers. Today the area is largely middle class.