Birmingham is often referred to as the UK’s ‘second city’. With the second largest population of any major town in the country and an endless list of things to do, you are not alone if you are planning a visit to Birmingham or are even considering moving there permanently.
Home to several iconic landmarks, including Edgbaston Stadium and Cadbury World, the city has plenty for people of all ages to enjoy. Birmingham Cathedral and Aston Hall are excellent examples of the city’s outstanding architecture. At the same time, Cannon Hill Park and Handsworth Park offer a relaxing space for you to take a stroll.
Birmingham’s property market has a strong track record of improving year-on-year, too. The average rental price in the city is £1,549, which is significantly less expensive than in London. Meanwhile, for landlords, house values in Birmingham have gone up by 72% over the past decade, meaning that purchasing a property in the city is a worthwhile investment.
If you are considering visiting or moving to Birmingham, having a clear understanding of the city – including amenities, developments, crime rate, things to do, and more – will put you in a great position. Keep reading for our area guide on one of the UK’s most exciting cities.
Where is Birmingham?
Birmingham is in the heart of the Midlands. Approximately halfway between London and Manchester, it has excellent transport connections to both of these cities. It is also circled by the M5, M6, and M42 motorways, which make it convenient to travel to other nearby towns.
The wider Birmingham area includes many smaller towns, such as Dudley, Wolverhampton, and Solihull. The next city to the east is Coventry, a slightly smaller urban area also in the Midlands.
The airport is located east of the city, a few miles north of Solihull for people travelling to Birmingham internationally. A designated train station on-site called ‘Birmingham International’ takes you into the city centre.
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Birmingham Amenities
Gyms, hairdressers, restaurants and Cafés are dotted all around the city – and these are just a few of Birmingham’s high-quality amenities. For transport, Birmingham Airport provides an easy way to fly abroad. Birmingham New Street Station is a major hub with hundreds of trains departing daily.
If you need a location to participate in sports, Birmingham is not short of options, either. Dotted around the city, you will find plenty of leisure centres and sports arenas, including:
- Billesley Indoor Tennis Centre
- Beeches Pool & Fitness Centre
- Gymnastics & Martial Arts Centre
- Colmers artificial grass pitches
- Big Birmingham Bikes
In parks around Birmingham, you will also find basketball courts, skateboarding, and walking routes, which are free for anyone to use.
Hotels can be found all around Birmingham, with Park Regis, The Grand Hotel and Malmaison all being four-star rated. Likewise, if you need health club facilities or a wellbeing centre, the city has several.
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Birmingham Population
Around 1.14 million people live in Birmingham, according to the Office for National Statistics. The city’s number of residents has increased by 6.7% over the past ten years, which is a higher rate of growth than the national average, which is roughly 6.6%.
The rising population demonstrates that Birmingham is a desirable place to live and that many people are keen to move there. It has also instigated a need for additional infrastructure developments to ensure that all these additional people can realistically live—see our section below on ‘Developments’ for more details.
You will also find a range of ethnicities throughout Birmingham, with the latest data suggesting the following percentages:
- White: 57.9%
- Asian: 26.6%
- Black: 9%
- Other: 2%
There are slightly more females living in Birmingham, with 560,423 males at the most recent census, compared with 584,496 women. This same census found that 25.1% of the city’s population is aged between 0 and 17, while 61.7% is aged between 18 and 64, and 13.2% aged over 64 years old.
Some parts of the city are more densely populated than others, too. For example, Sparkhill North is the most densely populated part of Birmingham, followed by Smethwick South East, Selly Oak, and Sparkbrook South. By contrast, Birmingham City Centre and Hockley & Jewellery Quarter have a noticeably lower population density.
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Birmingham Developments
With Birmingham’s population ever-rising, new developments have been introduced to provide more affordable housing and new methods of parking and transport.
The Midlands Metro Extension aims to make train travel throughout Birmingham more convenient. Meanwhile, the Arena Central development aims to meet the city’s growing demand for high-quality office space.
Birmingham Smithfield is another major development that has received considerable publicity in the Midlands. Based in Digbeth, this project will offer a mixed-use development with many retail shopping outlets, as well as leisure and residential opportunities.
Other major developments in Birmingham include:
- Centenary Square
- Upper Trinity Street
- ‘Paradise’ development
- Curzon Street Station
- New Square Garden
Although the nationwide HS2 project has been cancelled north of Birmingham, it will still be completed between London and Birmingham. This should make journey times to the capital city extremely short compared to what they were previously.
At the Ringway Centre, a plan to create 1,750 new affordable homes in place of the old building is underway. Meanwhile, Typhoo Wharf in Digbet is set to become the new home of the BBC in the area by 2026.
If you’d like information about selling your house fast in Birmingham, get in touch today.
Birmingham Crime Rate
Figures show several major cities in England with a higher crime rate than Birmingham—Liverpool, Manchester, and Leicester are three examples.
Although Birmingham’s crime rate is relatively high compared to other towns in the West Midlands, many residents feel completely safe in the city. Your neighbourhood can make a major difference, too, as some parts of Birmingham are much safer than others.
As an added example, figures show that the regularity of shoplifting in Birmingham is lower than the average across the entire West Midlands and that the crime rate for certain types of crime has improved in recent years. These include:
- Anti-social behaviour
- Bicycle theft
- Burglary
- Robbery
- Shoplifting
The neighbourhoods that are generally considered the ‘safest’ in Birmingham are Sutton Four Oaks, Sutton New Hall and Sutton Vesey. The areas that have much higher crime rates include Aston, Handsworth, and Nechells.
If you want to sell your house quickly in Birmingham – perhaps due to the crime rate – then a cash house buyer like Sold.co.uk can help.
Birmingham Job Opportunities
For anyone looking to advance in their career and get well-paid work at a multinational organisation, Birmingham is an excellent place to start. The city has offices of dozens of outstanding companies, and the town also has a rich history of well-known brands being founded there.
Currently, some of the largest employers in Birmingham include:
- NHS
- Birmingham City Council
- BT
- Aldi
- Amazon
- Whitbread
- The University of Birmingham
Organisations such as Headlam Group, Optimax, and Perfecthome all have headquarters in Birmingham. This represents the ongoing investment that companies are making in the city as they realise its strong potential for a growing and improving labour market.
You also have no shortage of industries to choose from when trying to forge a career in Birmingham. Human Health and Social Work Activities have the highest number of people in employment, followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade and Professional, Scientific, and technical activities.
Birmingham City Council also hosts several innovation initiatives, which make it more achievable to start your own company in the city and become successful.
If you’d like information about selling your house fast in Birmingham, get in touch today.
Birmingham Broadband Speed
Broadband speed in Birmingham performs significantly better than the national average—and with so many people employed in the city, and many of these working from home, this is of the utmost importance.
Currently, the average download speed in Birmingham is around 15Mbps, higher than the national average of 9Mbps. This will depend, however, on the type of broadband you purchase. This is a major improvement from years past, when—for example, in 2011—the average was 6.5Mbps.
98.4% of the city offers Superfast coverage to those who want it. There is also a strong signal throughout most of the city, making it far easier to make and receive phone calls at any time.
All of the UK’s major broadband providers operate in Birmingham, meaning that if you have a specific network in mind that you want to use, you should be able to achieve this while living in the city.
If you’d like information about selling your house fast in Birmingham, get in touch today.
Birmingham Transport Links
There is no shortage of transport links throughout Birmingham. The city is extremely well-connected to neighbouring towns and the country’s capital, London.
Train, tram and bus are all viable options for travelling around Birmingham, while the airport provides international flights (if you want them). You will also find taxi companies operating throughout the city, who can help you get wherever you wish.
The city council has recognised the importance of improving its transport links, reflected in recent legislation and investment. For example, the HS2 project is still due to be completed between London and Birmingham, despite the northern part of the initiative being cancelled. Likewise, new stations are being opened all the time, and Birmingham airport plans to expand its network of destinations in the near future.
Walking and cycling are both perfectly achievable in Birmingham, meaning that if you want to stretch your legs, plenty of journeys in the city are not too large for you to achieve on foot.
If you’d like information about selling your house fast in Birmingham, get in touch today.
Birmingham Where to Visit
There is a long list of fascinating places you can visit in Birmingham. Some of the locations are well-known around the country, such as Edgbaston and Cadbury’s World. However, this only scratches the surface of all the places to visit in Birmingham.
Buildings like the Library of Birmingham and Symphony Hall are well regarded for their beautiful architecture. You can also see beautiful art at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, located in Chamberlain Square.
If you enjoy live events, the city has many venues to visit. Birmingham Hippodrome is a theatre in the Chinese quarter of the city, and you can also see professional football teams play at their respective stadiums: Birmingham City FC and Aston Villa FC.
A few of the other most commonly visited places in Birmingham are:
- Sealife Aquarium
- The Birmingham Botanical Gardens
- Mr. Mulligans Adventure Golf
- Birmingham O2 Academy
- Chinese Quarter
- Gay District
While in the Midlands, there are other places to visit on a day trip out of the city centre. The birthplace of William Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon, is only one-hour drive south, while Alton Towers (one of the most beloved and recognisable theme parks in the UK) is based just over an hour north by car.
If you enjoy a relaxing walk around a park, Birmingham has lots to offer. According to VisitEngland, Birmingham has more than 8,000 acres of award-winning green spaces and parks—more than any other European city.
Birmingham also has a vast network of water bodies—primarily canals—that can offer some pleasant walking routes.
If you’d like information about selling your house fast in Birmingham, get in touch today.
Why Birmingham is Famous
Birmingham is the birthplace of some of the past few decades’ most famous inventors and scientists. James Watt, William Murdoch and Matthew Boulton were all born in the UK’s ‘second city’.
When the Industrial Revolution started in the middle of the 18th century, Birmingham was also one of the first major cities to pioneer these changes and make drastic steps forward in its manufacturing. The city was particularly popular for new businesses to set up during this period due to its vast water network, which made trade far more convenient than locations without this facility.
A few other little-known facts about Birmingham include:
- The first recorded game of Tennis took place there
- It was recently ranked as the ‘youngest city in Europe’ based on age demographics
- Birmingham has 35 miles of combined waterways – 9 miles more than Venice
- The Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham is responsible for producing more than 40% of the UK’s jewellery
Popular culture has made certain aspects of Birmingham’s life extremely famous in recent years. The ‘Peaky Blinders’ television show is watched worldwide and has inspired interest in the city from people in America, Australia, and everywhere in between.
Some of the UK’s most famous music artists have originated from Birmingham, such as Black Sabbath, Duran Duran, UB40, and Dexys Midnight Runners.
For book lovers worldwide, Birmingham has often been described as the ‘birthplace of the Lord of the Rings’. This is because J.R.R. Tolkien lived in Birmingham, and the landscape inspired several parts of his books in the West Midlands.
If you’d like information about selling your house fast in Birmingham, get in touch today.
Birmingham Property Market
Although the UK housing market has been experiencing a difficult couple of years, Birmingham has an excellent track record of increasing property value. Over the past ten years, house prices in the city have increased by approximately 72%, so many people are keen to purchase a house in Birmingham.
The price you can expect to pay for a house varies depending on the property type, size, and location, amongst other factors. For example, the average house value in Birmingham based on property type is as follows:
- Detached: £521,000
- Flat: £158,000
- Semi-detached: £277,000
- Terraced: £217,000
The average monthly price for tenants looking to find a place to rent is £1,549. However, some parts of the city are far more expensive than others—for example, Sutton Coldfield consistently ranks as the most expensive place to live in Birmingham, alongside other neighbourhoods such as Bourneville.
Nechells and Castle Vale, on the other hand, consistently rank as the least expensive areas in the city and are, therefore, more attainable for first-time buyers.
If you want help selling your flat fast in Birmingham or a tenanted property in the city, get in touch today.
Birmingham Education
Whatever your age or level of academic qualification, it is important to keep pursuing your education and learning new things. Fortunately, Birmingham is an ideal city to make this a reality.
There are plenty of primary and secondary schools in Birmingham that have been ranked as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. Some examples for early education include Acocks Green Primary School, Nelson Mandela School, and Shaw Hill Primary School.
Some secondary schools that have been given an ‘Outstanding’ mark are King Edward VI Aston School, Eden Boys’ School, and St Paul’s School for Girls.
There are four major universities located in the city:
- University of Birmingham
- Aston University
- Birmingham City University
- Birmingham Newman University
Birmingham also offers outstanding learning opportunities. The city’s main library, located in Centenary Square, is one of the largest in the UK and Europe and often ranks among the top 20 most visited destinations year-round.
As one of the UK’s largest cities, Birmingham also has reasonably strong support for people with additional needs who require extra help with education. Hamilton School in Handsworth and Priestley Smith School are two examples of institutions that cater specifically to those with additional needs.
Get in touch today for more information about selling your house fast in Birmingham.
