Dickens Heath’s story
No listed buildings inside Dickens Heath’s built-up area
2% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Dickens HeathWest Midlands
Only 9% of residents are 65 or over. A town in West Midlands, home to 4,797 people.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: David Martin · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
4,797
Census 2021 · Solihull council
Median home
£235K
295 sales in 3 years
Median age
36
9% are 65+ · West Midlands 16%
Degree level
52%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
A
#1 of 35 in West Midlands
Is Dickens Heath a good place to live?
One weak subject stands out against an otherwise good record. Jobs & income is its strong suit — households earn a mean £79,508 a year, and 2.1% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. At A overall, Dickens Heath ranks #1 of 35 in West Midlands. On that grade it does better than 94% of UK towns. Health is another plus: life expectancy is 82.3 for men and 85.9 for women. Getting around depends on the car: on the way to work, 9% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. A median £235,000 buys a home here, 3.9 times what households in the Solihull council area earn in a year. Its other grades sit near the middle: B− for safety and B for schools.
Figures: income and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026.
What makes Dickens Heath stand out
The 3 things Dickens Heath does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
Only 9% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Household income, against UK towns
Work
Mean, before tax: higher than in 98% of UK towns
ONS small-area income estimates.
How Dickens Heath grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Dickens Heath is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & incomeAmong the best of the towns comparedA+Open →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Cost of livingHomes are very affordable for local incomesA−Open →WalkabilityAmong the weakest of the towns comparedC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 81% of towns in England; secondary results beat 33% of towns in EnglandBOpen →SafetyNear typical for the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsD−Open →Outdoors82% live within 400 m of a park; 3.2 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC+Open →Civic life0.8 local charities per 1,000 residents; 100% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Dickens Heath.
History
Much of Dickens Heath is a conservation area: 100% of its land, more than in West Midlands’ towns and across England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Homes from before 1919 make up 2% of the total, lower than both West Midlands’ towns (7%) and England’s towns (16%). Historic England’s list has no building inside Dickens Heath’s built-up area.
0listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
2%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
0
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsB
School results in Dickens Heath are better than in 59% of towns in England
Its one school is below. Secondary results at the 3 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 43.4, with 41% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. The town’s primary school has 453 pupils.
BSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dickens Heath Community Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 453 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Health
Bad health is less common in Dickens Heath than in West Midlands’ towns or across England’s towns: 2% of residents
One in ten residents have a disability, below both West Midlands’ towns (18%) and England’s towns (17%). Asked at the census, just over nine in ten residents of Dickens Heath said they were in good or very good health. This West Midlands town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 0.9 miles away.
91%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 91%Fair 7%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Dickens Heath | West Midlands | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 91% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2% | 6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 10% | 18% | 17% |
82.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · The census answers take no account of age, so a young town looks healthier; the Health Grade relies on age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
HousingCost of living grade A−
Private renting is more common in Dickens Heath than in West Midlands’ towns or England’s towns: 29% of households
Households that own their home make up 65%. 5% live in social housing, below both West Midlands’ towns (22%) and England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £1,279 a month across the Solihull council area.
£235Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Dickens Heath£235K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £657,999 | 60 |
| Semi-detached | £328,000 | 43 |
| Terraced | £335,625 | 34 |
| Flat or maisonette | £175,500 | 158 |
65%
of households own their home · England 61%
29%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,279
average private rent a month, Solihull council area
£2,218
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Long commutes are the norm in Dickens Heath: just 24% travel under 5 km, below West Midlands’ towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 44% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car carried 90% of commuters at the census. Working mainly from home: 44% of workers, higher than both West Midlands’ towns (24%) and England’s towns (31%). Of the commuters living in Dickens Heath, 2% work in the town itself. For every resident in work, Dickens Heath has 0.3 jobs.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
On foot3%
Train3%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
24%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
44%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£80K
mean household income, before tax
2.1%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 16% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
Violence is recorded less often in Dickens Heath than in West Midlands’ towns or across England’s towns: 19.6 per 1,000 residents a year
Burglary and damage add up to 12.1 per 1,000 residents each year. Dickens Heath logged 210 reported offences in a year (to August 2026), plus 7 complaints of anti-social conduct. There were 3.3 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both West Midlands’ towns (6.2) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences made up 47% of the total.
19.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 54% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual98
Vehicle crime36
Damage & arson17
Public order14
Other theft12
Burglary7
Other crime7
Shoplifting6
Anti-social7
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
19.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12.1
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
210
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
Who lives here
Degrees are more common in Dickens Heath than in West Midlands’ towns or across England’s towns: 52% of adults
The under-15s are nearly a fifth of the population here. People 65 and over make up nearly a tenth of the town, lower than both West Midlands’ towns (16%) and England’s towns (18%). Aged 15 to 24: 11% of residents. Dickens Heath has a median age of 36.
36median age
Dickens HeathWest MidlandsEngland
Ages · share of residents
11%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications7%
Apprenticeship3%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level52%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Dickens Heath | West Midlands | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 20% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 14% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 35% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 24% | 25% |
| 65+ | 8.6% | 16% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 6.6% | 24% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 2.9% | 4.6% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 52% | 28% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Midlands and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dickens Heath
14pages on Dickens Heath
The big questions
SafetyB−19.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £235K · rent £1,279 a monthHousing86 sold in 12 months · busiest street Main StreetSchoolsB1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 82.3 (men), 85.9 (women)Work & commuteA+53% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Dickens Heath’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Tidbury GreenCheswick GreenWythallHollywoodSolihullHockley HeathKnowle and DorridgeDickens Heath
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickens Heath | 4,797 | — | A | A− | B− | A |
| Tidbury Green | 1,552 | 0.8 | — | C | C | A |
| Cheswick Green | 2,743 | 1 | A | B− | B+ | A |
| Wythall | 2,077 | 1.6 | — | B | B+ | B |
| Hollywood | 6,944 | 1.8 | B+ | A− | B | B |
| Solihull | 107,754 | 2.9 | B+ | B | C− | B |
| Hockley Heath | 1,899 | 3.2 | — | C | B− | A |
| Knowle and Dorridge | 19,323 | 3.6 | A | C | B | A |
Tidbury Green, Wythall and Hockley Heath have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Dickens Heath
Who lives in Dickens Heath?
A young town. At the 2021 Census, 19% of residents were under 15 and 35% were 25 to 44, against 18% and 27% across England’s towns; only 8.6% were 65 or over.
Does Dickens Heath flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
How much is council tax in Dickens Heath?
Band D council tax in Dickens Heath is £2,218 for 2026–27, less than in 81% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Dickens Heath
Town in West Midlands, England
Dickens Heath is a built-up area of 4,797 people, in the Solihull council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 4,797 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Solihull
- County
- West Midlands
- Region
- West Midlands
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003052
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.