Smethwick, #1 on this list · Photo: Chris Whippet · CC BY-SA 2.0

West Midlands rankings · Walkability

Most walkable towns in West Midlands

Smethwick ranks first on walkability among West Midlands’ 35 towns of 2,500+; 15 of the 35 grade A− or better against UK towns.

The Walkability Grade: the share of commuters who walked, cycled or took public transport to work at the 2021 Census (taken in lockdown). The rank across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland sits beside each letter. How grades work

Smethwick

56,343 people

A⁺

Better than 96% of UK towns·#118 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Birmingham

1,121,367 people

Better than 94% of UK towns·#196 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Walsall

70,777 people

Better than 90% of UK towns·#340 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

All 35 towns, ranked

Walkability grade, best first; ranks are the county ranks on each town’s page (T = tied). Military garrison towns and university campuses keep their grades but aren’t ranked. Each rank across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland links to the national list.

Every town in West Midlands →

Find a town

35 towns.

#TownGrade · UK rankCompared with UK towns

1Smethwick56,343 peopleA⁺#118 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 96% of UK towns

2Birmingham1,121,367 peopleA#196 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 94% of UK towns

3Walsall70,777 peopleA#340 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 90% of UK towns

4West Bromwich103,099 peopleA#377 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 89% of UK towns

5Coventry344,289 peopleA#393 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 88% of UK towns

6Bilston34,631 peopleA#481 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 86% of UK towns

7Blackheath6,950 peopleA⁻#534 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 84% of UK towns

8Oldbury45,188 peopleA⁻#583 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 83% of UK towns

9Darlaston21,541 peopleA⁻#589 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 83% of UK towns

10Bloxwich51,891 peopleA⁻#617 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 82% of UK towns

11Wolverhampton234,029 peopleA⁻#658 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 80% of UK towns

12Tipton47,202 peopleA⁻#665 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 80% of UK towns

13Cradley Heath18,819 peopleA⁻#759 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 77% of UK towns

14Dudley64,277 peopleA⁻#766 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 77% of UK towns

15Wednesbury20,321 peopleA⁻#826 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 75% of UK towns

16Rowley Regis39,052 peopleB⁺#882 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 74% of UK towns

17Brierley Hill32,311 peopleB⁺#1,046 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 69% of UK towns

18Willenhall49,582 peopleB⁺#1,149 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 66% of UK towns

19Solihull107,754 peopleB#1,265 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 62% of UK towns

20Stourbridge56,961 peopleB#1,275 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 62% of UK towns

21Royal Sutton Coldfield93,392 peopleB#1,279 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 62% of UK towns

22Halesowen60,103 peopleB#1,385 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 58% of UK towns

23Coseley25,206 peopleB⁻#1,520 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 53% of UK towns

24Pheasey9,498 peopleB⁻#1,604 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 50% of UK towns

25Brownhills21,238 peopleB⁻#1,621 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 50% of UK towns

26Rushall and Shelfield12,844 peopleB⁻#1,674 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 48% of UK towns

27Knowle and Dorridge19,323 peopleB⁻#1,712 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 46% of UK towns

28Aldridge15,827 peopleC⁺#1,898 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 39% of UK towns

29Kingswinford51,900 peopleC⁺#1,931 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 38% of UK towns

30Sedgley31,976 peopleC#2,101 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 30% of UK towns

31Balsall Common7,094 peopleC#2,105 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 30% of UK towns

32Pelsall10,455 peopleC#2,172 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 27% of UK towns

33Dickens Heath4,797 peopleC⁻#2,338 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 16% of UK towns

34Cheswick Green2,743 peopleD#2,371 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 14% of UK towns

35Streetly16,790 peopleD#2,428 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 10% of UK towns

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most walkable town in West Midlands?

Smethwick ranks first on walkability among 35 towns, with an A+: better than 96% of UK towns. Birmingham and Walsall follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Walkability Grade: the share of commuters who walked, cycled or took public transport to work at the 2021 Census (taken in lockdown). The letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

Garrison towns and university campuses aren’t ranked, and towns without the figures this grade needs are counted above. The list covers West Midlands’ towns of 2,500+ with the figure. Smaller places show it on their own pages; every town in West Midlands is on the county page.

Go deeper

More West Midlands lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All West Midlands rankings →

Best places to live35 towns · #1 Dickens Heath Most affordable towns35 towns · #1 Brierley Hill and Dudley Safest towns35 towns · #1 Streetly Towns with the best schools35 towns · #1 Royal Sutton Coldfield Healthiest towns35 towns · #1 Knowle and Dorridge Best towns for jobs & income35 towns · #1 Knowle and Dorridge Towns with the lowest flood risk35 towns · #1 Aldridge and 7 more Best towns for the outdoors35 towns · #1 Dudley Most historic towns35 towns · #1 Walsall Towns with the most civic life35 towns · #1 Balsall Common Towns with the highest household incomes35 towns · #1 Cheswick Green and Dickens HeathDescribed, no letters Towns with the lowest council tax35 towns · #1 Brierley Hill and 3 moreDescribed, no letters Towns with the mildest winters35 towns · #1 WednesburyDescribed, no letters Towns with the warmest summers35 towns · #1 Brierley HillDescribed, no letters Towns with the coolest summers35 towns · #1 Knowle and DorridgeDescribed, no letters Towns with the fewest frosts35 towns · #1 DarlastonDescribed, no letters Driest towns35 towns · #1 CoventryDescribed, no letters Wettest towns35 towns · #1 Rowley RegisDescribed, no letters

Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · 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.