Town Pop. 4,042

Living in Dickens Heath: Liveability Score 57/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Dickens Heath comes out at 57/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 52/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Broadband falls furthest short: 43/100 where the typical UK town reaches 60/100.

Of the 8 places sharing the B90 postcode district, Dickens Heath scores lowest. Notably, nothing falls below 42/100. Most UK towns have at least one category in the 30s or worse. The B90 district averages 65/100, putting Dickens Heath 8 points below its own postcode area. For the surrounding area, see B90 postcode district.

57
OUT OF 100
Average
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Dickens Heath scores 57 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Dickens Heath.
Or compare:
B90 1AA B90 2AA B90 3AA B90 4AA B90 8AA B90 9JR B90

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
82
97.2 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 167 crimes
↑ 24% above national average
Vehicle crime 52 crimes
↑ 169% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 33 crimes
↑ 21% above national average
Other theft 27 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 27 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 87 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 46 crimes
  2. 2 Farmers Lane 20 crimes
  3. 3 Main Street 16 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment
62
Air Quality NO₂ 9.4 · PM2.5 7.2 · PM10 11.8 µg/m³
69
Green Space 45
Parks Ample 15
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
46
2 schools in area · 34 within 4km
2Good
  • Dickens Heath Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Tidbury Green SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
42
A&E departmentsSolihull Hospital3.2 mi
Greet Urgent Care Centre4.2 mi
Midland Metropolitan University Hospital8.3 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust1.4 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks69.4%
A&E seen within 4 hrs64.2%
Nearest GP surgeryGPS Healthcare - Tanworth Lane0.8 mi
GP capacity1,664 patients per GP
1dentist1pharmacy

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband
43
Full fibre (FTTP)80.1%
available across Solihull
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
82.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
82.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
94.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 96 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
75
Employment rate72.1%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed72.1%Unemployed2.6%Retired14%Student4.2%Other inactive7.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial58.5%Skilled & technical28.8%Routine & elementary12.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.1%Level 3 (A levels)17.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)48.9%Apprenticeship3.6%Other (incl. vocational)1.3%
Home ownership67.7%
Among the least-deprived 16% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
71
Council tax Solihull · 2026-27
A £1,465
B £1,709
C £1,953
D £2,197
E £2,685
F £3,173
G £3,662
H £4,394
Energy West Midlands region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Severn Trent Water
Average bill regional £424/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
52
Whitlocks End 0.7 mi
Wythall 1.2 mi
Shirley 1.3 mi
J4 M42 2.2 mi
J4 M42 2.4 mi
J3A M42 2.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
45
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 6
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Adequate 7
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 4

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House Prices

Current median sale prices · last 12 months · England & Wales only

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £227,800 52
Semi-detached £323,500 10
Flat / Maisonette £170,000 27
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Terraced Flat
£169k £335k £505k £671k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (OGL v3.0)

Nearby places

Whitlock's End 62 0.7 mi away ⇄
Tidbury Green 64 0.8 mi away ⇄
Major's Green 64 0.9 mi away ⇄
Cheswick Green 58 1.1 mi away ⇄
Earlswood 49 1.6 mi away ⇄
Wythall 60 1.7 mi away ⇄
Terry's Green 46 1.7 mi away ⇄
Hollywood 58 1.8 mi away ⇄
Inkford 41 2.4 mi away ⇄
Solihull 68 2.7 mi away ⇄
Wood End (Stratford-on-Avon) 44 3.0 mi away ⇄
Hockley Heath 52 3.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Dickens Heath a nice place to live?

Dickens Heath is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Dickens Heath is 57/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Dickens Heath?

Dickens Heath is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 82/100. There were 393 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Dickens Heath?

Among the top-rated schools in Dickens Heath are Dickens Heath Community Primary School and Tidbury Green School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Dickens Heath in total.

What are house prices like in Dickens Heath?

The current median house price in Dickens Heath is £227,800, around 20% below the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £323,500, flat £170,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 7%. There were 52 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Dickens Heath in context

See the best places to live in West Midlands, ranked

Postcode districts in Dickens Heath

B90 65 ⇄

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