Town Pop. 45,893

Living in Oldbury (Sandwell): Liveability Score 72/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Oldbury (Sandwell) is 72/100, built from 9 categories. Transport is where Oldbury (Sandwell) most outperforms the national norm: 93/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. Safety falls furthest short: 36/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

No other settlement in the B65 postcode district scores higher. Oldbury (Sandwell) leads all 5. That sits 22 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Also scoring 80 or better: broadband (96), lifestyle (89), healthcare (85) and schools (82). For the surrounding area, see B65 postcode district.

OUT OF 100

Good

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.

Oldbury (Sandwell) scores 72 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Oldbury (Sandwell).

Or compare:

B65 0AA B65 8AA B65 9AA B65 B67 B68 B69

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

142.5 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 2,929 crimes

↑ 92% above national average

Vehicle crime 556 crimes

↑ 152% above national average

Shoplifting 546 crimes

↑ 53% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 475 crimes

↑ 53% above national average

Public order 422 crimes

↑ 42% above national average

other 1,610 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 A4034 419 crimes
2 Petrol Station 307 crimes
3 Shopping Area 233 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 14.7 · PM2.5 7.9 · PM10 13.2 µg/m³

Green Space 93

Parks Ample 44

Sports Pitches Ample 40

Allotments Ample 19

Golf Courses Ample 4

Tennis Courts None

Bowling Greens Ample 6

Playgrounds Ample 47

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 49 in area · 76 within 4km

2Outstanding34Good5Requires Improvement8Ungraded

Bristnall Hall AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
St Gregory's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Abbey Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Abbey Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Blackheath Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
Good
Bleakhouse Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Brandhall Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Christ Church CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Devonshire Junior AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
George Betts Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

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

Healthcare

A&E departmentsMidland Metropolitan University Hospital1.7 mi

Russells Hall Hospital3.3 mi

Walsall Manor Hospital5 mi

Hospital waitsSandwell And West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust0.1 mi

Routine referral (median)12 wks

Treated within 18 weeks62.4%

A&E seen within 4 hrs75.8%

7 GP surgeries in area 32 within 4km best 'Good'

GP capacity3,664 patients per GP

8dentists12pharmacies

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

Full fibre (FTTP)88.9%

available across Sandwell

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

97.4%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

97.7%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.8%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 810 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate54.5%

Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed54.5%Unemployed4.9%Retired18.2%Student6.1%Other inactive16.3%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial28.9%Skilled & technical32.3%Routine & elementary38.9%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications27%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14%Level 3 (A levels)15.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)24.1%Apprenticeship4.8%Other (incl. vocational)3.4%

Home ownership60.2%

Among the most-deprived 30% of areas in England

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

Council tax Sandwell · 2026-27

A £1,496

B £1,745

C £1,995

D £2,244

E £2,743

F £3,241

G £3,740

H £4,488

Energy West Midlands region

Typical bill regional £1,641/yr

Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026

Typical home efficiency local EPC band D

Water Severn Trent Water

Average bill regional £424/yr

Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Langley Green 0.4 mi

Rowley Regis 1.2 mi

Sandwell and Dudley 1.4 mi

J2 M5 0.6 mi

J1 M5 1.9 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 20

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 30

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 45

Retail Shopping Ample 413

Takeaways Ample 54

Fitness Ample 14

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£231,250	160
Detached	£287,500	12
Semi-detached	£253,500	84
Terraced	£199,650	55

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Oldbury (Sandwell) a nice place to live?

Yes, Oldbury (Sandwell) is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Oldbury (Sandwell) is 72/100, placing it among one of the better-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Oldbury (Sandwell)?

Oldbury (Sandwell) has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 36/100. There were 6,538 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Oldbury (Sandwell)?

Among the top-rated schools in Oldbury (Sandwell) are Bristnall Hall Academy and St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 49 rated schools in Oldbury (Sandwell) in total.

What are house prices like in Oldbury (Sandwell)?

The current median house price in Oldbury (Sandwell) is £231,250, around 19% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £287,500, semi-detached £253,500, terraced £199,650. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 24%. There were 160 sales recorded in the past 12 months.