Groundsense

Sandwell

Sandwell is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands. All 24 figures Groundsense publishes are available here. Figures fetched 3 October 2026.

Furthest from the middle

Healthy life expectancy at birth, women 51.3 yrs Lower than 99% of the 359 councils in the UK it is published for. The lowest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.
Residents at the same address a year earlier 92.6% Higher than 95% of the 318 councils in England and Wales it is published for. Joint 3rd highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.
Nitrogen dioxide where people live, annual mean 14.6 µg/m³ Higher than 91% of the 361 councils in the UK it is published for. The highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Open Sandwell on the map

Each line runs from the council with the lowest figure to the one with the highest. The dot is Sandwell and the tick is the council in the middle.

Cost of living

Council tax, band D£2,244

Lower than 90% of the 296 councils in England it is published for.

4th lowest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

MHCLG, Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026-27, Table 9 · 2026-27 · How this is measured

Housing

Average house price, all homes£206k

Lower than 78% of the 360 councils in the UK it is published for.

2nd lowest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Up 0.6% since June 2025

UK House Price Index · June 2026 · How this is measured

Average monthly rent, two bedrooms£851

Lower than 61% of the 316 councils in England and Wales it is published for.

Up 8.1% since August 2025

ONS Price Index of Private Rents · August 2026 · How this is measured

Price to local earnings6.2

Lower than 67% of the 348 councils in England, Scotland and Wales it is published for.

UK House Price Index average price (June 2026) over ASHE median gross annual pay, full time workers (2025) · June 2026 prices, 2025 pay · How this is measured

Energy efficiency score of the typical home68

Lower than 65% of the 318 councils in England and Wales it is published for.

Joint 5th lowest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

ONS, Energy efficiency of housing, median score by local authority, from MHCLG certificates · to March 2025 · How this is measured

Transport

Households with no car or van29.2%

Higher than 85% of the 329 councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland it is published for.

2nd highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Census 2021: ONS TS045 for England and Wales, NISRA for Northern Ireland · 2021 · How this is measured

Residents within 1km of a train, Underground or tram station46.9%

Higher than 82% of the 350 councils in England, Scotland and Wales it is published for.

The highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

DfT NaPTAN active stations, read at every census area · October 2026 · How this is measured

Amenities

Residents within 1km of a supermarket86.9%

Higher than 74% of the 358 councils in the UK it is published for.

6th highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Food Standards Agency register of food businesses, read at every census area · October 2026 · How this is measured

Residents within 1km of a pharmacy97.3%

Higher than 88% of the 318 councils in England and Wales it is published for.

2nd highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

NHS organisation register, dispensing contractors, read at every census area · October 2026 · How this is measured

Premises with full fibre available88.9%

Higher than 80% of the 359 councils in the UK it is published for.

7th highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Ofcom Connected Nations 2025, fixed broadband residential coverage by local authority · July 2025 · How this is measured

Education

Eleven year olds at the expected standard in reading, writing and maths61%

Lower than 59% of the 296 councils in England it is published for.

Joint 8th lowest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Down 1 point since 2018/19

DfE, Key stage 2 attainment by pupil residency · 2025/26 · How this is measured

Attainment 8 at sixteen, average score43.5

Lower than 75% of the 296 councils in England it is published for.

DfE, Key stage 4 performance, local authority district data by pupil residency · 2024/25 · How this is measured

Health

Patients per fully qualified GP2,210

Higher than 54% of the 296 councils in England it is published for.

NHS England, General Practice Workforce, practice level, August 2026 · August 2026 · How this is measured

GP practices rated Good or Outstanding100%

Joint highest of the 293 councils in England it is published for.

Joint highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

CQC Syndication API, GP practices (inspection category P2) · October 2026 · How this is measured

Safety

Recorded crime per 1,000 residents96.1

Higher than 80% of the 305 councils in England and Wales it is published for.

3rd highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Down 12.3% since 2022-23

Home Office recorded crime by community safety partnership, over ONS population estimates for June 2025 · 2025-26 · How this is measured

Residential burglary per 1,000 households6.7

Higher than 71% of the 305 councils in England and Wales it is published for.

8th highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Home Office recorded crime by community safety partnership, over Census 2021 household counts · 2025-26 · How this is measured

Killed or seriously injured on the roads, per 100,000 residents a year39.2

Lower than 60% of the 350 councils in England, Scotland and Wales it is published for.

DfT RAS0403, adjusted casualties by highway authority, 2023 to 2025, over ONS population estimates for June 2025 · 2023 to 2025 · How this is measured

Community

Residents at the same address a year earlier92.6%

Higher than 95% of the 318 councils in England and Wales it is published for.

Joint 3rd highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

ONS Census 2021, TS019 Migrant indicator · 2021 · How this is measured

Pubs, bars and licensed clubs per 10,000 residents5.1

Lower than 73% of the 361 councils in the UK it is published for.

7th lowest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Up 2.9% since 2021

ONS UK Business Counts, SIC 56301 and 56302, over ONS population estimates for June 2025 · 2026 · How this is measured

Wellbeing

Life satisfaction, mean out of 107.4

Lower than 62% of the 347 councils in the UK it is published for.

ONS, personal wellbeing estimates by local authority · 2022-23 · How this is measured

Anxiety, mean out of 102.8

Lower than 85% of the 347 councils in the UK it is published for.

6th lowest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

ONS, personal wellbeing estimates by local authority · 2022-23 · How this is measured

Healthy life expectancy at birth, women51.3 yrs

Lower than 99% of the 359 councils in the UK it is published for.

The lowest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Down 7.2 years since 2011 to 2013

ONS, Healthy life expectancy, UK · 2022 to 2024 · How this is measured

Environment

Park and public garden space within 1km of the average home30.4 ha

Higher than 58% of the 343 councils in England, Scotland and Wales it is published for.

ONS, Access to public parks and playing fields, from OS Open Greenspace · April 2020 · How this is measured

Nitrogen dioxide where people live, annual mean14.6 µg/m³

Higher than 91% of the 361 councils in the UK it is published for.

The highest of the 30 councils in the West Midlands.

Down 30.1% since 2019

Defra Pollution Climate Mapping, background NO2 on the 1km grid, read at every census area · 2024 · How this is measured

Next door, side by side

Sandwell shares a boundary with Birmingham, Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Lowest first.

Average monthly rent, two bedrooms: Dudley£782
Walsall£797
Wolverhampton£842
Sandwell£851
Birmingham£1,003
Average house price, all homes: Sandwell£206k
Walsall£215k
Wolverhampton£217k
Dudley£231k
Birmingham£234k
Council tax, band D: Dudley£2,145
Sandwell£2,244
Birmingham£2,363
Wolverhampton£2,539
Walsall£2,627
Recorded crime per 1,000 residents: Dudley74.1
Wolverhampton91.9
Walsall92.9
Sandwell96.1
Birmingham114.8
Patients per fully qualified GP: Birmingham1,966
Walsall2,126
Dudley2,157
Sandwell2,210
Wolverhampton2,328
Eleven year olds at the expected standard in reading, writing and maths: Sandwell61%
Walsall61%
Dudley62%
Birmingham64%
Wolverhampton64%
Nitrogen dioxide where people live, annual mean: Dudley10.8 µg/m³
Wolverhampton11.5 µg/m³
Walsall13.3 µg/m³
Birmingham14.3 µg/m³
Sandwell14.6 µg/m³
Residents within 1km of a train, Underground or tram station: Wolverhampton17.3%
Walsall19.5%
Dudley21.6%
Birmingham42.2%
Sandwell46.9%

What changed

Average house price, change over a year, June 2025 to June 2026Up 0.6% since June 2025
Two bedroom rent, change over a year, August 2025 to August 2026Up 8.1% since August 2025
Recorded crime, change in the count, 2022-23 to 2025-26Down 12.3% since 2022-23
Healthy life expectancy for women, change, between 2011 to 2013 and 2022 to 2024Down 7.2 years since 2011 to 2013
Pubs, bars and licensed clubs, change in the count, 2021 to 2026Up 2.9% since 2021
Eleven year olds at the expected standard, change, 2018/19 to 2025/26Down 1 point since 2018/19
Nitrogen dioxide where people live, change, 2019 to 2024Down 30.1% since 2019

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