Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02001921

California

California is a Census neighbourhood of about 7,739 residents in Birmingham. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Birmingham
7,739

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,181

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,886.8

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

53.0%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

29.0%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

35.3%

Adults with a degree or above

ONS Census 2021 · qualifications

Neighbourhoods most like this one

Closest matches elsewhere in England and Wales, across 14 Census themes. Similarity is statistical, not a recommendation, and says nothing about how anywhere feels to live in.

North Sherwood, Nottingham8,058 residents · 63.1% owned · 29.9% no carBlackley, Manchester11,213 residents · 45.3% owned · 35.4% no carOld Basford, Nottingham7,932 residents · 56.1% owned · 30.7% no carBrandhall, Sandwell8,659 residents · 62.4% owned · 25.0% no carNorthern Moor, Manchester9,124 residents · 44.3% owned · 31.2% no carBestwood, Nottingham9,433 residents · 44.7% owned · 36.9% no car

Most similar within Birmingham

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Kings Heath Park & Stirchley East, Birmingham7,719 residents · 62.2% owned · 28.7% no carPype Hayes Park, Birmingham9,083 residents · 57.1% owned · 26.4% no carShort Heath, Birmingham8,159 residents · 52.0% owned · 32.2% no carBirches Green & Bromford East, Birmingham13,692 residents · 52.3% owned · 31.2% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in California

People, households and homes at the stated Census geography. These describe the 2021 population, not the occupants of a particular home.

Tenure

Owned53%
1,687 households
Social rented26.5%
842 households
Private rented19.7%
626 households
Shared ownership0.4%
14 households
Lives rent free0.4%
12 households
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached53.1%
1,688 households
Terraced27.5%
875 households
Detached10.5%
334 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement6.8%
215 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits1.3%
40 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.6%
18 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.3%
8 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
0 households
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household45.5%
1,447 households
No cars or vans in household29%
921 households
2 cars or vans in household21%
669 households
3 or more cars or vans in household4.5%
142 households
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms55.2%
1,754 households
2 bedrooms25.7%
816 households
4 or more bedrooms9.9%
314 households
1 bedroom9.3%
296 households
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household61.8%
1,966 households
One-person household30.6%
974 households
Other household types7.5%
239 households
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household30.6%
972 households
2 people in household29.9%
949 households
3 people in household18.6%
590 households
4 people in household12.4%
395 households
5 people in household5.9%
186 households
6 people in household1.2%
39 households
7 people in household1.2%
39 households
8 or more people in household0.3%
8 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1520.9%
1,620 residents
15–2918.5%
1,435 residents
30–4422.5%
1,738 residents
45–6423.2%
1,795 residents
65 and over14.9%
1,149 residents
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White63.5%
4,917 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh14.8%
1,148 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African9.3%
723 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups7.2%
557 residents
Other ethnic group5.1%
397 residents
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above35.3%
2,124 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications23.2%
1,397 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications13.6%
820 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications12%
726 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications9.4%
564 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship3.8%
227 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.8%
167 residents aged 16 and over
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)55.4%
3,337 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive41.6%
2,506 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student3%
181 residents aged 16 and over
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations17.7%
1,065 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed13.6%
817 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations12.4%
747 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations12.2%
734 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations11.6%
700 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations10.4%
624 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students9.8%
593 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers7.6%
455 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations4.8%
289 residents aged 16 and over
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health46.8%
3,625 residents
Good health33.3%
2,574 residents
Fair health13.4%
1,040 residents
Bad health4.8%
369 residents
Very bad health1.7%
131 residents
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act80.6%
6,236 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act19.4%
1,502 residents
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension42.3%
1,344 households
Household is deprived in one dimension34%
1,082 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions17.6%
560 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions5.7%
180 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.4%
13 households
California · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Each percentage uses its Census table’s own total. Rounding and source categories can affect totals. ONS Census data · OGL v3.0.

How the similarity is worked out

Alike on the Census, which is not the same as alike to live in.

Every neighbourhood is described by its shares across the Census themes above — tenure, housing, cars, household make-up, age, ethnic group, qualifications, work, health and deprivation — each theme weighted equally, which is the approach ONS takes in its own Output Area Classification. The neighbourhoods listed are the closest on those numbers, published in full rather than folded into a score. Nothing here measures schools, crime, prices or what a place is like to be in, and a close match is a statistical fact rather than a suggestion to move.

Browse every neighbourhood in Birmingham

Evidence ledger

Source and date are part of the record.

Shared catalogue checked 2026-08-28: 88 candidate data layers listed. Catalogue presence is not publication approval; only separately approved public projections may be shown.