Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02001957

West Heath

West Heath is a Census neighbourhood of about 7,880 residents in Birmingham. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Birmingham
7,880

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,349

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

5,871

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

73.4%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

20.7%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

24.9%

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.

Droylsden West, Tameside6,383 residents · 73.1% owned · 24.3% no carRuncorn Halton Road, Halton7,325 residents · 67.0% owned · 20.8% no carHarle Syke & Lanehead, Burnley9,113 residents · 74.3% owned · 19.1% no carHawne, Dudley7,815 residents · 74.4% owned · 17.8% no carLong Eaton North, Erewash7,764 residents · 66.0% owned · 20.1% no carChadderton South West, Oldham7,918 residents · 70.5% owned · 23.1% no car

Most similar within Birmingham

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Longbridge North, Birmingham8,569 residents · 68.9% owned · 23.8% no carHighter's Heath & Maypole, Birmingham7,346 residents · 71.6% owned · 22.0% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in West Heath

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

Tenure

Owned73.4%
2,458 households
Private rented14.9%
500 households
Social rented10.8%
362 households
Shared ownership0.7%
23 households
Lives rent free0.2%
6 households
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached53.6%
1,795 households
Terraced31.2%
1,043 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement8.4%
281 households
Detached5.6%
186 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.7%
24 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.4%
12 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.1%
5 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
1 households
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household43.1%
1,442 households
2 cars or vans in household28.3%
946 households
No cars or vans in household20.7%
694 households
3 or more cars or vans in household7.9%
265 households
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms66.5%
2,225 households
2 bedrooms23.9%
799 households
4 or more bedrooms6.9%
232 households
1 bedroom2.7%
92 households
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household66.7%
2,232 households
One-person household28.8%
965 households
Other household types4.5%
151 households
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household34.5%
1,155 households
1 person in household28.8%
965 households
3 people in household18.8%
629 households
4 people in household12.7%
426 households
5 people in household3.2%
107 households
6 people in household1.5%
49 households
7 people in household0.3%
11 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
5 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1518.2%
1,433 residents
15–2918.2%
1,435 residents
30–4419.2%
1,512 residents
45–6426.2%
2,063 residents
65 and over18.2%
1,437 residents
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White87.5%
6,899 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African4.7%
372 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups3.7%
288 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh2.7%
213 residents
Other ethnic group1.4%
113 residents
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above24.9%
1,576 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications21.1%
1,339 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications19.6%
1,240 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications14.6%
928 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications11.2%
712 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship5.9%
374 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.7%
168 residents aged 16 and over
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)60.1%
3,810 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive37.8%
2,394 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student2.1%
133 residents aged 16 and over
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations19%
1,202 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations14.8%
935 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations13.7%
867 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations13.6%
859 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations8.9%
561 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed8.2%
518 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers8.2%
518 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations7.7%
489 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students6.1%
389 residents aged 16 and over
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health45.8%
3,607 residents
Good health35.4%
2,790 residents
Fair health13.5%
1,063 residents
Bad health4.1%
327 residents
Very bad health1.2%
93 residents
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act80.9%
6,374 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act19.1%
1,506 residents
West Heath · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension47.4%
1,586 households
Household is deprived in one dimension33.7%
1,129 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions15.3%
512 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions3.5%
117 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.1%
3 households
West Heath · 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.