Hollywood & Drakes Cross
Bromsgrove 004 · 4 sub-areas · 6,050 residents
Bromsgrove 004 is a quiet, predominantly residential part of Bromsgrove in the West Midlands, home to around 6,050 people. A typical two-bedroom property lets for about £885 a month — noticeably below the UK median for a 2-bed — and nearly eight in ten homes here are owner-occupied, giving the area a settled, established feel.
Hollywood & Drakes Cross is a commuter neighbourhood within Bromsgrove — train into Birmingham runs in around 41 minutes, and the rhythm of weekday mornings is shaped by it. The population skews older, with a long-settled feel and a high share of retirees; most homes are owner-occupied, so turnover is low and many residents have been here a long time.
Overview
What's it like to live in Hollywood & Drakes Cross?
Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; The streets feel safe by national standards — police-recorded crime is well below the country-wide median; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £977 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 4 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Hollywood & Drakes Cross in Bromsgrove
Living in Hollywood & Drakes Cross
This part of Bromsgrove sits firmly at the owner-occupied, family-settled end of the spectrum. The area has an older age profile than you'd find in most UK cities — over a quarter of residents are 65 or older, and the 50–64 cohort accounts for more than one in five people. That shapes the character of the place: it's calm, low-density, and not somewhere you'd move for nightlife or a young professional scene.
Rents are genuinely affordable by national standards. A 2-bed runs around £885 a month — well under the UK median of roughly £1,200 — and even a 3-bed averages just over £1,000. For buyers, the median sale price is around £352,000, and with a years-to-deposit figure of 4.8 years, saving for a purchase here is more realistic than in most of the West Midlands.
The community is ethnically homogeneous and tightly settled — 95% of residents were born in the UK, and the ethnic diversity index sits at 14.6. Degree-level qualifications are held by around 31% of residents, which is roughly in line with the national average, and unemployment remains low at 2.6% on the claimant count.
Practically, you'll need a car. Over 60% of residents drive to work, and public transport use is just 2.3% — one of the lowest shares you'll find anywhere. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 1.6 km away, about a 20-minute walk, and there's no metro or tram service within reasonable reach. Birmingham is around 41 minutes by public transport, which makes this workable as a commuter base if your employer is in the city. Greenspace is within reach for most residents — the average distance to a park or green area is under 450 metres. See the streets and sub-areas below for more.
What you'll need on day one
Compare Hollywood & Drakes Cross with
Frequently asked
- Is Bromsgrove 004 a nice place to live?
- It's a calm, established suburban area with low crime and affordable rents. It suits families and older residents looking for quiet surroundings and good value rather than a lively urban scene. You'll need a car for most daily errands, and the public transport links are limited, but greenspace is close by and the area scores well on deprivation measures.
- What is the rent in Bromsgrove 004?
- A one-bedroom property averages around £706 a month, a 2-bed around £885, and a 3-bed just over £1,070. These figures are estimates scaled from council-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose about 2% in the past year, which is relatively modest by recent UK standards.
- Is Bromsgrove 004 safe?
- Yes — it records around 41 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, roughly half the UK national rate. Combined with a relatively low deprivation score, it sits comfortably in the lower-risk bracket. Vehicle-related offences and minor anti-social behaviour are the most common categories, not serious violent crime.
- What's the commute from Bromsgrove 004 to Birmingham?
- Birmingham is around 41 minutes by public transport, making this a workable commuter location for city-centre jobs. The nearest mainline rail station is about 1.6 km away — roughly a 20-minute walk. Over 60% of residents drive, so most people commuting elsewhere will use a car.
- Who lives in Bromsgrove 004?
- Mostly older, settled owner-occupiers — over a quarter of residents are 65 or above, and nearly 80% own their home. It's a predominantly UK-born community with a low private-rental share, which means fewer transient residents and a more established feel than you'd get in a city-centre neighbourhood.
- What schools are near Bromsgrove 004?
- There are 24 schools within typical catchment distance, though only around 27% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 4.2 km away. It's worth checking current Ofsted ratings and catchment boundaries directly before making a decision.
- Is Bromsgrove 004 good for families?
- It has some family-friendly qualities — low crime, affordable 3-bed rents around £1,070, and reasonable greenspace nearby. The school Ofsted ratings within catchment distance are below the national average, which is worth noting. The area's quiet, car-dependent character suits families who prioritise space and safety over urban amenities.