Kates Hill
Dudley 010 · 4 sub-areas · 7,592 residents
Dudley 010 is a residential neighbourhood within Dudley, home to around 7,600 people and one of the more affordable corners of the West Midlands. A typical two-bedroom home lets for around £770 a month — well below the UK national median for a two-bed — though rents have risen about 7.5% over the past year. A notably high social housing share and a young age profile set it apart from much of the borough.
Kates Hill is a commuter neighbourhood within Dudley — train into Birmingham runs in around 42 minutes, and the rhythm of weekday mornings is shaped by it. The demographic profile leans family-aged, with a clear share of households with school-age children.
Overview
What's it like to live in Kates Hill?
4 parks and 6 playgrounds are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; Crime sits around the national average — neither a notable concern nor a notable selling point; Public transport is genuinely strong; most errands and a fair share of social life don't need a car; rents are below the national norm, with a typical home letting at around £846 a month; 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.
Kates Hill in Dudley
Living in Kates Hill
This part of Dudley carries the hallmarks of a working-class West Midlands neighbourhood that's seen significant change but remains rooted in its community. Green space is closer than you might expect — the nearest patch is roughly 330 metres away, and nearly half of residents live within easy walking distance of accessible greenspace. The area feels more family-oriented than many urban neighbourhoods of comparable size, with just over a quarter of the population under 18.
On cost, Dudley 010 sits firmly at the affordable end. A two-bed runs around £770 a month and a three-bed around £930 — well under the roughly £1,200 UK national median for a two-bed. That affordability does come with trade-offs: the neighbourhood scores in the most deprived decile nationally (average IMD decile of around 1.7), which is worth factoring in alongside the headline rent figure. Rents rose about 7.5% year-on-year, so the gap with pricier areas is narrowing slowly.
The demographic picture is genuinely mixed. Around 75% of residents were born in the UK, and the ethnic diversity index sits at 63, reflecting a real spread of communities. Nearly 37% of homes are social housing — a figure well above typical West Midlands levels — while just under 44% are owner-occupied. That tenure split shapes who you'll find here: more established long-term residents and fewer of the transient private-rental population common in inner-city areas.
For getting around, the car is king — nearly 62% of residents drive to work, and the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 2.1 km away (about a 26-minute walk). Birmingham city centre is reachable by public transport in around 42 minutes, which is manageable for regular commuters. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on specific pockets within the neighbourhood.
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Frequently asked
- Is Dudley 010 a nice place to live?
- It depends on your priorities. Rents are low, green space is close, and there's a genuine community feel — but the area sits in the most deprived national decile and crime rates are above the UK average. For buyers or renters on a tight budget who want a West Midlands base with reasonable Birmingham access, it can work well. It's not the most polished neighbourhood in the borough, but it's far from the worst.
- What is the rent in Dudley 010?
- A typical one-bed runs around £600 a month, a two-bed around £770, and a three-bed around £930. These figures are estimates scaled from borough-level ONS data using local sale prices. Rents rose roughly 7.5% in the past year, so expect the picture to shift gradually. Even so, it remains well below the UK national median for comparable bedroom sizes.
- Is Dudley 010 safe?
- Crime runs at around 143 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, roughly twice the UK national rate. The area's high deprivation score is part of the context — these figures tend to correlate. It's not an outlier within Dudley's more deprived neighbourhoods, but it's higher than most buyers or renters moving from suburban or rural areas will be used to. Check Police.uk for street-level data before deciding on a specific street.
- What's the commute from Dudley 010 to Birmingham city centre?
- By public transport, Birmingham is roughly 42 minutes away. Most residents drive rather than take public transport — around 62% commute by car — and the nearest mainline rail station is about 2.1 km away. There's no metro or tram service. For regular commuters to Birmingham, it's a reasonable distance but you'll likely need a car or to budget time for connecting services.
- Who lives in Dudley 010?
- Mostly families and young adults — over a quarter of residents are under 18, and the population skews younger than much of the West Midlands. Around 37% of homes are social housing, so there's a significant long-term tenancy population. The ethnic diversity index is 63, reflecting a genuine mix of communities. About 75% of residents were born in the UK.
- What schools are near Dudley 010?
- There are 62 schools within 2 km, so choice isn't the issue — but quality ratings are below the national norm. Only around 27% of schools within typical catchment distance are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, compared to roughly 89% nationally. The nearest Outstanding school is about 4.7 km away. Families should check specific catchment areas carefully, as provision varies significantly at the street level.
- How affordable is buying a home in Dudley 010?
- The median house price is around £184,000 — low by most English standards. Based on local median salaries, the deposit-saving timeline is estimated at around three years, which is competitive compared to most of the country. It's one of the more accessible areas for first-time buyers in the West Midlands, though the deprivation profile and crime rate are trade-offs worth weighing alongside the price tag.