Central Solihull & Sharmans Cross
Solihull 019 · 4 sub-areas · 7,490 residents
Solihull 019 is a settled, predominantly owner-occupied corner of Solihull, home to around 7,490 people. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £1,050 a month — noticeably below the UK national median for a 2-bed — and Birmingham city centre is just 18 minutes away by public transport, making this one of the more affordable commuter pockets in the wider West Midlands.
Central Solihull & Sharmans Cross is a green, lower-density part of Solihull — parks within walking distance of most addresses, a slower weekday rhythm, and a population skewed toward longer-tenure households rather than transient renters. 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 Central Solihull & Sharmans Cross?
Day-to-day life sits close to greenery — a park or playing field is within easy walking distance of most addresses; food and drink within walking distance is workable but not dense — around 14 restaurants and 0 pubs in five minutes; 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 roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,258 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.
Central Solihull & Sharmans Cross in Solihull
Living in Central Solihull & Sharmans Cross
Solihull 019 feels like an established residential area rather than a place in transition. Over four in five households own their home — a tenure profile you rarely see in areas this close to a major city — and the age spread skews older, with more than a quarter of residents aged 65 or over. That shapes the character of the place: quieter streets, low crime by national standards, and the kind of settled community where people tend to stay.
On rent, this neighbourhood sits at the affordable end of the Solihull market. A two-bedroom home runs around £1,050 a month — close to, or slightly below, the UK national median for a 2-bed — and a three-bedroom property averages about £1,240. If you're buying, the median sale price is around £523,000, which puts deposits out of reach for many: the typical buyer here needs roughly seven years of saving, which is on the higher end for the West Midlands.
The demographic picture is one of stability rather than flux. Fewer than one in six households are private renters, and social housing accounts for under 3% of stock. Well over half of working-age residents hold a degree-level qualification — a figure that sits comfortably above regional norms. The ethnic diversity index of 45 suggests a more mixed community than many outer Solihull neighbourhoods, while around 80% of residents were born in the UK.
Practically, the neighbourhood works well for those who work from home — over half of residents do, the highest working pattern in the data block. For those who do commute, Birmingham is an 18-minute public transport ride, and the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 800 metres away, or about a ten-minute walk. The full range of sub-areas and streets is set out in the section below.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Solihull 019 a nice place to live?
- For settled households — particularly those who own or plan to buy — it's a strong option. It's quiet, well-connected to Birmingham, and sits in the top 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. The trade-off is that it skews older and quieter than central Solihull, and the proportion of nearby schools rated Good or Outstanding is below the national average.
- What is the rent in Solihull 019?
- A two-bedroom property runs around £1,050 a month, a one-bedroom around £843, and a three-bedroom around £1,240. These are estimates scaled from Solihull-level data using local sale prices — official rent figures only go down to council level. Rents rose about 1% over the past year, well below the national pace.
- Is Solihull 019 safe?
- By the measures that matter most to residents, yes. The neighbourhood sits in the least deprived 10% of areas in England, and deprivation is one of the strongest predictors of day-to-day safety. The headline crime rate of around 263 incidents per 1,000 residents is inflated by commercial and retail activity in the broader area rather than residential risk.
- What's the commute from Solihull 019 to Birmingham city centre?
- Around 18 minutes by public transport. The nearest mainline rail station is about 800 metres away — a ten-minute walk — making it one of the more convenient commuter connections in the wider Solihull district. The rail journey to London takes roughly 114 minutes.
- Who lives in Solihull 019?
- Predominantly older, owner-occupying households. Over a quarter of residents are 65 or older, and nearly half are over 50. More than 54% hold a degree-level qualification. Private renting is relatively rare — only about 15% of households — and social housing accounts for under 3% of stock.
- What schools are near Solihull 019?
- There are 61 schools within typical catchment distance, so choice isn't an issue. Around 30% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, which is below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 1,740 metres away — a manageable distance — but it's worth checking individual catchment boundaries before you commit.
- Is Solihull 019 good for families?
- It has genuine strengths: low deprivation, high owner-occupation, lots of greenspace within easy reach (67% of residents are within walking distance of green space, with the nearest just 237 metres away on average), and a quick rail link to Birmingham. The below-average share of Good-or-Outstanding schools nearby is the main caveat worth investigating before moving with children.