Dickens Heath, Cheswick Green & Hockley Heath
Solihull 029 · 6 sub-areas · 13,693 residents
Solihull 029 is a predominantly residential part of Solihull, home to around 13,700 people and sitting well above the national owner-occupation average. A typical two-bedroom home lets for about £1,050 a month — close to the UK median for that size — while nearly three in four households own their home outright or with a mortgage, giving the area a settled, suburban character.
Dickens Heath, Cheswick Green & Hockley Heath is a mid-density neighbourhood of Solihull in the West Midlands region. It sits between busier and quieter parts of the local authority and isn't dominated by a single use — there's a mix of workplaces, housing and local services. 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 Dickens Heath, Cheswick Green & Hockley Heath?
2 parks and 2 playgrounds are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; 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 £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 6 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Dickens Heath, Cheswick Green & Hockley Heath in Solihull
Living in Dickens Heath, Cheswick Green & Hockley Heath
This part of Solihull reads as classic West Midlands commuter belt: large proportions of owner-occupiers, a high work-from-home share, and very little reliance on public transport. Around 43% of residents work from home — well above national norms — and just under 51% commute by car. That tells you something about the feel of the place: it's designed around the car, with space, quiet roads and a pace of life that suits families and established households rather than young renters looking for nightlife on the doorstep.
Rents here are relatively affordable by Solihull standards. A two-bedroom lets for roughly £1,050 a month, sitting broadly in line with the national median for that size. The median property sale price is around £375,000, which puts home-ownership within reach for higher earners — a five-year savings window to a deposit is realistic if you're a dual-income household.
The population skews noticeably younger and family-oriented than the national picture might suggest for an area this affluent. About 22.5% of residents are under 18 — a high share — and couples with children make up nearly a quarter of all households. Around 45% of working-age residents hold a degree-level qualification, which is well above the national average, reflecting a professional and managerial workforce.
Deprivation is low. The area scores in the top 20% least deprived nationally (IMD decile 8.5), and unemployment claimants represent under 4% of working-age residents. Greenspace is within reach — the nearest open space is roughly 530 metres away on average — though walkable coverage is limited at around 20% of the area. For transport, Birmingham is about 41 minutes away by public transport, making this a realistic base for city-centre commuters who prefer suburban living.
For sub-areas and specific streets, see the streets and sub-areas listed below.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Solihull 029 a nice place to live?
- It's a quiet, well-established suburban area with low crime, good broadband, and easy access to Birmingham. Deprivation is low — it sits in the top 20% least deprived nationally. The trade-off is that it's car-dependent and local Ofsted ratings near the neighbourhood are below the national average, so families will need to research school catchments carefully.
- What is the rent in Solihull 029?
- A one-bedroom lets for around £843 a month, a two-bedroom for roughly £1,050, and a three-bedroom for about £1,240. These are estimates scaled from Solihull-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose by around 1% in the past year — slower growth than much of the West Midlands.
- Is Solihull 029 safe?
- Yes, relatively speaking. The area records around 62 crimes per 1,000 residents annually, which is noticeably below the UK national rate of roughly 80. Low deprivation and high owner-occupation both correlate with the safer crime profile here.
- What's the commute from Solihull 029 to Birmingham city centre?
- Around 41 minutes by public transport. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 2 km away — about a 25-minute walk. That said, over half of residents commute by car, so driving is the dominant option. Public transport usage here is very low at just 2.4% of commuters.
- Who lives in Solihull 029?
- Predominantly owner-occupiers — around three in four households own their home. Couples with children make up nearly a quarter of all households, and 45% of working-age residents hold a degree. It's a professional, family-oriented community with a high work-from-home share of around 43%.
- What schools are near Solihull 029?
- There are 20 schools within typical catchment distance, but only around 27% are rated Good or Outstanding — below the national average. The nearest Outstanding school is roughly 5.8 km away. Families should check individual school catchment areas carefully before moving here.
- How affordable is Solihull 029 for renters?
- Moderately stretched. Median rent absorbs nearly 49% of typical take-home pay for a resident earning the local median salary of around £36,700 a year. It's most manageable for dual-income households or those earning above the local median.