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Neighbourhood · Solihull · West Midlands

Elmdon Heath & Catherine-de-Barnes

Solihull 015 · 5 sub-areas · 8,738 residents

Solihull 015 is a settled, largely owner-occupied corner of Solihull, home to around 8,700 people. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £1,050 a month — notably below the UK median for a 2-bed — and the neighbourhood skews older and more established than the Solihull average, with more than seven in ten households owning their home.

Best for Retirees (76/100)Watch-out: Solo renters (54/100)Liveability 59/100 · Above median

Elmdon Heath & Catherine-de-Barnes 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.

2-bed rent
£1,047/mo+1.0%
1-bed £843 · 3-bed £1,240
Crime / 1k / yr
45.9
Top quartile
Best hub commute
39 min
Direct to Birmingham
Good schools 2 km
43%
7 schools within 2 km
Liveability
59/100
Above median
Population
8,738
5 sub-areas

Overview

Overview

What's it like to live in Elmdon Heath & Catherine-de-Barnes?

A snapshot of Elmdon Heath & Catherine-de-Barnes

Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; there's effectively nothing within walking distance — eating out, drinking and shopping mean a drive; 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 5 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.

Elmdon Heath & Catherine-de-Barnes in Solihull

Overview

Living in Elmdon Heath & Catherine-de-Barnes

This part of Solihull reads as proper suburban middle England — mostly owner-occupied housing, a spread of ages, and a noticeably calm character compared with the more commercially active parts of the borough. Greenspace is close by: the nearest park or open space is around 420 metres away on average, and roughly four in ten residents live within easy walking distance of a sizeable green area.

On cost, the neighbourhood sits at the more affordable end of the Solihull spectrum. A 2-bed runs around £1,050 a month — close to the UK median of roughly £1,200, and considerably cheaper than you'd pay across Birmingham city centre or in the commuter corridors to London. That said, the rent-to-take-home ratio here is nearly 49%, which reflects the fact that local salaries, while solid, aren't dramatically higher than the national norm. Median resident earnings sit at around £36,700 a year.

The population here is noticeably mature: more than one in five residents is aged 65 or over, and the 50–64 band is almost as large. Families with children make up around a fifth of households, while one-person households account for nearly three in ten. That mix shapes the feel of the place — it's quiet, well-kept, and not particularly transient. Owner-occupation is at 73%, well above national norms, which means you'll see less of the churn that tends to define more renter-heavy neighbourhoods.

Practically speaking, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 2.3 km away — about a 29-minute walk, though most residents drive; just over half commute by car. Birmingham is reachable in around 38 minutes by public transport, making this workable as a base for city-centre employment without the city-centre price tag. See the streets and sub-areas below for more on how the neighbourhood breaks down.

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FAQ

Frequently asked

Is Solihull 015 a nice place to live?
For the right person, yes. It's a quiet, well-established suburban neighbourhood with low crime, good greenspace access, and high owner-occupation — which tends to mean well-maintained streets and low turnover. It's not a lively urban environment, but if you want calm and space without leaving the West Midlands, it delivers.
What is the rent in Solihull 015?
A typical one-bedroom runs around £843 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,050, and a three-bedroom around £1,240. These are neighbourhood-level estimates scaled from borough-wide ONS data using local sale prices. Rents rose around 1% over the past year, well below recent national trends.
Is Solihull 015 safe?
Yes, by most measures. The crime rate here is around 47 incidents per 1,000 residents a year — roughly half the UK national average of around 80. The area sits in the lower-deprivation bracket nationally, and the settled, owner-occupied character of the neighbourhood tends to correlate with lower crime rates.
What's the commute from Solihull 015 to Birmingham city centre?
Around 38 minutes by public transport. The nearest mainline rail station is about 2.3 km away — most residents drive to it. Just over half the local workforce commutes by car, and only around 4% use public transport, so the area is most practical if you have a car.
Who lives in Solihull 015?
Mostly established, older homeowners. More than a fifth of residents are 65 or over, and the 50–64 group is nearly as large. Around 73% of households own their home. There's a meaningful family presence too, with couples with children making up about one in five households. It's not a young professional or student area.
What schools are near Solihull 015?
There are 29 schools within 2 km of typical residents, though only around 35% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — below the national average of around 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is roughly 3.2 km away. It's worth checking the Ofsted register directly for current ratings before committing.
How does the cost of living in Solihull 015 compare to Birmingham?
Rents are broadly competitive — a 2-bed at around £1,050 a month is close to the UK median and likely cheaper than comparable properties in Birmingham's more central or sought-after postcodes. The trade-off is car dependency and a quieter environment rather than city-centre convenience.
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