West Midlands · England
Living in Birmingham
The UK’s second-largest city, remade over two decades into a young, green and fast-growing place with more canals than Venice.
Population around 1.15 million
What Birmingham is like
Birmingham offers big-city life at a fraction of London’s cost. Canalside apartments in the centre, Georgian squares in the Jewellery Quarter, and famously leafy suburbs like Moseley and Harborne draw families and young professionals alike.
Education
The University of Birmingham, Aston University and Birmingham City University give the city one of the largest student populations outside London.
Getting around
A rebuilt New Street station, expanding tram network and HS2 (arriving at Curzon Street) put the city an hour or so from London.
Jobs & economy
A diverse economy spanning finance and professional services (Colmore Row), advanced manufacturing, and a growing tech and creative sector.
The property market
The average home in Birmingham sold for £235,682 (April 2026, UK House Price Index). That is an area average across all property types, a useful benchmark rather than a valuation of any single home.
In a nutshell
- Excellent value for a major city
- Famously green, with more parks than any UK city
- A revived, walkable centre
- Strong food and independent scene