Overview

• The unnamed study measured crime rates, school performance, NHS access and housing costs to rank 294 UK local authorities by overall livability.
• High crime rates and limited NHS access penalised scores for several urban areas in the West Midlands.
• Walsall ranked 278th nationally, making it the region’s lowest-scoring area, while Derby placed 290th and major centres like Coventry (255th) and Birmingham (265th) also landed near the bottom.
• Rural districts including Stratford-on-Avon (41st), North Warwickshire (50th), Rugby (70th) and Warwick (75th) achieved much higher standings.
• Average house prices across the West Midlands remain below the national average, providing a relative affordability benefit.