2011 Census: Local Area Statistics

2011 Census Profile

The 2011 Census Profile for Sandwell aims to provide an overview of the socio-economic conditions within the borough, each of its six towns, and its constituent wards.

The profile follows the format of the previously published Town Profiles, and includes a series of tables, maps and charts summarising Key Statistics data from the 2011 Census for Sandwell wards, towns and the borough.

Tables throughout highlight the highest and lowest values for each indicator for wards and towns.

The Profile shows:

  • Abbey ward has a high proportion of residents in full time employment (47.1%), this is the highest of all Sandwell wards.
  • The ward with the largest proportion of residents with no qualifications is Greets Green & Lyng, at 42.9%.
  • Over half of households in Soho & Victoria are without a car or van in the town.
  • Old Warley has the highest proportion of residents providing unpaid care (12.9%).
  • Tividale has the largest proportion of couple households of all Sandwell wards (47.4%).

    • Population change since 2001

    Since 2001, Sandwell's population has increased by 8.9%. However, there has been a large variation by ward, and whilst most wards have seen an increase in population, some have seen a fall.

  • Notably Rowley and Greets Green & Lyng have both seen a decline in the number of residents (-3.7% and -0.2% respectively).
  • Great Bridge, Oldbury and Soho & Victoria have all seen increases of over 20% in terms of the number of residents - in Soho & Victoria this rise equates to an additional 3,600 people (+31.8%).

    • Household change since 2001

    Since 2001, Sandwell overall has seen an increase of 5.3% in the number of households. According to the 2011 Census, the ward with the largest number of households is Cradley Heath & Old Hill (5,749).

  • Seven wards have seen a fall in the number of households - the largest being in Greets Green & Lyng (-7.7%) and Rowley (-3.3%). This is to be expected, due to these wards also seeing a fall in total population.
  • Six wards have seen an increase of more than 10% in the number of households since 2001. The rise is particularly high in Soho & Victoria, Oldbury and Great Bridge (at 17.7%, 18.2% and 18.5% respectively). 

    • Population by gender

    The 2011 Census results show that Soho & Victoria now has the largest population in the Borough, with over 15,000 residents.

    The majority of Sandwell wards have more female residents than male, with the exception of West Bromwich Central and Greets Green and Lyng (which are made up of 51.2% and 51% of males respectively).

    Population by age

    In terms of broad age bands, there is considerable variation by ward:

  • Charlemont with Grove Vale has a low proportion of under 15s (16.4% compared with a Sandwell average of 20.2%), whilst Soho & Victoria has a very high proportion (26.5%).
  • Abbey and Oldbury both have a large proportion of residents aged 15-64 (at 69.5% and 67.6% respectively).
  • Less than 10% of residents in Soho & Victoria are aged 65 or over. However, three wards have over 19% of their population within this age group (Charlemont with Grove Vale, Newton and Old Warley). This compares with a Sandwell average of 15.2%.