In recent years, Birmingham has gained a reputation for crime. With a population of 1.149 million, it is the second-largest city in the UK and has evolved into the cultural capital of the country.
Despite being recently voted the most dangerous major city in the West Midlands, does this really make the city a dangerous place to live? Is Birmingham safe for visitors? In this article, we’ll explore these questions, discuss Birmingham’s current crime rate, and assess whether it is a safe city to live in or visit.
How Dangerous Is Birmingham?
According to Crimerate, Birmingham is considered to be the most dangerous major city in the West Midlands. When compared to the whole of the UK, Birmingham is ranked as the second most dangerous city. It is also considered to be the UK’s 386th most dangerous area when compared to all the towns, cities and villages in the UK.
Does Birmingham Have A High Crime Rate?
When compared to the national average, Birmingham has a rather high crime rate. According to Plumplot, Birmingham has over 136% crimes of the national crime rate. Meaning it has much more crimes reported than most cities in the UK.
What Is The Current Crime Rate In Birmingham?
Last year, Birmingham had an overall crime rate of 137 crimes committed per 1,000 people. This was 16% higher than the West Midland’s crime rate of 118 crimes.
Many crimes affect the city’s safety, but its worst offender is violent crimes. Last year, violent and sexual offences crimes were reported over 63,688 times and had an average crime rate of 61.
So, Is Birmingham A Dangerous Place To Live?
Our conclusion, based on the data we have acquired, is that Birmingham is a dangerous city. As violence and sexual crimes do have a high number of crimes reported, you would have to say Birmingham is dangerous because these crimes can massively impact individuals coming into the city
However, most crimes occur in the city due to it being heavily populated and where the majority of urban areas are and in most major cities, this is where crime occurs the most.
Are There Safe Areas in Birmingham To Live?
Of course, just like any city in the UK, there are dangerous areas and also safe areas for people to live in. According to Crimerate, Birmingham’s safest wards are:
- Hall Green South (with only 576 crimes reported)
- Stirchley (with only 1,010 crimes reported)
- Perry Common (with only 1,058 crimes reported)
Birmingham’s Worst Places To Live
Like every large city, certain places have a bad reputation while others have a great one. According to the Police, Central Birmingham is ranked as the worst area to live in. In the last 12 months, Birmingham city centre had over 15,632 reports.
If you want to find out more info about Birmingham’s most dangerous wards, then check out our article ‘The Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Birmingham’.
Conclusion
Birmingham does have several high-crime neighbourhoods that are unsafe and dangerous. Especially at night when crime rates spike. There are, however, parts of Birmingham that are extremely charming and great places for families to live. Birmingham is ranked as a dangerous city but some areas are safe and it is suggested that you check the most recent and pertinent crime statistics if you are thinking about relocating to or visiting the area.
You can check out our latest Birmingham or West Midlands articles to find articles like; ‘5 Tips On How To Stay Safe In Birmingham’.
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