Why Live in Birmingham in 2024?

Over the last two decades, Birmingham has emerged as the UK’s true second city – brimming with possibilities and driving incredible growth through multiple long-term regeneration plans. The entire city is changing and the Rotunda isn’t the only landmark dominating the skyline anymore, joined by huge skyscrapers housing some of the best businesses in the country, all underpinning one of the fastest-growing economies in the UK.

This transformation in quality of life and opportunity has driven a huge spike in the local population, with the number of people living in the city increasing by 16% over the last two decades to over 1.5 million. There’s a reason that people are choosing to live in Birmingham – whether that’s for the culture, entertainment or employment opportunities. With this in mind, we thought we’d take the opportunity to answer a common question – why should you live in Birmingham?

Living and working in Birmingham is easy

Despite having distinct neighbourhoods throughout the entire city, the core is refreshingly compact. The walk from one side to the other takes no longer than half an hour – meaning living and working in the city is a breeze. Despite the relatively small square mileage of central Birmingham, it also still comprises over 10,000 residential properties, housing some of the best and brightest of the UK’s professional workforce.

This means many of the city’s best residences are a short walk from the professional sectors across Colmore Row, Digbeth, Brindleyplace or the Jewellery Quarter. The centre of Birmingham houses some of the largest employers in the world – Knight Frank, PwC, Goldman Sachs and HSBC to name a few – which provide thousands of opportunities for workers living in the city.

And if you don’t fancy walking to work, Birmingham is increasingly investing in its intercity public transport. The bus network and the Midlands Metro run regularly to key destinations around the city centre. Likewise, if you live in Birmingham and work elsewhere, you’re well-catered to. Birmingham is incredibly well connected with destinations around the UK thanks to its centrality and exceptional rail links to places such as Manchester and London.

There’s a vast range of property types

Birmingham has property types to suit all tastes. Whether you’re seeking a city-centre high-rise or a traditional detached home in a leafy suburb, it’s all located in and around central Birmingham. This has supported a huge rise in demand from buyers and tenants alike.

There are buildings at the heart of the city with as few as five or six apartments, giving a truly exclusive and boutique feel. Likewise, there are larger developments that house hundreds of people, filled with market-leading amenities and fostering a truly unique community environment.

Most of these new developments have added benefits such as a concierge service, resident gyms, meeting rooms for hire, secure parking or even co-working spaces. Many of these same developments are also relatively new, built in the last 15 years and developed from the ground up rather than being conversions of older buildings.

This means Birmingham is rapidly becoming a destination for people from all demographics. Whether you’re a single, young professional starting work in the city or a family moving into a larger home, there’s something to suit everyone.

It’s an educational hotspot

It’s also important to note that Birmingham has over 400 schools, with 81% of Local Authority schools classified as ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’ by Ofsted – meaning young children have the opportunity to receive the best possible education.

This same excellence translates into the higher education sector. Birmingham is home to world-class universities including the University of Birmingham, Aston University and Birmingham City University, with an overall graduate retention rate of 44%. Nearly half of the students that study in Birmingham stay for the quality of life they can expect post-graduation.

The quality of life is fantastic

Amongst the miles of canal that Birmingham is famous for, you’ll find incredible places to eat, drink and shop. The investment pouring into Birmingham has supported exceptional amenities – the most famous being the Bullring and Grand Central shopping centres. Bullring is the poster child of Birmingham’s transformation, representing the new standard of living the city has witnessed over two decades.

If you’re still debating why you should live in Birmingham, consider that the city was recently listed in the 2024 World’s Best Cities rankings – one of only five in the UK. Based on a variety of factors including; the vibrant cultural scene, entertainment, green spaces, bars and restaurants and employment opportunities, this new ranking is only helping to build the reputation of Birmingham internationally.

Birmingham has a thriving cultural scene

Historically, one of Birmingham’s biggest strengths has been its diversity and rich culture and the same is still true today. People of all kinds live and work in Birmingham, helping to forge local communities and a fantastic environment where residents can thrive.

The city centre is filled with art galleries, independent shops, Michelin-starred restaurants, local independent kitchens and live music venues – offering unparalleled entertainment 24 hours a day. 

Landmarks such as Birmingham Symphony Hall, the Library of Birmingham and Birmingham Hippodrome underpin the cultural sphere within Birmingham, hosting regular events throughout the year for various faiths and nationalities.

Then we have the thriving arts scene within Birmingham – whether you’re browsing the exhibitions at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery or taking a trip down to Digbeth to take in the street art and visit Digbeth Art Space in the Custard Factory. Music venues are on every corner, housing the up-and-coming artists the city has to offer or you can head to Utilita Arena and see world-famous acts perform.

For anyone that is considering relocating to Birmingham, we have a range of high-quality properties ready to let. Likewise, if you’re thinking about investing in Birmingham to take advantage of the huge levels of demand the city is currently seeing, we have a full range of Birmingham investment properties ready for purchase.