Birkenhead — green and brown mountain beside blue sea under blue sky during daytime

Area guide · Merseyside

Living in Birkenhead

A snapshot of life in Birkenhead, North West — house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more, drawn straight from official UK datasets.

Birkenhead: Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

At a glance

Birkenhead is a city in Merseyside, North West with a population of 109,854. The average house price is £154,135 and the overall crime rate is 69.9 per 1,000 residents.

Where Birkenhead ranks

Population

109,854

Avg House Price

£154,135

Crime Rate

69.9/1k

Top-Two School Inspection Bands

72.4%

Avg Download Speed

481 Mbps

EPC Rating

Median Income

£31,125

Median Age

45.4

House Prices (2025)

Average Price by Property Type (2025)

Birkenhead's detached homes (£412,758) command roughly 4.3× the price of a flat (£95,518).

Price Trend (11 Years)

Birkenhead prices have risen 27% over the last 9 years (£121,402 → £154,135).

Property Type	Average	Median	Sales Count
Detached	£412,758	£408,000	31
Semi-Detached	£191,365	£175,000	179
Terraced	£120,302	£112,750	414
Flat	£95,518	£91,000	85

Crime & safety

The overall crime rate in Birkenhead is 69.9 per 1,000 residents.

Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)

Most common offence in Birkenhead: violent crime (43% of all recorded crimes).

Schools & Education

School Inspection Breakdown

72.4% of 38 schools (31 primary, 7 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.

School Details

Total Schools	38
Primary	31
Secondary	7
% Top two bands	72.4%

Schools in this area

School	Phase	Rating
Bedford Drive Primary School	Primary	Good
Bidston Avenue Primary School	Primary	Good
Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary School	Primary	Requires improvement
Birkenhead Christ Church CofE Primary School	Primary	Good
Birkenhead High School Academy	Secondary	Good
Birkenhead Park School	Secondary	Requires improvement
Cathcart Street Primary School	Primary	Requires improvement
Co-op Academy Hillside	Primary	No rating available
Co-op Academy Portland	Primary	No rating available
Devonshire Park Primary School	Primary	No rating available
Fender Primary School	Primary	Good
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School	Primary	Good
Manor Primary School	Primary	Requires improvement
Mersey Park Primary School	Primary	No rating available
Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School	Primary	Good
Overchurch Infant School	Primary	Good
Overchurch Junior School	Primary	Requires improvement
Oxton St Saviour's CofE Primary School	Primary	No rating available
Prenton High School for Girls	Secondary	Good
Prenton Primary School	Primary	Good
Ridgeway High School	Secondary	Good
Rock Ferry Primary School	Primary	Good
St Anne's Catholic Primary School	Primary	No rating available
St Anselm's College	Secondary	No rating available
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Upton	Primary	No rating available
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead	Primary	Good
St Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary School	Primary	Good
St Paul's Catholic Primary School	Primary	Good
St Peter's Catholic Primary School	Primary	Good
St Werburgh's Catholic Primary School	Primary	Good
The Priory Parish CofE Primary School	Primary	No rating available
Townfield Primary School	Primary	Good
Upton Hall School FCJ	Secondary	Outstanding
Well Lane Primary School	Primary	Inadequate
Woodchurch CofE Primary School	Primary	Inadequate
Woodchurch High School	Secondary	Good
Woodchurch Road Academy	Primary	Requires improvement
Woodlands Primary School	Primary	Good

Broadband & Connectivity

Birkenhead averages 481 Mbps — 381% above the typical UK download speed.

Energy Efficiency & Running Costs

Most Birkenhead homes sit at band C on the EPC scale. 53.7% of homes reach band C or above.

Average EPC Rating	C
Average EPC Score	68.2
% Rated C or Above	53.7%
Avg Energy Cost (per year)	£1,226

Demographics & Economy

Population	109,854
Median Age	45.4
Median Household Income	£31,125
Employment Rate	53.2%
Owner Occupied	65%
Degree-Level Qualified	31.5%

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the average house price in Birkenhead?

The average house price in Birkenhead is £154,135 based on Land Registry sales in 2025.

What is the cheapest type of property to buy in Birkenhead?

The most affordable entry point in Birkenhead is a flat, with an average price of £95,518.

Is Birkenhead a safe place to live?

Birkenhead has a recorded crime rate of 69.9 per 1,000 residents. Whether that feels "safe" depends on the comparison — see how it stacks up against nearby towns in the rankings below.

How are the schools in Birkenhead?

Birkenhead has 38 schools in total, with 72.4% rated in the top two inspection bands by the relevant inspectorate.

What broadband speeds are available in Birkenhead?

Average broadband download speeds in Birkenhead are around 481 Mbps. Superfast (30 Mbps+) coverage reaches 99.6% of premises.

How big is Birkenhead?

Birkenhead is a settlement in Merseyside with a population of approximately 109,854.

Most compared with

How does Birkenhead stack up against its neighbours?

Aintree

Birkenhead

House price: £217,565 · £154,135
Crime rate: 76.1 · 69.9
Distance: 8.1 mi

Bagillt

Birkenhead

House price: £235,651 · £154,135
Crime rate: 63.4 · 69.9
Distance: 9.5 mi

Bebington

Birkenhead

House price: £219,276 · £154,135
Crime rate: 69.9 · 69.9
Distance: 3.7 mi

Birkenhead

Bootle (Sefton)

House price: £154,135 · £139,379
Crime rate: 69.9 · 75.9
Distance: 6.0 mi

Birkenhead

Buckley

House price: £154,135 · £219,761
Crime rate: 69.9 · 63.9
Distance: 15.0 mi

Birkenhead

Connah's Quay

House price: £154,135 · £235,465
Crime rate: 69.9 · 63.8
Distance: 11.8 mi

Looking for somewhere different? Browse all towns in North West or start a fresh comparison from the homepage.