A new study by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has ranked Sparkhill as the poorest area in England, with Birmingham placed as the second most deprived city in the country.
Birmingham's Deprivation Ranking
Birmingham has risen from 7th place in the 2019 pre-Covid study to 2nd place, behind only Middlesbrough. The city's overall ranking is influenced by its more affluent fringe areas, but hyper-local data shows that six of the poorest areas in England are all within Birmingham.
Midlands Towns and Cities in the Top 50
Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent are also in the top 20, ranking 18th and 19th respectively. Walsall is placed 27th, Wolverhampton 32nd, Leicester 38th, Derby 46th, and Coventry 48th. Sandwell, often considered among the most deprived boroughs, is outside the top 50 at 54th place.
Factors and Regional Divide
The study ranked areas based on income, employment, education, health, and crime. The findings highlight a stark north-south divide, with most of the most deprived areas located in the North and Midlands.
