Sandwell
§ This page gives an overview of the Sandwell local authority district, bringing together key facts, maps, and data to help you quickly understand the area. This is one of 361 LAD profiles on Baseview.
Overview ⁞ Sandwell lies in the industrial Black Country between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, with a mix of urban centres, canals, and green spaces. West Bromwich, the largest town, has a busy centre and The Hawthorns football ground, while Smethwick and Oldbury reflect the area’s historic industrial roots. The extensive canal network runs through the district, and Sandwell Valley Country Park provides a large green space with farms, lakes, and trails. The landscape is urban in character but dotted with parks, waterways, and historic industrial landmarks.
Sandwell Boundary Map
This map shows the official boundary of the Sandwell local authority district, based on the latest geographic data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It provides a clear view of the district’s extent and helps you understand how the area fits within the wider regional and national landscape.
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The administrative boundary of Sandwell can also be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Sandwell.
Key Facts about Sandwell
What region is Sandwell in? Sandwell is in the West Midlands of England, a region within the UK.
What county is Sandwell in? Sandwell is located in the county of West Midlands.
Is Sandwell a city? No, Sandwell is not a city. (Note: the UK has 76 officially designated cities.)
Who governs Sandwell? The local government for this district is: Sandwell Borough Council (Metropolitan District).
▶ Official website of Sandwell Borough Council 🔗 sandwell.gov.uk
Which police force covers Sandwell? Policing in Sandwell is provided by West Midlands Police 🔗 west-midlands.police.uk, which serves 7 local authority districts: Birmingham ⁞ Coventry ⁞ Dudley ⁞ Sandwell ⁞ Solihull ⁞ Walsall ⁞ Wolverhampton.
Sandwell in International Geographies
In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, Sandwell is an ITLs Level 3 area:
- (ITL 1) West Midlands
- (ITL 2) ⇒ West Midlands
- (ITL 3) ⇒⇒ Sandwell
The International Territorial Levels are used by OECD member countries for statistical purposes to classify administrative areas. We have this listable page for easy browsing of ITL names and codes: International Territorial Levels.
Constituencies in Sandwell
Sandwell is divided into 4 parliamentary constituencies, listed below in alphabetical order.
A constituency is a specific geographical area that elects one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons. The United Kingdom is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK parliamentary constituencies: List of Constituencies.
Wards in Sandwell
Sandwell is divided into 24 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Abbey
- Blackheath
- Bristnall
- Charlemont with Grove Vale
- Cradley Heath and Old Hill
- Friar Park
- Great Barr with Yew Tree
- Great Bridge
- Greets Green and Lyng
- Hateley Heath
- Langley
- Newton
- Old Warley
- Oldbury
- Princes End
- Rowley
- Smethwick
- Soho and Victoria
- St Pauls
- Tipton Green
- Tividale
- Wednesbury North
- Wednesbury South
- West Bromwich Central
In the UK, a ward is a subdivision of a local authority area, used mainly for electoral and statistical purposes. Defined by the ONS, wards represent the primary unit for local elections, each returning one or more councillors to the local council. Wards are also used as a key geography for presenting population and census data. We have this list page for easy browsing of all electoral wards: List of all Electoral Wards in the UK.
Parishes in Sandwell
Sandwell is entirely unparished—there are no civil parishes in this local authority district.
Parishes are the lowest tier of local government; where they don’t exist, those very local services and representation sit directly with the principal council. We have this list page for easy browsing of all parishes: List of Civil Parishes in England and Wales.
Post Towns in Sandwell
Below is a list of post towns in Sandwell, grouped by postcode area:
- B ▸ Cradley Heath (B64) ⁞ Oldbury (B68 / B69) ⁞ Rowley Regis (B65) ⁞ Smethwick (B66 / B67) ⁞ West Bromwich (B70 / B71)
- DY ▸ Tipton (DY4)
- WS ▸ Wednesbury (WS10)
The UK postal hierarchy begins with broad postcode areas (such as “CB” or “M”), which are divided into smaller postcode districts (such as “CB8” or “M1”) to support accurate mail routing. Each postal address is anchored by a designated post town, the official locality name used in the UK postcode system, which operates independently from Local Authority Districts —the administrative boundaries used for council tax and local government services. Because they serve different purposes, a property’s postal address and its local authority district do not always align exactly.
Built-up Areas in Sandwell
Sandwell covers 16 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Bilston (Wolverhampton) *
- Birmingham *
- Blackheath *
- Brierley Hill *
- Coseley *
- Cradley Heath *
- Darlaston *
- Dudley (Dudley) *
- Halesowen *
- Oldbury (Sandwell) *
- Rowley Regis *
- Smethwick *
- Tipton *
- Walsall *
- Wednesbury *
- West Bromwich *
In the UK, a Built-up Area (BUA) is a continuous urban area of at least 20 hectares (0.2 km²), defined by the ONS as land where buildings are generally no more than 200 metres apart, such as towns, cities, or large villages. (Note: A BUA name marked with an asterisk (*) indicates that the area is situated partly in the district of Sandwell.)
We have this list page for easy browsing of all built-up areas: List of all Built-up Areas in GB.
Railway Stations in Sandwell
Sandwell is served by a number of National Rail stations, providing rail connections to nearby towns, cities, and destinations across Great Britain. The railway stations listed below are located within the Sandwell Local Authority District and are grouped by train operating company for clarity.
- West Midlands Trains (West Midlands Railway) ▸ Rowley Regis (B65 0LJ) ⁞ Sandwell and Dudley (B70 7JD) ⁞ Cradley Heath (B64 5AL) ⁞ Smethwick Galton Bridge (B66 1HU) ⁞ Tame Bridge Parkway (WS10 0LD) ⁞ Smethwick Rolfe Street (B66 2AF) ⁞ Dudley Port (DY4 8UB) ⁞ Tipton (DY4 8ET) ⁞ The Hawthorns (B66 2HB) ⁞ Langley Green (B69 4LZ) ⁞ Old Hill (B64 6PL)
This is a district-level view only. For a complete list of all National Rail stations across Great Britain, see the UK National Rail Stations Directory.
Sandwell compared with other districts in the UK
This section shows how Sandwell compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.
Sandwell has 24 electoral wards.
Sandwell has a population of 353,860 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)
Population and Migration Trends in Sandwell
This chart shows the population trend for Sandwell from 2015 to 2024. It provides a quick overview of whether the local authority is growing, stable, or declining over time, and helps set context for the migration patterns shown below.
Population change is influenced by natural change (births minus deaths) and migration. The net migration chart below focuses on migration, separating internal migration (moves within the UK) from international migration (moves to and from abroad). Positive values indicate net inflows, while negative values indicate net outflows. The rate labels (per 1,000 residents) help compare migration intensity across years, even when the population size changes.
More local statistics and data for Sandwell can be found on the ONS statistics for Sandwell.