A Guide to Living in Staffordshire

Where is Staffordshire?

We’ll start with where Staffordshire is located. It borders Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent, and Derby which means that there are plenty of opportunities for work locally.

Areas in Staffordshire

There are a variety of different areas that prospective homebuyers might want to consider living in Staffordshire.

These include Newcastle-under-Lyme, Cannock and Burton upon Trent which all have excellent transport links into London as well as being close enough to major cities such as Birmingham where there is plenty going on.

Newcastle-under-Lyme – This town is located in the north of Staffordshire and is home to a population of around 75,000. It’s known for its Georgian architecture as well as its castle which overlooks the town.

Cannock – Cannock is located in the southwest of Staffordshire and has a population of just over 60,000 residents. The area has excellent transport links into Birmingham and is just under an hour away from the city centre.

Tamworth – Tamworth is located in the northeast of Staffordshire and is home to around 80,000 residents. The area is best known for its historic castle which dates back to the 11th Century.

Burton upon Trent – The town of Burton-upon-Trent is located near to Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire, England. This small but bustling market town was home to one of the world’s biggest breweries until 2005 when it was taken over by SABMiller. The town has a population of just over 70,000 and is known for its independent shops as well as its brewing heritage.

Stoke-on-Trent – Stoke-on-Trent is the largest city in Staffordshire, with a population of over 250,000. The city is known for its pottery industry and has been dubbed the ‘City of Ceramics’.

Universities in Staffordshire

Staffordshire is home to a few different universities including Keele University and Staffordshire University. Both are highly ranked and considered excellent choices for students.

Keele University – Located in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Keele University is a public research university with around 15,000 students. Keele specialises in medical and scientific research and was ranked joint 33rd in the UK in medicine.

Staffordshire University – Located just outside Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire University is a public university with around 20,000 students. The institution offers a range of courses such as creative arts and design degrees at the foundation level to PhDs in engineering sciences at the post-grad level

Top Schools in Staffordshire

The area also has some top schools which can be important for families looking to move to the county. These include:

The Royal School – The Royal School is one of the top schools in Staffordshire. It teaches children from reception to year 13 and has a good record for high grades at GCSE level, with its pupils getting an average score of around six A*s per pupil.

Newcastle Under Lyme School – Newcastle Under Lyme School is another top school in Staffordshire. It educates children from reception to year 11 and has a reputation for being one of the best schools in the county for sport.

St Dominic’s High School – The third most highly rated secondary school in Staffordshire is St Dominic’s High School. Located in the town of Stone, this school is one of three Catholic high schools to be found in Staffordshire and educates children from reception through to year 13.

Population of Staffordshire

The population density is fairly low compared to other parts of the country – just 69 people per square kilometre. This means that the county is sparsely populated with just over one million inhabitants living in an area of around 777 km², giving Staffordshire a population density of 69 ppl/km².

The vast majority of residents live in urban areas; only five parishes are classed as rural. The largest urban area is Stoke-on-Trent, with a population of around 240,000 and about one million living in the surrounding conurbation that includes Newcastle under Lyme and Kidsgrove.