Shawbury
vs Wem
Wem has the younger population: 17% of residents are aged 15–29, against 16% in Shawbury. Homes in Shawbury sold for a median of £287,500, 11% above Wem. Wem has more green space nearby (38% within 500 m, against 38%).
People
Shawbury has 3,957 residents in 1,574 households; Wem has 8,904 in 3,842. Wem has the higher share of residents aged 65 and over: 26%, 3.7 percentage points more than Shawbury (Shropshire: 25%). Wem has the higher share of people living alone: 31%, 8.4 percentage points more than Shawbury (Shropshire: 30%).
Homes and prices
In both, detached houses are the most common type of home: 53% of homes in Shawbury and 49% in Wem. Wem has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 72%, 6.3 percentage points more than Shawbury (Shropshire: 69%). Shawbury has the higher share of private renting: 21%, 4.7 percentage points more than Wem (Shropshire: 18%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £287,500 in Shawbury and £260,000 in Wem, against £275,495 across Shropshire.
Surroundings
The share of land within 500 m that is green space is about the same in both (38% and 38%). A typical postcode has 6 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in Shawbury, and 50 in Wem. The typical postcode is 909 m from the nearest school in Shawbury and 820 m in Wem. The typical postcode is 5,624 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in Shawbury and 1,036 m in Wem. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 49% of premises in Shawbury and 61% in Wem.
Safety
Over 12 months, police recorded 31 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in Shawbury and 64 in Wem, against 59 across Shropshire. Police.uk records crimes by approximate location, not by where victims or offenders live. Busy streets, shops, stations and nightlife record more. Figures are counts, not a measure of personal risk.
Sources: Census 2021 (ONS) · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data · official school registers · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Environment Agency · data.police.uk, 12 months to Aug 2026 · Ofcom Connected Nations
In brief.
Each ward in a few lines, from its own page.
Shawbury is one of 72 wards in Shropshire, home to 3,957 people in 1,574 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £287,500 over the past two years, 4% above the Shropshire median. On average 38% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 66% above the Shropshire average.
Wem is one of 72 wards in Shropshire, home to 8,904 people in 3,842 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £260,000 over the past two years, 6% below the Shropshire median. On average 38% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 66% above the Shropshire average.
More comparisons.
Shawbury and Wem next to other wards of Shropshire.