The Meres
vs Wem
Wem has the younger population: 17% of residents are aged 15–29, against 12% in The Meres. Homes in The Meres sold for a median of £375,000, 44% above Wem. Wem has more green space nearby (38% within 500 m, against 38%).
People
The Meres has 3,892 residents in 1,635 households; Wem has 8,904 in 3,842. The share of residents aged 65 and over is about the same in both (25% and 26%). Wem has the higher share of people living alone: 31%, 9.4 percentage points more than The Meres (Shropshire: 30%).
Homes and prices
In both, detached houses are the most common type of home: 64% of homes in The Meres and 49% in Wem. The Meres has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 76%, 4.6 percentage points more than Wem (Shropshire: 69%). Wem has the higher share of private renting: 16%, 1.6 percentage points more than The Meres (Shropshire: 18%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £375,000 in The Meres 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 4 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in The Meres, and 50 in Wem. The typical postcode is 1,877 m from the nearest school in The Meres and 820 m in Wem. The typical postcode is 6,487 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in The Meres and 1,036 m in Wem. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 33% of premises in The Meres and 61% in Wem.
Safety
Over 12 months, police recorded 47 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in The Meres 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.
The Meres is one of 72 wards in Shropshire, home to 3,892 people in 1,635 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £375,000 over the past two years, 36% above the Shropshire median. On average 38% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 62% 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.
The Meres and Wem next to other wards of Shropshire.