Wem
vs Whitchurch West
Wem has the younger population: 17% of residents are aged 15–29, against 15% in Whitchurch West. Homes in Wem sold for a median of £260,000, 21% above Whitchurch West. Wem has more green space nearby (38% within 500 m, against 26%).
People
Wem has 8,904 residents in 3,842 households; Whitchurch West has 4,249 in 1,904. Wem has the higher share of residents aged 65 and over: 26%, 2 percentage points more than Whitchurch West (Shropshire: 25%). Whitchurch West has the higher share of people living alone: 34%, 2.2 percentage points more than Wem (Shropshire: 30%).
Homes and prices
The most common type of home is detached houses in Wem (49%) and semi-detached houses in Whitchurch West (32%). Wem has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 72%, 8.7 percentage points more than Whitchurch West (Shropshire: 69%). Whitchurch West has the higher share of private renting: 21%, 4.4 percentage points more than Wem (Shropshire: 18%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £260,000 in Wem and £214,000 in Whitchurch West, against £275,495 across Shropshire.
Surroundings
Wem has the higher share of land within 500 m that is green space: 38%, 12.8 percentage points more than Whitchurch West (Shropshire: 23%). A typical postcode has 50 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in Wem, and 91 in Whitchurch West. The typical postcode is 820 m from the nearest school in Wem and 874 m in Whitchurch West. The typical postcode is 1,036 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in Wem and 1,210 m in Whitchurch West. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 61% of premises in Wem and 97% in Whitchurch West.
Safety
Over 12 months, police recorded 64 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in Wem and 50 in Whitchurch West, 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.
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.
Whitchurch West is one of 72 wards in Shropshire, home to 4,249 people in 1,904 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £214,000 over the past two years, 22% below the Shropshire median. On average 26% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 10% above the Shropshire average.
More comparisons.
Wem and Whitchurch West next to other wards of Shropshire.