Harborne is the family suburb I recommend most often in Birmingham. It is three miles south west of the centre, it has a proper high street with independent shops and good pubs, and it sits next to the University of Birmingham and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which is why so many of the people I place there work at one or the other.
The housing is mostly Victorian and Edwardian terraces and semis, with larger detached houses towards Edgbaston. Gardens are normal, driveways less so on the older streets. Flats exist but houses are the main market.
Schools are the reason a lot of families choose it, and the catchment lines matter street by street, so check the exact address before you fall for a house.
The trade-off is price. It is one of the more expensive suburbs in the city and good houses go quickly. If the budget does not stretch, Kings Heath is the usual alternative.
Matthew Duckett · 16 years in property · updated 14 Oct 2026
What it costs to rent in Harborne
Every bed count on the same scale. The bar is where most homes list, the dot is the typical asking rent, and the dashed line is the council-wide ONS average that covers every tenancy, old and new.
1-bed Live listings · read 14 Oct 2026 around Harborne (within 821 m)
All 1-beds listed here are flats (15).
The ONS average for all private rents in Birmingham, 1-bed, is £825 a month (July 2026). New tenants around Harborne (within 821 m) pay about 16% more.
Live listings, read 14 Oct 2026. ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Birmingham, July 2026.
2-bed Live listings · read 14 Oct 2026 across B17, and in Harborne village itself (B17 9)
The ONS average for all private rents in Birmingham, 2-bed, is £997 a month (July 2026). New tenants across B17 pay about 17% more.
Live listings, read 14 Oct 2026. ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Birmingham, July 2026.
3-bed Live listings · read 14 Oct 2026 across B17, and around Harborne (within 789 m)
Few 3-bed flats are listed; most 3-beds here are houses (58 houses, 1 flat).
The ONS average for all private rents in Birmingham, 3-bed, is £1,127 a month (July 2026). New tenants across B17 pay about 22% more.
Live listings, read 14 Oct 2026. ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Birmingham, July 2026.
Council tax, Band D
Birmingham council area, 2026-27. Your band depends on the property, so check it for any address.
MHCLG, 2026-27.
Examples, not recommendations
Nearest schools
Primary
- Harborne Primary School
- Chad Vale Primary School
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Secondary
- Harborne Academy
- King Edward VI Lordswood School for Girls
- St Paul's School for Girls
Distances are from our map point for Harborne, not from any particular home. A nearby school is not the same as an available place.
Contact the council’s admissions team first. No address needed.
Source: Department for Education register (GIAS), read 8 Sep 2026.
Getting into Birmingham New Street
Driving time calculated for a weekday 8am departure, 14 Oct 2026. Cycling time calculated 14 Oct 2026.
Nearest station or stop: University (rail), 1.2 km from our map point.
OpenStreetMap, data of 28 Sep 2026.
From Matthew
There is no station in Harborne. Buses run along the High Street into the centre in around twenty five minutes, and University station is a short drive. By car the centre is fifteen minutes outside the peaks and the M5 is close for anyone heading towards Worcester or Bristol.
What to check in Harborne
- Check school admissions distances from the exact address.
- Ask about parking; many terraces are on-street only.
- On older houses check the EPC and the age of the boiler.
- Walk the High Street and the side streets at different times of day.
- Ask how long it has been on the market; the good ones go fast.
Which part of Harborne fits your work, budget and schools is what I work out in your Blueprint.
Your Blueprint is drawn up around your job, your budget, your household and your arrival date. Delivered within one working day of us having everything we need.
Some of the areas we know well
Other areas we know in Birmingham
Not a ranking: which area fits depends on your work, budget and household.
Questions people ask about Harborne
How much is rent in Harborne?
For all 2-beds, flats and houses together: a typical asking rent of £1,165 a month across B17, from 58 live listings read 14 Oct 2026. Most list between £950 and £1,400.
What is council tax in Harborne?
Band D council tax in the Birmingham council area is £2,363 a year for 2026-27 (MHCLG). Your band depends on the property.
How long does it take to get from Harborne to Birmingham New Street?
About 15 minutes by car, calculated for a weekday 8am departure on 14 Oct 2026.
Which council covers Harborne?
Harborne (B17) is in the Birmingham council area.