Birmingham is always excited to boast about its history—from Bournville to Black Sabbath and the Back to Backs—but the city shouldn’t live in the past. The Second City isn’t just canals, factories and Mr Egg. This is a modern-day city, one of the youngest in Europe, which is why a new survey has launched to better understand it.
Birmingham City Council is asking what Birmingham means to you in 2026, and what it means to be a modern Brummie. The survey aims to build a richer, more representative picture of the city’s many communities and ask: how you experience Birmingham, what you value most about it, and what could strengthen your pride.
From residents of the high rises in Druids Heath to those in Harborne’s regency homes, families in Castle Vale to the tightly knit communities of Alum Rock, the more people that respond, the better the image of those who shape Birmingham’s shared identity becomes.
The ‘What is a modern Brummie?’ survey explores residents’ experiences of pride across demographic, geographic and cultural groups (be it footy at Villa Park or chilling at a Digbeth pop‑up). This includes questions on local services, public spaces, heritage, culture, community cohesion and safety.
Insights gathered from the survey will directly inform the development of a Birmingham “brand” co‑produced with residents, aiming to reflect the diversity, identity and values of people across the city’s 69 wards. So this is one way to make sure you are better reflected in Birmingham’s future.
What does the survey involve?
There are 36 questions involved. Some easy, some not so easy. These range from multiple choice questions like, ‘Is it Mum or Mom?’ (which has only one right answer) to open-ended questions like ‘What do you think people outside of Birmingham think of us as a city?’, which may take a bit more time.
To complete the ‘What is a modern Brummie?’ survey, head here.