What it's like to live in Blaby

Blaby district is dominated by home ownership. Around 77.9% of homes are owned, 12.8% are privately rented and 8.2% are social rented, split between 1.1% council and 7.1% housing association. That social share is well under the England average of 17.1%, so social homes here are relatively scarce and tend to be held onto.

The main social landlords in the council area are EMH Housing and Regeneration, with about 2,852 homes, then Platform Housing with 437, Midland Heart with 203, Stonewater with 167 and Orbit with 144. Average weekly social rents in 2024/25 were about £91 for a one bed, £112 for two beds and £120 for three.

At 31 March 2025 there were 908 households on the council's housing register, and 159 social homes were let through the council during 2024-25. A register is not a simple queue, and priority depends on your circumstances. For many tenants already housed elsewhere, a mutual exchange is the more realistic way into an area like this.

Families are well served for schools. Blaby Thistly Meadow Primary and Blaby Stokes Church of England Primary are both about 0.4 miles from the centre, with St Peter's Church of England Primary at Whetstone, Glen Hills Primary and Rolleston Primary all within a mile. That choice matters if you are moving with children mid-year.

For older children, Foxfields Academy and South Wigston High School are about a mile away, with Countesthorpe Leysland Community College, Countesthorpe Academy and Tudor Grange Samworth Academy all within roughly a mile and a half. Check admission arrangements and catchments for your exact address, as these vary.

Outside school hours there is plenty within walking or short bus distance. Bouskell Park, The Crescent Park and Oakfield Park give space to run about, Jubilee Park and Exchange Park are a little over a mile out, and Blaby Library is in the village. Blaby and Whetstone Youth Club is under a mile away, and the community centres host local activity.

Blaby has no station of its own, but two are within easy reach. South Wigston is about 1.3 miles away and Narborough about 1.7 miles, both useful for journeys into Leicester and beyond. Many people drive or take a bus to the station rather than walk, though the distances are manageable on foot or by bike in decent weather.

By road, the village sits close to the southern approaches to Leicester, which makes commuting into the city straightforward, if sometimes slow at peak times. If you drive, parking in the older village streets can be tighter than on the newer estates, so it is worth looking at a specific address before you commit.

On foot, the village centre is compact. The library, the social centre, the community centre, the nearest supermarket and several pubs are all within a few minutes of the middle, and Bouskell Park is about a third of a mile away. For anything further, such as the cinema at Meridian nearly three miles off, you will want a bus or a car.

Green space is the easy win here. Bouskell Park is the closest, a few minutes from the centre, with The Crescent Park and Oakfield Park also within walking range. Jubilee Park and Exchange Park add more options a little further out, which is handy if you like a change of scene for a weekend walk.

The village has a decent pub scene for its size. The Fox & Tiger and Black Horse are right in the centre, with the Bulls Head, The Bakers Arms and The Yew Trees all within a short stroll. Blaby Library is on the doorstep, and Glenhills Library is under a mile for a wider pick of stock and sessions.

For exercise and nights out you will travel a short way. The Fitness Bank is about 1.5 miles, Wigston Pool and Fitness Centre around 1.8 miles, with Clubfit 24 and other gyms a little beyond that. The nearest cinema is Vue Meridian, roughly 2.8 miles away. Community centres in Blaby and Whetstone cover clubs, classes and local events.

The employment picture across the wider Blaby council area looks strong. In September 2026, 2.2% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming unemployment-related benefits, well below the England figure of 4%. That points to a local labour market where work is generally easier to find than in many parts of the country.

Much of that comes from Blaby's position on the edge of Leicester. The city brings a large pool of jobs within a short commute, and the district's road links support warehousing, distribution and retail employment typical of this part of Leicestershire. Trains from South Wigston and Narborough widen the range of places you could reasonably travel to for work.

If you are moving for a job, think about shifts and hours as well as distance. Early or late starts are far easier with a car here, while standard daytime hours are well covered by bus and rail. Check your actual journey at the times you would travel before deciding.