Town Pop. 187,829

Living in Bolton (Bolton): Liveability Score 68/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Bolton (Bolton) comes out at 68/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 92/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 24/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That is 18 points above the national benchmark of 50, the top 5% of all UK towns and villages. Broadband (86), transport (84) and schools (82) sit at 80/100 or above. For the surrounding area, see BL1 postcode district.

OUT OF 100

Good

Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Bolton (Bolton) scores 68 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Bolton (Bolton).

Or compare:

BL1 1AP BL1 2AA BL1 3AA BL1 4AA BL1 5AA BL1 6AA BL1 7AA BL1 8AA BL1 BL11 BL2 BL3

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

102 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents · year ending Dec 2025

The police force covering this area doesn't publish street-level crime data, so this is a district-level estimate based on Home Office recorded-crime totals for Bolton. It's a different source from the rest of the map and can't be broken down by location or crime type.

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 11.4 · PM2.5 6.9 · PM10 10.8 µg/m³

Green Space 73

Parks Ample 49

Sports Pitches Ample 117

Allotments Ample 23

Golf Courses Ample 8

Tennis Courts Ample 37

Bowling Greens Ample 32

Playgrounds Ample 62

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 93 in area

11Outstanding65Good3Requires Improvement14Ungraded

Eden Boys' School, BoltonSecondary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Johnson Fold Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Ladywood SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Lostock Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Moorgate Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Oxford Grove Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Pikes Lane Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Outstanding
Rumworth SchoolSpecial · inspected 2024
Outstanding
St Mary's CofE Primary School, DeanePrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
The Valley Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare

A&E departmentsFairfield Hospital4.6 mi

North Manchester General Hospital6.8 mi

Manchester Royal Infirmary9.7 mi

Hospital waitsBolton NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi

Routine referral (median)12 wks

Treated within 18 weeks62.1%

A&E seen within 4 hrs68.1%

36 GP surgeries in area best 'Outstanding'

GP capacity2,396 patients per GP

25dentists46pharmacies

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband

Full fibre (FTTP)88.1%

available across Bolton

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

95.5%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

95.9%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.5%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 3,851 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate52.3%

Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed52.3%Unemployed4.2%Retired20.3%Student6.2%Other inactive17%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial33.5%Skilled & technical33%Routine & elementary33.5%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications23.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.5%Level 3 (A levels)15.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.1%Apprenticeship5.6%Other (incl. vocational)3%

Home ownership59.6%

Among the most-deprived 33% of areas in England

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

Council tax Bolton · 2026-27

A £1,600

B £1,867

C £2,133

D £2,400

E £2,933

F £3,467

G £4,000

H £4,800

Energy North West England region

Typical bill regional £1,641/yr

Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026

Typical home efficiency local EPC band D

Water United Utilities

Average bill regional £456/yr

Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Bolton 0.9 mi

Hall i' th' Wood 1.1 mi

Bromley Cross 2.1 mi

J4 M61 2.9 mi

J4 M61 3 mi

J5 M61 3.1 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 100

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 130

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 139

Retail Shopping Ample 1210

Takeaways Ample 230

Fitness Ample 23

Places like Bolton (Bolton) Pro

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House Prices

Current median sale prices · last 12 months · England & Wales only

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£202,750	874
Detached	£350,000	163
Semi-detached	£230,000	290
Terraced	£156,000	349
Flat / Maisonette	£111,750	72

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (OGL v3.0)

Frequently asked questions

Is Bolton (Bolton) a nice place to live?

Yes, Bolton (Bolton) is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Bolton (Bolton) is 68/100, placing it among one of the better-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Bolton (Bolton)?

Crime levels in Bolton (Bolton) are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 24/100. There were 30,504 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Bolton (Bolton)?

Among the top-rated schools in Bolton (Bolton) are Eden Boys' School, Bolton, Johnson Fold Community Primary School and Ladywood School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 93 rated schools in Bolton (Bolton) in total.

What are house prices like in Bolton (Bolton)?

The current median house price in Bolton (Bolton) is £202,750, around 29% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £350,000, semi-detached £230,000, terraced £156,000, flat £111,750. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 35%. There were 874 sales recorded in the past 12 months.