Town Pop. 19,748

Living in Failsworth: Liveability Score 68/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Failsworth comes out at 68/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is lifestyle: 96/100 against a national town median of 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 18/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Among the 4 scored places sharing the M35 postcode district, Failsworth ranks 2nd. That is 18 points above the national benchmark of 50, the top 5% of all UK towns and villages. Broadband (97), schools (89) and transport (87) also clear 80/100. For the surrounding area, see M35 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.

Failsworth scores 68 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Failsworth.

Or compare:

M35 0AA M35 5AS M35 9AB M35 OL3 OL8 OL9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

111.6 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 Oldham. 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 14.8 · PM2.5 7.8 · PM10 12.4 µg/m³

Green Space 99

Parks Ample 38

Sports Pitches Ample 18

Allotments Adequate 3

Golf Courses Some 1

Tennis Courts Ample 7

Bowling Greens Adequate 2

Playgrounds Some 2

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 27 in area · 77 within 4km

3Outstanding21Good2Requires Improvement1Ungraded

Corpus Christi RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Hollinwood AcademySpecial · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Propps Hall Junior Infant and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
All Saints C of E Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Briscoe Lane AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Christ The King RC Primary School ManchesterPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Co-op Academy BroadhurstPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Co-op Academy FailsworthSecondary · inspected 2024
Good
Higher Failsworth Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Limehurst Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good

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

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare

A&E departmentsNorth Manchester General Hospital2.2 mi

The Royal Oldham Hospital2.4 mi

Manchester Royal Infirmary3.4 mi

Hospital waitsNorthern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi

Routine referral (median)13 wks

Treated within 18 weeks59.4%

A&E seen within 4 hrs73.6%

2 GP surgeries in area 30 within 4km best 'Good'

GP capacity3,449 patients per GP

3dentists3pharmacies

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)93.8%

available across Oldham

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

98.1%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

98.1%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

100%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 447 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate57%

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

Economic activity (16+)

Employed57%Unemployed3.7%Retired22.3%Student4.1%Other inactive12.9%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial29.7%Skilled & technical36%Routine & elementary34.4%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications23.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15%Level 3 (A levels)18%Level 4+ (degree & above)22.2%Apprenticeship7.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%

Home ownership62.7%

Among the most-deprived 33% of areas in England

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

Bills

Council tax Oldham · 2026-27

A £1,735

B £2,024

C £2,313

D £2,602

E £3,180

F £3,758

G £4,337

H £5,204

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

Moston 1.3 mi

Fairfield 2.5 mi

Gorton 2.7 mi

J22 M60 1 mi

J21 M60 1 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 15

Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 7

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 12

Retail Shopping Ample 61

Takeaways Ample 17

Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£212,500	105
Semi-detached	£249,700	53
Terraced	£179,998	44

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Failsworth a nice place to live?

Yes, Failsworth is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Failsworth 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 Failsworth?

Crime levels in Failsworth are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 18/100. There were 26,849 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Failsworth?

Among the top-rated schools in Failsworth are Corpus Christi RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, Hollinwood Academy and Propps Hall Junior Infant and Nursery School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 27 rated schools in Failsworth in total.

What are house prices like in Failsworth?

The current median house price in Failsworth is £212,500, around 25% below the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £249,700, terraced £179,998. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 12%. There were 105 sales recorded in the past 12 months.