Town Pop. 22,607

Living in Orrell: Liveability Score 55/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Orrell comes out at 55/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 66/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 31/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Of the 3 places sharing the WN5 postcode district, Orrell scores lowest. On transport specifically, Orrell sits 10 points below the WN5 district figure of 76/100. Broadband (83) also clears 80/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: WN5 postcode district.

55
OUT OF 100
Average
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.

Orrell scores 55 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Orrell.
Or compare:
WN5 0AA WN5 7AA WN5 8AA WN5 9AB WN5 WN8

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
31
95.3 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 Wigan. 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
62
Air Quality NO₂ 9.9 · PM2.5 6.6 · PM10 12.2 µg/m³
70
Green Space 41
Parks Ample 15
Sports Pitches Ample 6
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Ample 8
Bowling Greens Ample 5
Playgrounds Ample 15

Services

Schools
56
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 19 in area · 28 within 4km
1Outstanding11Good1Requires Improvement6Ungraded
  • Orrell Newfold Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Holland Moor Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Hope High SchoolSpecial · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Moorside Community Primary Academy SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School WiganPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St James' Catholic Primary School OrrellPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • St John's CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • St Peter's Catholic High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Teresa's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Thomas the Martyr Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    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
55
A&E departmentsChildren's A&E5.4 mi
Warrington Hospital8.9 mi
Aintree University Hospital9.1 mi
Hospital waitsLancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust0.8 mi
Routine referral (median)6 wks
Treated within 18 weeks94.2%
2 GP surgeries in area 8 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,574 patients per GP
4dentists4pharmacies

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
83
Full fibre (FTTP)85.1%
available across Wigan
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.8%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
95%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 453 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
55
Employment rate57.5%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.5%Unemployed2.3%Retired26.8%Student3.5%Other inactive9.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial38%Skilled & technical33.1%Routine & elementary28.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications18.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.5%Level 3 (A levels)17.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)30%Apprenticeship7.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership74.3%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
66
Council tax Wigan · 2026-27
A £1,435
B £1,675
C £1,914
D £2,153
E £2,631
F £3,110
G £3,588
H £4,306
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

Transport
66
Orrell 0.4 mi
Upholland 1.3 mi
Pemberton 1.8 mi
J6 M58 0.4 mi
J26 M6 0.6 mi
J6 M58 0.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
43
Pubs & Bars Ample 18
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 13
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 9
Retail Shopping Ample 26
Takeaways Ample 11
Fitness Adequate 4

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £217,000 144
Detached £313,500 30
Semi-detached £232,000 67
Terraced £155,000 41
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£91k £183k £277k £369k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Wigan 65 2.6 mi away ⇄
Shevington 49 2.7 mi away ⇄
Billinge 60 2.8 mi away ⇄
Skelmersdale 53 2.9 mi away ⇄
Land Gate 59 3.1 mi away ⇄
Appley Bridge 59 3.2 mi away ⇄
Rainford 58 3.8 mi away ⇄
Ashton-in-Makerfield 59 4.1 mi away ⇄
Standish 54 4.1 mi away ⇄
Shevington Moor 51 4.2 mi away ⇄
Ince-in-Makerfield 65 4.3 mi away ⇄
Hunger Hill (West Lancashire) 45 4.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Orrell a nice place to live?

Orrell is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Orrell is 55/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Orrell?

Orrell has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 31/100. There were 31,818 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Orrell?

Among the top-rated schools in Orrell are Orrell Newfold Community Primary School, Holland Moor Primary School and Hope High School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 19 rated schools in Orrell in total.

What are house prices like in Orrell?

The current median house price in Orrell is £217,000, around 24% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £313,500, semi-detached £232,000, terraced £155,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 7%. There were 144 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Orrell in context

See the best places to live in Greater Manchester, ranked

Postcode districts in Orrell

WN5 59 ⇄
WN8 54 ⇄

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