Town Pop. 11,192

Living in Oswaldtwistle: Liveability Score 58/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Oswaldtwistle is 58/100, built from 9 categories. Schools is where Oswaldtwistle most outperforms the national norm: 75/100 against a median of 23/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 24/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Oswaldtwistle places 3rd of 8 in the BB5 postcode district. That sits 8 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 10% of the towns and villages we score. Broadband (87) sits at 80/100 or above. Wider context for the surrounding area: BB5 postcode district.

58
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.

Oswaldtwistle scores 58 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Oswaldtwistle.
Or compare:
BB5 0AA BB5 1AA BB5 2AB BB5 3AA BB5 4AA BB5 5AA BB5 6AD BB5 9FZ BB5

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
24
148.5 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 603 crimes
↑ 62% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 487 crimes
↑ 186% above national average
Vehicle crime 115 crimes
↑ 115% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 101 crimes
↑ 32% above national average
Burglary 81 crimes
↑ 106% above national average
other 275 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 James Street 120 crimes
  2. 2 Union Road 72 crimes
  3. 3 Commercial Street 45 crimes

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

Environment
77
Air Quality NO₂ 7.3 · PM2.5 6.2 · PM10 9.4 µg/m³
74
Green Space 85
Parks Ample 17
Sports Pitches Ample 9
Allotments Ample 5
Golf Courses Ample 4
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 8

Services

Schools
75
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 18 in area · 44 within 4km
13Good1Requires Improvement4Ungraded
  • Accrington Hyndburn Park Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Fairfield Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Green Haworth Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, HyndburnSecondary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Oswaldtwistle Hippings Methodist Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Oswaldtwistle Moor End Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Oswaldtwistle SchoolAlternative provision · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Oswaldtwistle St Paul's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Oswaldtwistle West End 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
66
A&E departmentsBurnley General Hospital7.7 mi
Fairfield Hospital10.7 mi
Royal Preston Hospital12.1 mi
Hospital waitsEast Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks70%
A&E seen within 4 hrs81.3%
1 GP surgery in area 12 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity2,277 patients per GP
1dentist3pharmacies

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
87
Full fibre (FTTP)94.1%
available across Hyndburn
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
97.1%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
97.1%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 258 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
40
Employment rate57.2%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.2%Unemployed2.4%Retired26%Student3.4%Other inactive10.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial32.7%Skilled & technical34.1%Routine & elementary33.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications20.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.5%Level 3 (A levels)18.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)27%Apprenticeship8.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership68.4%
Among the most-deprived 36% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
47
Council tax Hyndburn · 2026-27
A £1,644
B £1,918
C £2,192
D £2,466
E £3,014
F £3,562
G £4,110
H £4,932
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
65
Church and Oswaldtwistle 0.6 mi
Accrington 1.4 mi
Rishton 1.7 mi
J7 M65 1.4 mi
J6 M65 1.4 mi
J6 M65 1.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
40
Pubs & Bars Adequate 5
Restaurants & Cafes Some 3
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 5
Retail Shopping Adequate 7
Takeaways Adequate 4
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £155,000 94
Detached £275,000 10
Semi-detached £185,500 24
Terraced £130,000 57
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£101k £151k £203k £253k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Church 60 1.2 mi away ⇄
Accrington 55 1.7 mi away ⇄
Rishton 60 1.8 mi away ⇄
Clayton-le-Moors 55 2.3 mi away ⇄
Huncoat 46 3.0 mi away ⇄
Great Harwood 54 3.0 mi away ⇄
Rising Bridge 47 3.1 mi away ⇄
Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) 64 3.3 mi away ⇄
Hoddlesden 54 3.6 mi away ⇄
Altham 47 3.8 mi away ⇄
Darwen 57 4.2 mi away ⇄
Haslingden 53 4.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Oswaldtwistle a nice place to live?

Oswaldtwistle is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Oswaldtwistle is 58/100, 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 Oswaldtwistle?

Crime levels in Oswaldtwistle are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 24/100. There were 1,662 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Oswaldtwistle?

Among the top-rated schools in Oswaldtwistle are Accrington Hyndburn Park Primary School, Fairfield Nursery School and Green Haworth Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 18 rated schools in Oswaldtwistle in total.

What are house prices like in Oswaldtwistle?

The current median house price in Oswaldtwistle is £155,000, around 46% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £275,000, semi-detached £185,500, terraced £130,000. There were 94 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Oswaldtwistle in context

See where Oswaldtwistle ranks among the best places to live in Lancashire

Postcode districts in Oswaldtwistle

BB5 55 ⇄

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