Town Pop. 16,339

Living in Walkden: Liveability Score 68/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Walkden comes out at 68/100 on the 8 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 81/100 against a national town median of 18/100. No other settlement in the M28 postcode district scores higher. Walkden leads all 5.

The M28 district averages 60/100, putting Walkden 8 points above its own postcode area. That sits 18 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Broadband (89) also clears 80/100. For the surrounding area, see M28 postcode district.

68
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.

Walkden scores 68 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Walkden.
Or compare:
M28 0AA M28 1AA M28 2AA M28 3AB M28 7AB M28 8AA M28

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
—

Crime is scored from the last 12 months of police street-level data. Police Scotland does not publish this, and there is no Scottish equivalent of the Police UK open data service, so crime has been left out of the score for this area. This is a gap in published data, not a sign of low crime.

Environment
68
Air Quality NO₂ 12.6 · PM2.5 7.1 · PM10 11.9 µg/m³
67
Green Space 72
Parks Ample 24
Sports Pitches Ample 7
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Ample 9
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Adequate 6

Services

Schools
78
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 19 in area · 52 within 4km
4Outstanding13Good1Requires Improvement1Ungraded
  • Bridgewater Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Garrett Hall Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • St Andrew's CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • St Andrew's Methodist Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Boothstown Methodist Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Christ The King RC Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Co-op Academy WalkdenSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Ellenbrook Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Hilton Lane Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Holy Family Catholic 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
81
A&E departmentsNorth Manchester General Hospital6 mi
Fairfield Hospital7.2 mi
Manchester Royal Infirmary7.3 mi
Hospital waitsNorthern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust0.8 mi
Routine referral (median)13 wks
Treated within 18 weeks59.4%
A&E seen within 4 hrs73.6%
4 GP surgeries in area 19 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,660 patients per GP
2dentists4pharmacies

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
89
Full fibre (FTTP)87.2%
available across Salford
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
98.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
98.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.5%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 401 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
53
Employment rate61.4%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed61.4%Unemployed3%Retired22%Student3.4%Other inactive10.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial42.6%Skilled & technical33.2%Routine & elementary24.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications16.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14%Level 3 (A levels)17.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)34.4%Apprenticeship6.6%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership68.2%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
34
Council tax Salford · 2026-27
A £1,729
B £2,018
C £2,306
D £2,594
E £3,170
F £3,747
G £4,323
H £5,188
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 C
Water United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
76
Walkden 0.3 mi
Moorside 2 mi
Kearsley 2.2 mi
J13 M60 1.2 mi
J2 M61 1.3 mi
J2 M61 1.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
56
Pubs & Bars Adequate 8
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 13
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 10
Retail Shopping Ample 60
Takeaways Ample 22
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 £260,000 134
Detached £464,875 28
Semi-detached £270,000 58
Terraced £210,000 41
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£126k £238k £353k £465k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Worsley 58 0.9 mi away ⇄
Little Hulton 61 1.3 mi away ⇄
Wardley 66 1.9 mi away ⇄
Kearsley 67 2.1 mi away ⇄
Tyldesley 68 2.2 mi away ⇄
Farnworth 66 2.2 mi away ⇄
Swinton (Salford) 62 2.4 mi away ⇄
Astley 62 2.5 mi away ⇄
Eccles (Salford) 69 2.9 mi away ⇄
Clifton (Salford) 61 3.2 mi away ⇄
Higher Folds 65 3.4 mi away ⇄
Little Lever 64 3.6 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Walkden a nice place to live?

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

What are the best schools in Walkden?

Among the top-rated schools in Walkden are Bridgewater Primary School, Garrett Hall Primary School and St Andrew's CofE Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 19 rated schools in Walkden in total.

What are house prices like in Walkden?

The current median house price in Walkden is £260,000, around 9% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £464,875, semi-detached £270,000, terraced £210,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 8%. There were 134 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Walkden in context

See where Walkden ranks among the best places to live in Greater Manchester

Postcode districts in Walkden

M28 60 ⇄

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