Town Pop. 6,678

Living in Whitworth: Liveability Score 44/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Whitworth is 44/100, built from 9 categories. Broadband is where Whitworth most outperforms the national norm: 89/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. Safety falls furthest short: 45/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

Of the 3 places sharing the OL12 postcode district, Whitworth scores lowest. The OL12 district averages 58/100, putting Whitworth 14 points below its own postcode area. On broadband specifically, Whitworth sits 17 points above the OL12 district figure of 72/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: OL12 postcode district.

44
OUT OF 100
Below Avg
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.

Whitworth scores 44 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Whitworth.
Or compare:
OL12 0AA OL12 6AA OL12 7AA OL12 8AA OL12 9AA OL12

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
45
106 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 250 crimes
↑ 12% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 245 crimes
↑ 141% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 53 crimes
↑ 16% above national average
Vehicle crime 30 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 30 crimes
↓ 27% below national average
other 100 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Ivy Bank 42 crimes
  2. 2 Station Road 39 crimes
  3. 3 Thorburn Drive 30 crimes

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

Environment
69
Air Quality NO₂ 7.5 · PM2.5 6.2 · PM10 9.4 µg/m³
74
Green Space 56
Parks Ample 16
Sports Pitches Adequate 4
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Adequate 3
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
50
6 schools in area · 11 within 4km
6Good
  • Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, WhitworthPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Shawclough Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • St John With St Michael Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Tonacliffe Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Whitworth Community High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good

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

Healthcare
33
A&E departmentsFairfield Hospital4.1 mi
The Royal Oldham Hospital6.4 mi
North Manchester General Hospital8.7 mi
Hospital waitsManchester University NHS Foundation Trust2.6 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks63.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs77.5%
1 GP surgery in area 2 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,505 patients per GP
1dentist2pharmacies

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)92.8%
available across Rossendale
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
95.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
95.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 212 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
35
Employment rate57.4%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.4%Unemployed2.6%Retired24.2%Student3.1%Other inactive12.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial35.6%Skilled & technical33.1%Routine & elementary31.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications19.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14%Level 3 (A levels)19.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)27.6%Apprenticeship7.7%Other (incl. vocational)2.1%
Home ownership66.8%
Among the most-deprived 33% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
41
Council tax Rossendale · 2026-27
A £1,680
B £1,960
C £2,240
D £2,520
E £3,080
F £3,640
G £4,200
H £5,040
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
18
Smithy Bridge 3.2 mi
Littleborough 3.5 mi
Rochdale 3.5 mi
J4 A627(M) 4.2 mi
J21 M62 4.8 mi
J21 M62 4.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
23
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
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 £179,000 48
Semi-detached £213,000 12
Terraced £165,000 29
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£124k £195k £267k £338k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Wardle (Rochdale) 51 1.9 mi away ⇄
Bacup 40 2.7 mi away ⇄
Rochdale 61 3.1 mi away ⇄
Littleborough 50 3.2 mi away ⇄
Summit 46 3.7 mi away ⇄
Milnrow 58 4.3 mi away ⇄
Weir 39 4.7 mi away ⇄
Todmorden 46 4.8 mi away ⇄
Rawtenstall 49 5.2 mi away ⇄
Newhey 56 5.2 mi away ⇄
Edenfield 47 5.3 mi away ⇄
Heywood 53 5.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Whitworth a nice place to live?

Whitworth has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Whitworth is 44/100, placing it among a below-average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Whitworth?

Whitworth has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 45/100. There were 708 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Whitworth?

Among the top-rated schools in Whitworth are Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth, Shawclough Community Primary School and St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 6 rated schools in Whitworth in total.

What are house prices like in Whitworth?

The current median house price in Whitworth is £179,000, around 37% below the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £213,000, terraced £165,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 17%. There were 48 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Whitworth in context

See the best places to live in Lancashire, ranked

Postcode districts in Whitworth

OL12 58 ⇄

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