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North West

Interactive map displaying North West

About

The North West of England covers Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. Major urban centres include Manchester and Liverpool, linked by the M62 and a dense rail network. The River Mersey and the Ribble drain to the Irish Sea, and the Manchester Ship Canal connects Salford to the Mersey so seagoing vessels can reach inland docks. Manchester Airport handles international traffic and Trafford Park was among the first planned industrial estates in Britain, reflecting the region’s manufacturing legacy.

Beyond the conurbations the Lake District National Park takes up much of Cumbria; Scafell Pike rises to 978 m, the highest point in England. Coastal plains and the estuaries of Morecambe Bay and the Mersey support extensive mudflats and migratory birdlife, and guided crossings of Morecambe Bay show how channels shift with the tide. Canals, former textile towns and preserved industrial sites record the region’s central role in the 18th–19th century cotton and shipping trades.

Area overview

On average North West has average deprivation and high crime levels, with around 85 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, about 16% below the England average of 101 per 1,000. Approximately 16.7% of homes in this area are social housing provided by a local council or housing association. The average income per household in North West is £45,520 per year. There are 2923 schools in North West: 2453 primary (280 Outstanding and 1818 Good) and 470 secondary (37 Outstanding and 300 Good). North West is home to around 7,417,397 people, with a population density of about 525.8 per km².

Crime rate
7/10
Crimes per 1k residents
85
Deprivation level
6/10
Income level
5/10
Social housing
16.7%
Connectivity
N/A

Area Profile

North West Population
7,417,397
Population density
525.8 per km²

Crime

Crime per 1,000 population

Violence and sexual offences
37.3(+7%)
Anti-social behaviour
17.95(+10%)
Public order
10.13(+43%)
Criminal damage and arson
8.99(+24%)
Other theft
6.6(-3%)
England average

Demographics

Ethnic groups

British
6,019,385
81.15%
Pakistani
303,611
4.09%
Other White
253,487
3.42%
Indian
140,413
1.89%
African
126,608
1.71%
Total population: 7,417,398

Economics

Education (age 16+)

Level 4+ (Degree)
1,880,049
31.2%
No qualifications
1,174,699
19.5%
Level 3 (A level)
1,061,950
17.62%
Level 2 (GCSEs 9-4)
819,133
13.59%
Level 1 (GCSEs 3-1)
583,083
9.68%
Total 16+ residents: 6,025,635

Housing

Housing tenure

Owns outright
1,051,022
33.33%
Owns with a mortgage
914,523
29%
Private landlord or letting agency
541,191
17.16%
Other social rented
353,045
11.2%
Social rents from council
202,719
6.43%
Total households: 3,153,403

Property prices in North West

Median price£224,000
Price per sq ft£248
Sales (last 12 months)79,159
Typical range (middle 50%)£160K – £315K

Based on 79,159 recent sales, the median property price is £224,000 (about £248 per square foot) in North West area, with individual transactions ranging from £10,000 up to £22,500,000.

Prices by property typelast 12 months

Median sale price, median price per square foot, sales count, and percentile information for each property type in North West over the last year.
TypeSalesMedian£/sq ft
Detached16,488£370,000£298
Semi-Detached29,022£235,000£259
Terraced25,235£167,500£194
Flats8,414£145,000£225

10-year price trendmedian sale price in North West

Sale price

Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in North West.
YearDetachedFlatsSemi-DetachedTerraced
2016£261,000£125,000£155,000£108,000
2017£267,500£124,500£160,000£110,000
2018£275,000£124,000£165,000£115,000
2019£280,000£128,000£171,000£118,500
2020£295,000£142,000£180,000£125,000
2021£323,000£150,000£195,000£140,000
2022£350,000£148,000£217,000£149,500
2023£359,995£145,000£220,000£150,000
2024£360,000£150,000£225,000£156,000
2025£370,000£150,000£235,000£165,000
2026£370,000£142,000£237,500£170,000
Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in North West.

Price per sq ft

Ten year median sale price per square foot trend for each property type in North West.
YearDetachedFlatsSemi-DetachedTerraced
2016£210£207£172£123
2017£216£200£177£127
2018£223£206£183£132
2019£229£215£189£135
2020£236£221£199£144
2021£253£229£216£160
2022£279£228£239£173
2023£288£237£242£174
2024£290£238£248£182
2025£296£232£255£192
2026£298£219£261£197
Ten year median sale price per square foot trend for each property type in North West.

Price distribution by property typelast 12 months

Price distribution by property type for North West in the last year.

Frequently asked questions about North West

Is North West safe?

North West records about 85 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, which is a high crime rate for England: it scores 7 out of 10 on the Area360 crime scale, where 10 is the highest crime level.

Which is the safest district in North West?

Among the 33 districts of North West, Ribble Valley has the lowest crime rate, with about 39 crimes per 1,000 residents per year (the North West average is 85 per 1,000) based on official Police.uk data.

What is the average house price in North West?

The median sale price in North West is £224,000 (about £248 per square foot) based on 79,159 registered sales according to HM Land Registry data.

Are there good schools in North West?

North West has 2,453 primary schools (280 rated Outstanding, 1818 Good) and 470 secondary schools (37 rated Outstanding, 300 Good). Ratings are from the latest Ofsted inspections.

How deprived is North West?

North West scores 6 out of 10 on the deprivation scale, where 10 is the most deprived. The typical neighbourhood in North West sits around rank 13,677 of 32,844 in England on the official Index of Multiple Deprivation (rank 1 is the most deprived).

What is the average household income in North West?

The average household income in North West is around £45,520 per year, and 17% of homes are social housing (ONS data).

Data Sources

All data is sourced from official UK government agencies and public datasets. Last updated: 16/07/2026. Read more about how our statistics are calculated.