Postcode OL4 2BU is located in a major urban area, within the Waterhead ward of Oldham in the North West region, and forms part of the Waterhead area. It has very high deprivation and very high crime levels, with around 284.2 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, roughly 2.6× the North West average of 109 per 1,000. The average income per household in Waterhead is £35,879 per year. The nearest station is Oldham Mumps (Manchester Metrolink), about 0.5 miles away. There are 14 primary and 2 secondary schools in the area. There is 1 park nearby, the closest medium park is Becket Meadows.
Waterhead has a very high level of deprivation, ranked at position 283 out of 32,844 areas in the United Kingdom, placing it within the top 1% most deprived areas in England.
Waterhead has a very high crime rate, with approximately 284.2 reported incidents per 1,000 population each year.
Approximately 89.7% of homes on this street are social housing provided by a local council or housing association. Across the surrounding area, around 31.6% of dwellings are socially rented.
The average income per household in Waterhead is £35,879 per year.
Low noise level (55.0-59.9 dB) from road, approximately 219 ft away from OL4 2BU.
Waterhead near OL4 2BU has no flood risk (less than 0.1% chance of a flood each year) from rivers and sea.
The nearest station is Oldham Mumps (Manchester Metrolink) located about 0.5 miles away. There are 3 stations nearby.
| Distance | Name | Lines | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mi | Oldham Mumps (Manchester Metrolink) | Metrolink | Walking directions to Oldham Mumps (Manchester Metrolink) |
| 0.6 mi | Derker (Manchester Metrolink) | Metrolink | Walking directions to Derker (Manchester Metrolink) |
| 0.9 mi | Oldham Central (Manchester Metrolink) | Metrolink | Walking directions to Oldham Central (Manchester Metrolink) |
| Distance | Name | Size | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 mi | Becket Meadows | Medium | Walking directions to Becket Meadows |
Based on 91 recent sales, the median property price is £180,000 (about £207 per square foot) in Waterhead area, with individual transactions ranging from £40,000 up to £480,000.
| Type | Sales | Median | £/sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | 16 | £345,000 | £261 |
| Semi-Detached | 24 | £211,000 | £255 |
| Terraced | 50 | £139,250 | £178 |
| Flats | 1 | £138,000 | £256 |
Sale price
| Year | Detached | Flats | Semi-Detached | Terraced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | £191,500 | £65,000 | £151,500 | £75,000 |
| 2017 | £231,995 | £261,995 | £143,250 | £70,500 |
| 2018 | £198,500 | £184,998 | £128,500 | £72,500 |
| 2019 | £237,500 | £50,000 | £140,000 | £80,000 |
| 2020 | £309,995 | £73,000 | £150,000 | £81,000 |
| 2021 | £314,995 | £80,000 | £175,000 | £106,000 |
| 2022 | £302,500 | £125,000 | £190,000 | £120,000 |
| 2023 | £280,000 | £130,000 | £200,000 | £132,500 |
| 2024 | £275,000 | £175,000 | £190,000 | £135,000 |
| 2025 | £325,000 | £87,500 | £211,000 | £140,000 |
| 2026 | £395,000 | — | £179,000 | £123,500 |
Price per sq ft
| Year | Detached | Flats | Semi-Detached | Terraced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | £204 | £118 | £161 | £86 |
| 2017 | £208 | £221 | £167 | £82 |
| 2018 | £198 | £153 | £159 | £86 |
| 2019 | £226 | £97 | £163 | £94 |
| 2020 | £249 | £113 | £163 | £94 |
| 2021 | £254 | £141 | £204 | £125 |
| 2022 | £266 | £235 | £224 | £143 |
| 2023 | £264 | £201 | £232 | £161 |
| 2024 | £284 | £239 | £240 | £159 |
| 2025 | £273 | £167 | £241 | £177 |
| 2026 | £293 | — | £228 | £151 |
There were 48 recent sold properties in the last 18 months near OL4 2BU.
| Date | Address | Type | Tenure | Price | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar 2025 | 132, Balfour Street, Oldham, OL4 1NS | Terraced | Leasehold | £115,000 | |
| 27 Nov 2025 | 22, Hanson Street, Oldham, OL4 1LG | Terraced | Leasehold | £56,000 | |
| 16 Jul 2025 | 45, Hanson Street, Oldham, OL4 1LG | Terraced | Leasehold | £95,000 | |
| 13 Jun 2025 | 25, Hanson Street, Oldham, OL4 1LG | Terraced | Leasehold | £134,000 | |
| 21 Feb 2025 | 14, Hanson Street, Oldham, OL4 1LG | Terraced | Leasehold | £90,000 |
In the OL4 2BU postcode area, located within Waterhead, there are 14 primary and 2 secondary schools in close proximity.
9 nearby supermarkets & convenience stores within mi of OL4 2BU
| Distance | Name | Address | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 mi | Tesco Extra | Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2GA | Walking directions to Tesco Extra |
| 0.1 mi | Stop & Shop | 165 Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL1 3PA | Walking directions to Stop & Shop |
| 0.2 mi | Bucuresti | 179 Lees Road, Oldham, OL4 1JP | Walking directions to Bucuresti |
| 0.2 mi | International Food Store | 181 Lees Road, Oldham, OL4 1JP | Walking directions to International Food Store |
| 0.2 mi | Londis | 131 Lees Road, Oldham, OL4 1JW | Walking directions to Londis |
Annual council tax rates for Oldham district (2025-26).
Council tax bands are based on the value of your property. Most homes fall into bands A to D.
Elected local representatives for OL4 2BU, including ward councillors and the local member of parliament.
Paul Taylor
Waterhead - Elected 7 May 2026
Debbie Abrahams
Oldham East and Saddleworth - Elected 4 Jul 2024
The area around OL4 2BU records about 284 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, which is a very high crime rate for England: it scores 10 out of 10 on the Area360 crime scale, where 10 is the highest crime level. Across North West as a whole the rate is about 109 per 1,000. The most common offences locally are violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order.
The median sale price around OL4 2BU in Waterhead is £180,000 (about £207 per square foot) based on 91 registered sales according to HM Land Registry data.
There are 20 schools close to OL4 2BU, including St Anne's RC Primary School (Good), Greenacres Primary Academy (Good) and Oasis Academy Clarksfield (Good). Ratings are from the latest Ofsted inspections.
The closest station to OL4 2BU is Oldham Mumps (Manchester Metrolink), about 871 m away, serving the Metrolink line.
OL4 2BU scores 10 out of 10 on the deprivation scale, where 10 is the most deprived. Its neighbourhood ranks 283 of 32,844 in England on the official Index of Multiple Deprivation (rank 1 is the most deprived).
The Member of Parliament for Oldham East and Saddleworth covering OL4 2BU is Debbie Abrahams (Labour Party), elected at the 2024 general election. The area is represented by 1 local councillor: Paul Taylor (Reform UK).
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.