Postcode insights

OL4 2LH

Ripponden Road

Waterhead

Interactive map showing OL4 2LH and surrounding area

Detailed insights for OL4 2LH

Overview

Postcode OL4 2LH 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 high deprivation and average crime levels, with around 65.6 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, about 40% below 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 Derker (Manchester Metrolink), about 0.9 miles away. There are 9 primary and 1 secondary schools in the area. There is 1 park nearby, the closest medium park is Waterhead Park.

Crime rate
6/10
Crimes per 1k residents
66
Deprivation level
7/10
Income level
2/10
Social housing
2.4%
Connectivity
N/A
Flood Risk
No risk
Noise Level
High

Deprivation level

7/10

Waterhead has a high level of deprivation, ranked at position 14,395 out of 32,844 areas in the United Kingdom, placing it within the top 44% most deprived areas in England.

Crime level

6/10

Waterhead has an average crime rate, with approximately 65.6 reported incidents per 1,000 population each year.

Social housing

2.4%

Approximately 2.4% 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.

Income level

2/10

The average income per household in Waterhead is £35,879 per year.

Noise Level

High

High noise level (70.0-74.9 dB) from road, approximately 20 ft away from OL4 2LH.

Flood risk

No risk

Waterhead near OL4 2LH has no flood risk (less than 0.1% chance of a flood each year) from rivers and sea.

Transport

The nearest station is Derker (Manchester Metrolink) located about 0.9 miles away. There are 1 stations nearby.

Nearby public transport stations for OL4 2LH
DistanceNameLinesDirections
0.9 mi

Derker (Manchester Metrolink)

Metrolink

Walking directions to Derker (Manchester Metrolink)

Parks

Nearby parks and green spaces for OL4 2LH
DistanceNameSizeDirections
0.4 miWaterhead ParkMediumWalking directions to Waterhead Park

Area Profile

Population
267
Population density
11,798.2 per km²

Crime

Crime per 1,000 population

Violence and sexual offences
31.42(-16%)
Anti-social behaviour
13.66(-24%)
Vehicle crime
10.93(+82%)
Burglary
6.83(+23%)
Criminal damage and arson
4.78(-47%)
North West average

Demographics

Ethnic groups

British
245
91.08%
Pakistani
7
2.6%
White and Black Caribbean (mixed)
4
1.49%
Other Asian
3
1.12%
Indian
2
0.74%
Total population: 269

Economics

Education (age 16+)

No qualifications
48
23.53%
Level 4+ (Degree)
45
22.06%
Level 3 (A level)
36
17.65%
Level 1 (GCSEs 3-1)
29
14.22%
Level 2 (GCSEs 9-4)
24
11.76%
Total 16+ residents: 204

Housing

Housing tenure

Owns outright
47
37.9%
Owns with a mortgage
42
33.87%
Private landlord or letting agency
24
19.35%
Other forms of private rent
8
6.45%
Other social rented
2
1.61%
Total households: 124

Property prices in Waterhead

Median price£180,000
Price per sq ft£207
Sales (last 12 months)91
Typical range (middle 50%)£135K – £233K

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.

Prices by property typelast 12 months

Median sale price, median price per square foot, sales count, and percentile information for each property type in Waterhead over the last year.
TypeSalesMedian£/sq ft
Detached16£345,000£261
Semi-Detached24£211,000£255
Terraced50£139,250£178
Flats1£138,000£256

10-year price trendmedian sale price in Waterhead

Sale price

Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in Waterhead.
YearDetachedFlatsSemi-DetachedTerraced
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
Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in Waterhead.

Price per sq ft

Ten year median sale price per square foot trend for each property type in Waterhead.
YearDetachedFlatsSemi-DetachedTerraced
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
Ten year median sale price per square foot trend for each property type in Waterhead.

Price distribution by property typelast 12 months

Price distribution by property type for Waterhead in the last year.

Recent sales

There were 50+ recent sold properties in the last 18 months near OL4 2LH.

Recent sold properties in the last 18 months near OL4 2LH
DateAddressTypeTenurePriceMap
12 Sept 2025392, Ripponden Road, Oldham, OL4 2LHTerracedLeasehold£210,000
16 Sept 2025447, Ripponden Road, Oldham, OL1 4JNTerracedLeasehold£147,500
16 Jun 2025369 - 371, Ripponden Road, Oldham, OL1 4JNOtherFreehold£4,000
06 Mar 2025415, Ripponden Road, Oldham, OL1 4JNTerracedLeasehold£175,000
25 Feb 2026364, Ripponden Road, Oldham, OL4 2NUTerracedLeasehold£122,000

Schools

In the OL4 2LH postcode area, located within Waterhead, there are 9 primary and 1 secondary schools in close proximity.

Nearby primary and secondary schools for OL4 2LH
DistancePhaseNameTypeRating
0.2 miPrimaryWoodlands Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led

Good

0.3 miNot applicableKingsland SchoolPupil referral unit

Good

0.4 miPrimarySt. Theresa's RC Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school

Good

Local amenities

3 nearby supermarkets & convenience stores within mi of OL4 2LH

Nearby supermarkets & convenience stores for OL4 2LH
DistanceNameAddressDirections
0.3 miPrice Cutters271 Ripponden Road, Oldham, OL1 4HRWalking directions to Price Cutters
0.5 miMoorside Co-opOwen Street, Oldham, OL1 4JSWalking directions to Moorside Co-op
0.5 miNisa LocalHuddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2HNWalking directions to Nisa Local

Council Tax Bands

Annual council tax rates for Oldham district (2025-26).

Band A£1,640
Band B£1,913
Band C£2,186
Band D£2,459
Band E£3,006
Band F£3,552
Band G£4,099
Band H£4,919

Council tax bands are based on the value of your property. Most homes fall into bands A to D.

Local councillor and member of parliament

Elected local representatives for OL4 2LH, including ward councillors and the local member of parliament.

Local councillors

Paul Taylor

Waterhead - Elected 7 May 2026

Reform UK

Member of parliament

Debbie Abrahams

Oldham East and Saddleworth - Elected 4 Jul 2024

Labour Party

Geographic Information

RegionNorth WestUKD
DistrictOldhamE08000004
Parliamentary ConstituencyOldham East and SaddleworthE14001415
WardWaterheadE05014664
ParishOldham, unparished areaE43000158
MSOA (Middle Layer Super Output Area)WaterheadE02001109
LSOA (Lower Layer Super Output Area)Oldham 012DE01005455
Police ForceGreater Manchester
Postcode Introduced1980-01-01

Frequently asked questions about OL4 2LH

Is OL4 2LH (Waterhead) safe?

The area around OL4 2LH records about 66 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, which is a average crime rate for England: it scores 6 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.

What is the average house price near OL4 2LH?

The median sale price around OL4 2LH in Waterhead is £180,000 (about £207 per square foot) based on 91 registered sales according to HM Land Registry data.

What schools are near OL4 2LH?

There are 12 schools close to OL4 2LH, including Woodlands Primary Academy (Good), Kingsland School (Good) and St. Theresa's RC Primary School (Good). Ratings are from the latest Ofsted inspections.

What is the nearest station to OL4 2LH?

The closest station to OL4 2LH is Derker (Manchester Metrolink), about 1,488 m away, serving the Metrolink line.

How deprived is the area around OL4 2LH?

OL4 2LH scores 7 out of 10 on the deprivation scale, where 10 is the most deprived. Its neighbourhood ranks 14,395 of 32,844 in England on the official Index of Multiple Deprivation (rank 1 is the most deprived).

Who represents OL4 2LH (Waterhead) in Parliament and on the local council?

The Member of Parliament for Oldham East and Saddleworth covering OL4 2LH is Debbie Abrahams (Labour Party), elected at the 2024 general election. The area is represented by 1 local councillor: Paul Taylor (Reform UK).

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.