Postcode OL4 2LY 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 high crime levels, with around 77.6 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, about 29% 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 Greenfield, about 2.8 miles away. There are 12 primary and 1 secondary schools in the area. There are 2 parks nearby, the closest large park is Strinesdale.
Waterhead has a high level of deprivation, ranked at position 15,814 out of 32,844 areas in the United Kingdom, placing it within the top 48% most deprived areas in England.
Waterhead has a high crime rate, with approximately 77.6 reported incidents per 1,000 population each year.
Approximately 2.9% 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.
No significant noise sources from railways or roads near OL4 2LY.
Waterhead near OL4 2LY has no flood risk (less than 0.1% chance of a flood each year) from rivers and sea.
The nearest station is Greenfield located about 2.8 miles away. There are no other stations nearby.
| Distance | Name | Size | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mi | Strinesdale | Large | Walking directions to Strinesdale |
| 0.2 mi | Waterhead Park | Medium | Walking directions to Waterhead Park |
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 50+ recent sold properties in the last 18 months near OL4 2LY.
| Date | Address | Type | Tenure | Price | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct 2025 | 6, Charles Shaw Close, Oldham, OL4 2JN | Semi-Detached | Leasehold | £263,000 | |
| 08 Sept 2025 | 16, Charles Shaw Close, Oldham, OL4 2JN | Semi-Detached | Leasehold | £197,500 | |
| 13 Jun 2025 | 14, Charles Shaw Close, Oldham, OL4 2JN | Semi-Detached | Leasehold | £185,000 | |
| 11 Apr 2025 | 3, South View Walk, Oldham, OL4 2SW | Terraced | Leasehold | £170,000 | |
| 29 Apr 2025 | 5, Privet Street, Oldham, OL4 2PJ | Terraced | Freehold | £157,000 |
In the OL4 2LY postcode area, located within Waterhead, there are 12 primary and 1 secondary schools in close proximity.
6 nearby supermarkets & convenience stores within mi of OL4 2LY
| Distance | Name | Address | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2 mi | Go Local | 461 Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2HT | Walking directions to Go Local |
| 0.2 mi | Nisa Local | Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2HN | Walking directions to Nisa Local |
| 0.3 mi | Price Cutters | 271 Ripponden Road, Oldham, OL1 4HR | Walking directions to Price Cutters |
| 0.3 mi | Shaz Mini Market | 381 Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2RJ | Walking directions to Shaz Mini Market |
| 0.4 mi | Asda | Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2RB | Walking directions to Asda |
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 2LY, 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 2LY records about 78 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. 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 2LY in Waterhead is £180,000 (about £207 per square foot) based on 91 registered sales according to HM Land Registry data.
There are 14 schools close to OL4 2LY, including Woodlands Primary Academy (Good), Kingsland School (Good) and Waterhead Academy (Special Measures). Ratings are from the latest Ofsted inspections.
OL4 2LY scores 7 out of 10 on the deprivation scale, where 10 is the most deprived. Its neighbourhood ranks 15,814 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 2LY 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.