Postcode OL4 2RW 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 164.8 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, roughly 1.5× 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 0.7 miles away. There are 13 primary and 2 secondary schools in the area. There is 1 park nearby, the closest medium park is Waterhead Park.
Waterhead has a very high level of deprivation, ranked at position 716 out of 32,844 areas in the United Kingdom, placing it within the top 2% most deprived areas in England.
Waterhead has a very high crime rate, with approximately 164.8 reported incidents per 1,000 population each year.
Approximately 76.1% 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.
Medium noise level (60.0-64.9 dB) from road, approximately 325 ft away from OL4 2RW.
Waterhead near OL4 2RW has no flood risk (less than 0.1% chance of a flood each year) from rivers and sea.
The nearest station is Derker (Manchester Metrolink) located about 0.7 miles away. There are 2 stations nearby.
| Distance | Name | Lines | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.7 mi | Derker (Manchester Metrolink) | Metrolink | Walking directions to Derker (Manchester Metrolink) |
| 0.9 mi | Oldham Mumps (Manchester Metrolink) | Metrolink | Walking directions to Oldham Mumps (Manchester Metrolink) |
| Distance | Name | Size | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 2RW.
In the OL4 2RW postcode area, located within Waterhead, there are 13 primary and 2 secondary schools in close proximity.
8 nearby supermarkets & convenience stores within mi of OL4 2RW
| Distance | Name | Address | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 mi | Shaz Mini Market | 381 Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2RJ | Walking directions to Shaz Mini Market |
| 0.1 mi | Asda | Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2RB | Walking directions to Asda |
| 0.1 mi | Littlemoor Mini Market | 37 Littlemoor Lane, Oldham, OL4 2RT | Walking directions to Littlemoor Mini Market |
| 0.2 mi | Price Cutters | 271 Ripponden Road, Oldham, OL1 4HR | Walking directions to Price Cutters |
| 0.2 mi | Nisa Local | Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2HN | Walking directions to Nisa Local |
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 2RW, 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 2RW records about 165 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 2RW in Waterhead is £180,000 (about £207 per square foot) based on 91 registered sales according to HM Land Registry data.
There are 17 schools close to OL4 2RW, including Littlemoor Primary School, Kingsland School (Good) and Woodlands Primary Academy (Good). Ratings are from the latest Ofsted inspections.
The closest station to OL4 2RW is Derker (Manchester Metrolink), about 1,146 m away, serving the Metrolink line.
OL4 2RW scores 10 out of 10 on the deprivation scale, where 10 is the most deprived. Its neighbourhood ranks 716 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 2RW 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.