Postcode OL4 3EL 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 0.8 miles away. There are 16 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 10.5% 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 3EL.
Waterhead near OL4 3EL 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 0.8 miles away. There are 2 stations nearby.
| Distance | Name | Lines | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 mi | Oldham Mumps (Manchester Metrolink) | Metrolink | Walking directions to Oldham Mumps (Manchester Metrolink) |
| 0.9 mi | Derker (Manchester Metrolink) | Metrolink | Walking directions to Derker (Manchester Metrolink) |
| Distance | Name | Size | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.4 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 50+ recent sold properties in the last 18 months near OL4 3EL.
In the OL4 3EL postcode area, located within Waterhead, there are 16 primary and 2 secondary schools in close proximity.
10 nearby supermarkets & convenience stores within mi of OL4 3EL
| Distance | Name | Address | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 mi | One Stop | 286-290 Lees Road, Oldham, OL4 1NZ | Walking directions to One Stop |
| 0.3 mi | International Food Store | 181 Lees Road, Oldham, OL4 1JP | Walking directions to International Food Store |
| 0.3 mi | Bucuresti | 179 Lees Road, Oldham, OL4 1JP | Walking directions to Bucuresti |
| 0.4 mi | Asda | Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2RB | Walking directions to Asda |
| 0.4 mi | Tesco Extra | Huddersfield Road, Oldham, OL4 2GA | Walking directions to Tesco Extra |
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 3EL, 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 3EL 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 3EL 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 3EL, including Oasis Academy Clarksfield (Good), St Anne's RC Primary School (Good) and Greenacres Primary Academy (Good). Ratings are from the latest Ofsted inspections.
The closest station to OL4 3EL is Oldham Mumps (Manchester Metrolink), about 1,271 m away, serving the Metrolink line.
OL4 3EL 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 3EL 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.