About Greater Manchester

General Information about the Greater Manchester City region

Greater Manchester covers an area of 500 square miles, comprising the two cities of Manchester and Salford, and eight metropolitan areas; Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan. These span both urban and rural geographies. With a population of approximately 2.8 million people, forming 1.2 million households, Greater Manchester is the second largest city region in the United Kingdom (UK) and home to almost 5% of the UK population.

The area is diverse, with 16% of the population belonging to a minority ethnic group, and 8% not having English as their first language. There is a sizeable student population of over 100,000 – one of the largest in Europe. Manchester Airport is the UKs third biggest airport, with a throughput of 22 million passengers per year (pre COVID-19).

Manchester is connected via an integrated tram and bus network, which has undergone a large transformation over the years. Connecting most areas of the city region with easy access to the Metrolink network.

Information about the property market in the area

Manchester is a diverse place to live, and a reflection of this is the property market. Depending on your desired area/ borough to live will make a difference to the property values.

According to Rightmove.co.uk, as of the end of August 2021: “Most of the sales in Greater Manchester over the past year were semi-detached properties which on average sold for £241,185. Terraced properties had an average sold price of £171,139 and detached properties averaged at £392,871.”

For more information, please see Rightmove’s house price guide by clicking the link below.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices-in-Greater-Manchester.html

Information about schools, further and higher education in the area

Greater Manchester is home to five universities, boasting world-class specialisms and research centres. Expert areas include Creative and Media, Advanced Manufacturing, Digital and Tech, Business Services, Life Sciences and Healthcare. GM is also home to 32 colleges offering higher education, in both A-levels and more vocational subjects.

GM has 62 secondary schools and 160 primary schools in every locality area. For more information on the performance and rating of these schools please click on the link below to visit .Gov.uk.

https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=default&table=schools&region=352&la-name=manchester&geographic=la&for=16to18

For more information on independent schools please see the independent school’s council link below.

https://www.isc.co.uk/schools/england/greater-manchester/manchester/

Information about culture, leisure and entertainment in the area

It is home to two Premier League football teams, a Division One cricket team, a Rugby Union Premiership team, and two Rugby Super League teams, and accommodates over 20 large festivals every year. With conferences and demonstrations, there are more than 1,250 events each year throughout Greater Manchester (pre COVID-19).

GM’s industrial and cultural heritage can be seen in every corner of the region, with historical and educational places of interest to visit to learn more about culture and heritage of the area, including our major museums and galleries such as the Science and Industry Museum, Peoples History Whitworth and Manchester Art Gallery and many more.

Manchester City Centre has a great nightlife, with something everyone, inclusive of different genres and styles. Including the Northern Quarter, Manchester’s famous Gay Village / Canal Street and Spinningfields. Manchester is also home to numerous breweries.

We have several famous theatres that attract large shows and acts, including the Palace Theatre, Opera House and The Lowry.

Greater Manchester is close to the countryside and on the doorstep of the Peak District National Park and the Lake District is only 1 – 2 hours’ drive away. Formby and other coastal areas along the Irish Sea are an hours’ drive away.

Closer to home, Manchester has two National Trust parks: Dunham Massey and Lyme Park, and several popular parks and gardens across the region including Heaton Park.

Manchester is home to various major sports facilities, including the Velodrome, Manchester Aquatics and the Chill Factore, as well as local sports centres and gyms within more local community areas.

Take at a look at the below websites for popular places of interest: