Best places to live for commuting to Manchester

Door-to-door commute times by train to Manchester city centre from every neighbourhood in England, with typical house prices, good schools nearby and crime, so you can see where families can live within reach. Times are for the morning rush and include getting to the station and waiting for the train.

Find an area: add your budget and schools → See commute times on the map

neighbourhoods within 30 min

193

within 45 min

369

within an hour

9 min

quickest: Piccadilly & Ancoats

Commuter towns, quickest first

Typical door-to-door time across each town's neighbourhoods, the quickest of them, the typical home price, and the neighbourhood with the best family score.

Town	Typical commute	Quickest	Typical home	Best for families
Old Trafford	20 min	15 min	£337k	Firswood
Manchester	20 min	9 min	£235k	Didsbury Village
Salford	24 min	12 min	£226k	Lightoaks
Droylsden	26 min	24 min	£224k	Droylsden Central
Stockport	27 min	20 min	£277k	Heaton Mersey
Reddish	29 min	28 min	£240k	Central Reddish
Cheadle (Stockport)	30 min	29 min	£349k	Gatley South & Cheadle West
Failsworth	30 min	28 min	£220k	Failsworth South
Bredbury and Woodley	33 min	32 min	£265k	Woodley
Gatley	33 min	33 min	£414k	Gatley North
Wythenshawe	34 min	31 min	£260k	Heald Green West
Romiley	35 min	34 min	£300k	Bredbury Green
Cheadle Hulme	36 min	31 min	£419k	Cheadle Hulme South East
Denton (Tameside)	36 min	34 min	£208k	Denton North
Hale (Trafford)	36 min	34 min	£658k	Hale
Audenshaw	38 min	37 min	£246k	Guide Bridge
Bramhall	38 min	31 min	£524k	Bramhall North East
Dukinfield	38 min	38 min	£220k	Dukinfield East & Hough Hill
Wilmslow	38 min	37 min	£515k	Fulshaw Park & Lindow
Hyde (Tameside)	39 min	36 min	£241k	Cheetham Fold & Gee Cross
Stretford	39 min	30 min	£294k	Gorse Hill
Bowdon	41 min	41 min	£615k	Bowdon
Handforth	41 min	41 min	£325k	Handforth & Dean Row
Mossley	41 min	41 min	£198k	Mossley
Prestwich	41 min	22 min	£305k	Prestwich Central
Ashton-under-Lyne	42 min	39 min	£195k	Ashton North
Hazel Grove	42 min	41 min	£350k	Hazel Grove West
Marple Bridge	42 min	42 min	£495k	Marple Bridge & Mellor
Stalybridge	42 min	39 min	£205k	Carrbrook & Micklehurst
Hattersley	43 min	43 min	£212k	Hattersley
Pendlebury and Clifton	44 min	39 min	£218k	Swinton Newtown
Bolton	44 min	42 min	£180k	Eagley & Sharples
Eccles (Salford)	45 min	45 min	£230k	Peel Green
Farnworth	46 min	45 min	£172k	Harper Green
Poynton	46 min	44 min	£447k	Poynton West
Lees	46 min	46 min	£242k	Lees & Hey
Alderley Edge	47 min	47 min	£500k	Alderley Edge & Chelford
Altrincham	47 min	36 min	£414k	Altrincham East
Marple	47 min	46 min	£336k	Marple & Rose Hill
Swinton (Salford)	47 min	47 min	£250k	Swinton West
Urmston	47 min	40 min	£365k	Davyhulme
Whitefield	47 min	47 min	£232k	Whitefield East
Little Lever	48 min	48 min	£215k	Little Lever
Macclesfield	48 min	41 min	£270k	Macclesfield Tytherington
Warrington	48 min	46 min	£245k	Stockton Heath & Hillcliffe
High Lane	49 min	49 min	£380k	High Lane
Middleton (Rochdale)	49 min	26 min	£224k	Alkrington
Ainsworth	50 min	50 min	£255k	Ainsworth & Bradley Fold
Chadderton	50 min	34 min	£206k	Middleton Junction
Disley	50 min	50 min	£334k	Disley & Lyme Park
Sale	50 min	41 min	£400k	Sale East
Uppermill	50 min	48 min	£332k	Greenfield & Uppermill
New Mills	51 min	48 min	£262k	New Mills West & Furness Vale
Oldham	51 min	47 min	£162k	Busk
Worsley	52 min	52 min	£338k	Ellenbrook & Boothstown
Irlam	52 min	52 min	£236k	Higher Irlam
Bollington	53 min	53 min	£325k	Bollington
Culcheth	54 min	53 min	£376k	Culcheth West & Croft
Lymm	54 min	54 min	£380k	Lymm
Partington	54 min	54 min	£246k	Partington

Under 30 minutes from Manchester city centre

82 neighbourhoods. The 15 with the best family score:

Neighbourhood	By train, door to door	By car (light traffic)	Typical home	Walk to a Good+ primary	Drive to a Good+ secondary	Crime	Family score
Heaton Mersey, Stockport	29 min	18 min	£344k	7 min	5 min	—	7.6 / 10
Heaton Chapel & Shaw Road, Stockport	24 min	14 min	£389k	8 min	4 min	—	7.4 / 10
Cheadle Heath, Stockport	27 min	20 min	£283k	7 min	3 min	—	7.4 / 10
East Didsbury, Manchester	29 min	17 min	£395k	9 min	3 min	—	7.3 / 10
Hulme & University, Manchester	13 min	8 min	£180k	6 min	3 min	—	7.2 / 10
Sedgley Park, Prestwich	22 min	12 min	£325k	7 min	3 min	—	7.1 / 10
Chorlton North, Manchester	26 min	12 min	£450k	7 min	4 min	—	7.1 / 10
University North & Whitworth Street, Manchester	12 min	6 min	£210k	8 min	4 min	—	7.0 / 10
Droylsden Central, Droylsden	26 min	13 min	£224k	6 min	3 min	—	7.0 / 10
Alkrington, Middleton (Rochdale)	26 min	16 min	£312k	7 min	6 min	—	6.8 / 10
Davenport, Stockport	27 min	21 min	£265k	6 min	4 min	—	6.8 / 10
Levenshulme South & Burnage North, Manchester	28 min	13 min	£318k	6 min	4 min	—	6.8 / 10
Heaton Moor, Stockport	28 min	16 min	£442k	8 min	5 min	—	6.8 / 10
Failsworth South, Failsworth	28 min	14 min	£250k	5 min	5 min	—	6.8 / 10
Cheadle East, Cheadle (Stockport)	29 min	21 min	£308k	6 min	5 min	—	6.8 / 10

30 to 45 minutes from Manchester city centre

111 neighbourhoods. The 15 with the best family score:

Neighbourhood	By train, door to door	By car (light traffic)	Typical home	Walk to a Good+ primary	Drive to a Good+ secondary	Crime	Family score
Altrincham East, Altrincham	40 min	24 min	£392k	6 min	3 min	—	9.2 / 10
Didsbury Village, Manchester	32 min	16 min	£400k	6 min	4 min	—	8.7 / 10
Timperley South, Altrincham	38 min	24 min	£492k	8 min	3 min	—	8.6 / 10
Cheadle Hulme South East, Cheadle Hulme	36 min	25 min	£418k	8 min	3 min	—	8.5 / 10
Fulshaw Park & Lindow, Wilmslow	40 min	31 min	£602k	8 min	5 min	Very low	8.2 / 10
Bramhall North East, Bramhall	38 min	26 min	£450k	9 min	4 min	—	8.1 / 10
Beech Road & Chorlton Meadows, Manchester	33 min	15 min	£424k	5 min	4 min	—	7.9 / 10
Prestwich Central, Prestwich	41 min	13 min	£305k	6 min	3 min	—	7.9 / 10
Hazel Grove West, Hazel Grove	41 min	26 min	£350k	7 min	5 min	—	7.9 / 10
Poynton West, Poynton	44 min	29 min	£444k	7 min	5 min	Very low	7.9 / 10
Kirkhams & Holyrood, Prestwich	45 min	16 min	£307k	6 min	3 min	—	7.9 / 10
Sale Moor, Sale	41 min	20 min	£359k	7 min	3 min	—	7.7 / 10
Prestwich East, Prestwich	42 min	15 min	£280k	6 min	3 min	—	7.7 / 10
Bramhall West, Cheadle Hulme	37 min	26 min	£555k	9 min	4 min	—	7.6 / 10
Bowdon, Bowdon	41 min	27 min	£615k	10 min	3 min	—	7.6 / 10

45 minutes to an hour from Manchester city centre

176 neighbourhoods. The 15 with the best family score:

Neighbourhood	By train, door to door	By car (light traffic)	Typical home	Walk to a Good+ primary	Drive to a Good+ secondary	Crime	Family score
Sale East, Sale	52 min	18 min	£430k	6 min	3 min	—	9.4 / 10
Stockton Heath & Hillcliffe, Warrington	49 min	35 min	£342k	7 min	4 min	Very low	8.8 / 10
Sale Central, Sale	50 min	18 min	£292k	7 min	4 min	—	8.7 / 10
Great Sankey, Warrington	53 min	33 min	£282k	8 min	4 min	Very low	8.6 / 10
Padgate & Paddington, Warrington	48 min	30 min	£250k	7 min	4 min	Very low	8.4 / 10
Penketh & Cuerdley, Warrington	53 min	34 min	£266k	9 min	4 min	Very low	8.4 / 10
Ashton upon Mersey South, Sale	50 min	19 min	£555k	8 min	4 min	—	8.1 / 10
Eagley & Sharples, Bolton	48 min	29 min	£205k	6 min	4 min	—	8.0 / 10
Crewe South West & Wistaston, Crewe	58 min	57 min	£320k	8 min	4 min	Very low	8.0 / 10
Bromley Cross & Bradshaw, Bolton	49 min	30 min	£276k	9 min	3 min	—	7.9 / 10
Summerseat, Ramsbottom	60 min	30 min	£340k	9 min	4 min	—	7.9 / 10
Macclesfield Tytherington, Macclesfield	48 min	35 min	£396k	12 min	4 min	Very low	7.8 / 10
Timperley North, Altrincham	55 min	23 min	£477k	8 min	5 min	—	7.8 / 10
Woolston, Warrington	46 min	29 min	£280k	10 min	3 min	Low	7.6 / 10
Poynton East, Poynton	47 min	30 min	£450k	12 min	4 min	Very low	7.6 / 10

An hour to 90 minutes from Manchester city centre

502 neighbourhoods. The 15 with the best family score:

Neighbourhood	By train, door to door	By car (light traffic)	Typical home	Walk to a Good+ primary	Drive to a Good+ secondary	Crime	Family score
Childwall West & Wavertree Green, Liverpool	82 min	40 min	£360k	7 min	3 min	Very low	9.1 / 10
Ecclesall & Greystones, Sheffield	89 min	74 min	£407k	6 min	4 min	Very low	9.0 / 10
Unsworth, Bury	62 min	21 min	£322k	6 min	3 min	—	8.9 / 10
Penwortham North, Penwortham	71 min	49 min	£270k	9 min	3 min	Very low	8.9 / 10
Penwortham South, Penwortham	72 min	47 min	£262k	7 min	3 min	Low	8.8 / 10
Rainhill South, Prescot	72 min	35 min	£250k	6 min	4 min	Low	8.5 / 10
Sandbach North, Sandbach	72 min	46 min	£288k	8 min	4 min	Very low	8.5 / 10
May Bank, Newcastle-under-Lyme	66 min	60 min	£219k	8 min	3 min	Very low	8.4 / 10
Roundhay West, Leeds	89 min	64 min	£428k	8 min	4 min	Very low	8.4 / 10
South Knutsford & Bexton, Knutsford	72 min	36 min	£570k	8 min	4 min	Very low	8.3 / 10
Shaw & Crompton, Shaw (Oldham)	62 min	27 min	£220k	5 min	3 min	—	8.1 / 10
Holmes Chapel, Holmes Chapel	74 min	42 min	£368k	10 min	4 min	Very low	8.1 / 10
Childwall East, Liverpool	86 min	40 min	£290k	9 min	4 min	Very low	8.1 / 10
Moortown, Leeds	89 min	62 min	£375k	8 min	4 min	Low	8.1 / 10
Alsager West, Alsager	71 min	56 min	£275k	8 min	4 min	Low	8.0 / 10

Most affordable with good schools, within an hour

A Good or Outstanding primary within a 15-minute walk, a Good or Outstanding secondary within a 15-minute drive, and average or lower crime, cheapest first.

Neighbourhood	By train, door to door	By car (light traffic)	Typical home	Walk to a Good+ primary	Drive to a Good+ secondary	Crime	Family score
Haydock West, Haydock	60 min	32 min	£170k	8 min	3 min	Low	6.8 / 10
Latchford, Warrington	48 min	33 min	£182k	7 min	3 min	Average	6.4 / 10
Chorley South West, Chorley	58 min	41 min	£188k	8 min	5 min	Average	5.5 / 10
Oakwood & Gorse Covert, Warrington	47 min	26 min	£194k	6 min	5 min	Average	5.6 / 10
Crewe Leighton, Crewe	60 min	57 min	£206k	7 min	6 min	Low	7.0 / 10
Wistaston Green, Crewe	58 min	58 min	£210k	7 min	4 min	Low	7.3 / 10
Earlestown North, Newton-le-Willows	57 min	33 min	£210k	10 min	8 min	Low	4.2 / 10
Houghton Green & Fearnhead, Warrington	47 min	28 min	£231k	8 min	4 min	Low	7.3 / 10
Newton-le-Willows, Newton-le-Willows	56 min	32 min	£234k	9 min	9 min	Average	4.1 / 10
Slaithwaite & Linthwaite, Linthwaite and Slaithwaite	56 min	46 min	£235k	15 min	5 min	Average	4.1 / 10
Hood Manor & Sankey Bridges, Warrington	49 min	34 min	£235k	8 min	4 min	Very low	7.5 / 10
Winwick & Burtonwood, Burtonwood	59 min	31 min	£237k	9 min	8 min	Average	4.3 / 10
Locking Stumps, Warrington	47 min	25 min	£245k	10 min	7 min	Low	4.9 / 10
New Mills West & Furness Vale, New Mills	48 min	37 min	£248k	8 min	6 min	Very low	6.9 / 10
Padgate & Paddington, Warrington	48 min	30 min	£250k	7 min	4 min	Very low	8.4 / 10

Questions

Where can I live within an hour of Manchester city centre?

369 neighbourhoods in England are within 60 minutes of Manchester city centre door to door by train, 193 within 45 minutes and 82 within 30. The commuter towns table above lists the towns, quickest first.

What are the best places to live for families commuting to Manchester city centre?

The lists above rank neighbourhoods at each commute time on a family score: how far it is to walk to a Good or Outstanding primary school, how far to drive to a Good or Outstanding secondary, recorded crime and deprivation. Within 45 minutes, the top is Altrincham East.

Where is cheapest to live with good schools within an hour of Manchester city centre?

Of the neighbourhoods within 60 minutes with a Good or better primary within a 15-minute walk, a Good or better secondary within a 15-minute drive and average or lower crime, the cheapest typical home price is in Haydock West (£170k).

How are the commute times worked out?

Door to door at the morning peak. By train: getting from homes to the neighbourhood's best station (walking, or driving and parking where the station is more than 20 minutes' walk), the typical train leaving between 07:00 and 08:45 including the wait, then the walk from the arrival station. The fastest train on a line is often a few minutes quicker. Car times are a typical drive without rush-hour traffic, so expect longer at peak times.

Family score: each neighbourhood's place in England (0 to 10) on walking time to a Good or Outstanding primary, driving time to a Good or Outstanding secondary, recorded crime and deprivation, averaged. School times are from the middle of the neighbourhood. Prices are typical sales over the latest 12 months.