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Postcode area · Bolton

BL area guide

Who lives in BL, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council
Bolton
Region
North West
Population
442,473 (2024)
At a glance

What BL is like

The BL postcode area in North West covers 10,393 live postcodes and is home to about 442,473 people across 257 census neighbourhoods. 64.5% of households own their home, 17.3% rent privately and 17.6% are in social housing. The biggest age group is 50–54, and 53.2% of adults are in work. On deprivation it sits close to the middle of the range for England. Higher-harm crime is low by national standards. Homes in BL sold for a median of £217,000 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How BL compares

Each figure is set against England as a whole. Follow a score for the detail behind it.

AffluenceMore
4.7/ 10

Around the middle — decile 1 is the most deprived tenth of England, 10 the least.

CrimeMore
1/ 10

Lower than most — 14.6 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore
£217,000

Median over 3,920 sales in BL, −1.4% on the year before.

TransportMore
5.0/ 10

Good — 1 station within a mile, 41 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore
92%

of 180 rated schools in BL are good or better.

Household incomeMore
£44,764

Average a year, before tax — higher than 26% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Only flagged where this area is materially different from the national picture.

  1. 01
    Low crimePositive

    14.6 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.

  2. 02
    Well-rated schoolsPositive

    92% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better.

Questions

BL FAQs

01
Is BL a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

On the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 it averages decile 4.7 of 10, where 10 is the least deprived tenth of England. Higher-harm crime runs at 14.6 per 1,000 people a year, band 1 of 10 nationally. 92% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 5.0 out of 10 (good).
02
How much does a house cost in BL?

The median sale price over the last year was £217,000.

Homes in BL sold for a median of £217,000 across 3,920 sales in the year to August 2026, −1.4% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry's record of every residential sale.
03
Is BL safe?

How crime here compares with the rest of the country.

Higher-harm crime — violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences — runs at 14.6 offences per 1,000 people a year around BL, less than half the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 1 of 10.
04
Who lives in BL?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The biggest age group is 50–54, at 7% of residents. 64.5% of households own their home. The most common home is semi-detached (35.2%).
05
Which council covers BL?

BL is in Bolton.

BL is in Bolton, in North West. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.
06
How well connected is BL?

Connectivity scores 5.0 out of 10.

There are 41 bus stops within 800m and 1 station or tram stop within a mile, scoring 5.0 out of 10 (good). The nearest station is Hall i' th' Wood Rail Station, 0.7 miles away.

Sources: Census 2021 (ONS); ONS mid-year population estimates; police recorded crime; the English, Welsh and Scottish indices of deprivation; ONS small area income estimates; ONS private rents; DfE, Welsh and Scottish school registers and Ofsted; DfT NaPTAN; ORR estimates of station usage; HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.

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