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Postcode sector · Bolton

BL5 3 area guide

Who lives in BL5 3, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council
Bolton
Region
North West
Population
26,016 (2024)
At a glance

What BL5 3 is like

The BL5 3 postcode sector in Bolton covers 356 live postcodes and is home to about 26,016 people in 10,608 households. 72.2% of households own their home, 14.8% rent privately and 12.3% are in social housing. The largest age group is 55–59, and 58.6% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is above the England and Wales average. Homes in BL5 3 sold for a median of £238,500 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How BL5 3 compares

Headline figures for BL5 3, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore
6.2/ 10

Around the middle. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore
9/ 10

Higher than most: 41.4 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.3 nationally.

House pricesMore
£238,500

Median over 194 sales in BL5 3, −4.6% on the year before.

TransportMore
5.0/ 10

Good: 1 station within a mile, 33 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore
86%

Rated good or better across 7 inspected schools in BL5 3.

Household incomeMore
£47,439

Average annual income before tax, higher than 34% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where BL5 3 differs most from the national average.

  1. 01
    Higher crime than mostLook closer

    41.4 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.3 across England and Wales.

  2. 02
    Mostly owner-occupied

    72.2% of households own their home, against 61.3% across England.

Questions

BL5 3 FAQs

01
Is BL5 3 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 6.2 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 41.4 per 1,000 people a year, band 9 of 10 nationally. 86% 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 BL5 3?

The median sale price over the last year was £238,500.

Homes in BL5 3 sold for a median of £238,500 across 194 sales in the year to August 2026, −4.6% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.
03
Is BL5 3 safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 41.4 offences per 1,000 people a year around BL5 3, above the 31.3 average across England and Wales, band 9 of 10.
04
Who lives in BL5 3?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 55–59, at 7.3% of residents. 72.2% of households own their home. The most common property type is semi-detached (34.6%).
05
Which council covers BL5 3?

The local authority for BL5 3 is Bolton.

BL5 3 comes under Bolton in the North West. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.
06
How well connected is BL5 3?

Connectivity scores 5.0 out of 10.

There are 33 bus stops within 800m and 1 station or tram stop within a mile, scoring 5.0 out of 10 (good). The nearest station is Westhoughton Rail Station, 0.2 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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