Postcode · Bolton

BL5 3WD area guide

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

Neighbourhood: Horwich South & Middlebrook
Council: Bolton
Region: North West
Neighbourhood population: 2,350 (2024)

BL5 3WDBolton

At a glance

What BL5 3WD is like

BL5 3WD is a postcode in the Horwich South & Middlebrook area of Bolton. Because census and crime data isn’t published for single postcodes, the figures here cover the surrounding neighbourhood of about 2,350 people. 70.5% of households own their home, 23.2% rent privately and 6.3% are in social housing. The largest age group is 30–34, and 65.7% 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 3WD compares

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

AffluenceMore

7.0/ 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, 34 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

86%

Rated good or better across 7 inspected schools within 1 mile.

Household incomeMore

£51,060

Average annual income before tax, higher than 45% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where BL5 3WD differs most from the national average.

01
Higher crime than mostLook closer
41.4 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.3 across England and Wales.
02
A big private rental marketPositive
23.2% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
03
Mostly owner-occupied
70.5% of households own their home, against 61.3% across England.

Questions

BL5 3WD FAQs

Is BL5 3WD a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 7.0 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).

How much does a house cost in BL5 3WD?

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.

Is BL5 3WD 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 3WD, above the 31.3 average across England and Wales, band 9 of 10.

Who lives in BL5 3WD?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 30–34, at 9% of residents. 70.5% of households own their home. The most common property type is terraced (40.6%).

Which council covers BL5 3WD?

The local authority for BL5 3WD is Bolton.

BL5 3WD comes under Bolton in the North West. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is BL5 3WD?

Connectivity scores 5.0 out of 10.

There are 34 bus stops within 800m and 1 station or tram stop within a mile, scoring 5.0 out of 10 (good). The nearest station is Horwich Parkway 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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