Postcode district · Oldham

OL3 area guide

Who lives in OL3, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council: Oldham
Region: North West
Population: 19,786 (2024)

OL3Postcode district · Oldham

At a glance

What OL3 is like

The OL3 postcode district in Oldham covers 594 live postcodes and is home to about 19,786 people across 12 census neighbourhoods. 71.9% of households own their home, 15.8% rent privately and 11.8% are in social housing. The biggest age group is 50–54, and 55.5% of adults are in work. On deprivation it sits close to the middle of the range for England. Higher-harm crime is in the top bands nationally. Homes in OL3 sold for a median of £323,500 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How OL3 compares

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

AffluenceMore

5.8/ 10

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

CrimeMore

10/ 10

Higher than most — 47.7 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.3 nationally.

House pricesMore

£323,500

Median over 184 sales in OL3, −6.2% on the year before.

TransportMore

3.0/ 10

Limited — 0 stations within a mile, 27 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

89%

of 9 rated schools in OL3 are good or better.

Household incomeMore

£52,597

Average a year, before tax — higher than 49% 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.

01
Higher crime than mostLook closer
47.7 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.3 across England and Wales.
02
Prices fallingLook closer
The median sale price in OL3 is down 6.2% on the year before.
03
An older population
24.6% of residents are 65 or over, against 18.4% across England.
04
Mostly owner-occupied
71.9% of households own their home, against 61.3% across England.

Questions

OL3 FAQs

Is OL3 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

On the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 it averages decile 5.8 of 10, where 10 is the least deprived tenth of England. Higher-harm crime runs at 47.7 per 1,000 people a year, band 10 of 10 nationally. 89% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 3.0 out of 10 (limited).

How much does a house cost in OL3?

The median sale price over the last year was £323,500.

Homes in OL3 sold for a median of £323,500 across 184 sales in the year to August 2026, −6.2% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry's record of every residential sale.

Is OL3 safe?

How crime here compares with the rest of the country.

Higher-harm crime — violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences — runs at 47.7 offences per 1,000 people a year around OL3, well above the 31.3 average across England and Wales, band 10 of 10.

Who lives in OL3?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The biggest age group is 50–54, at 8.3% of residents. 71.9% of households own their home. The most common home is terraced (34.9%).

Which council covers OL3?

OL3 is in Oldham.

OL3 is in Oldham, in North West. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is OL3?

Connectivity scores 3.0 out of 10.

There are 27 bus stops within 800m and 0 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 3.0 out of 10 (limited). The nearest station is Greenfield Rail Station, 1 mile 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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