Birchfields is in Oldham and in Oldham district. OL4 5QL is located in the Alexandra electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Oldham East and Saddleworth. This postcode has been in use since 2001-06-01.
StreetScan combines information about Birchfields, Oldham, OL4 5QL and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: OL4 5UD, OL4 5PW, OL4 5PP, OL4 5RW, OL4 5PE, OL4 5PR, OL4 5RY, OL4 5PX, OL4 5RX.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. However, the area surrounding OL4 5QL is primarily male, with 53.6% of the population being male. Several factors can contribute to this, including areas with industries or sectors that predominantly employ men, proximity to universities or technical schools with a higher enrollment of male students, presence of all-male or predominantly male institutions (military academies, boarding schools).
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 41.9% | 46.4% | 4.5% | 51.0% | -4.6% |
| Male | 58.1% | 53.6% | -4.5% | 49.0% | 4.6% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
In the immediate area around OL4 5QL, a significant portion of the population is single, making up 57.4% of the residents. On average, approximately 38% of individuals who responded to the census in the UK were single. Areas with higher single populations are typically urban centers, university towns, regions with dynamic job markets, rich cultural offerings and entertainment facilities. These regions also tend to have a younger demographic.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 48.7% | 57.4% | 8.7% | 37.9% | 19.5% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 30.3% | 17.4% | -12.9% | 44.2% | -26.8% |
| Civil partnership: Same sex | 0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Separated | 5.9% | 5.8% | -0.1% | 2.2% | 3.6% |
| Divorced | 9.2% | 12.9% | 3.7% | 9.1% | 3.8% |
| Widowed | 5.9% | 5.8% | -0.1% | 6.1% | -0.3% |
Across the UK, the average 48.4% rated their health as Very Good, 33.6% as Good, 12.7% as Fair, 4% as Bad, and 1.2% as Very Bad.
Population age significantly impacts residents' health. Additionally, socioeconomic status plays a crucial role: higher income levels and lower poverty rates are linked to better health outcomes. Affluent areas benefit from higher living standards, access to private healthcare, and healthier lifestyle choices.
This area has a lower percentage of residents reporting their health as Good or Very Good (69.8%) compared to the average (82%). This typically indicates either an older population or social deprivation in the area.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good health | 38.4% | 37.3% | -1.1% | 48.4% | -11.1% |
| Good health | 36.9% | 32.5% | -4.4% | 33.6% | -1.1% |
| Fair health | 14.3% | 15.1% | 0.8% | 12.7% | 2.4% |
| Bad health | 9.9% | 12.7% | 2.8% | 4.0% | 8.7% |
| Very bad health | 0.5% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
During the 2021 census, the educational qualifications of residents across the UK were as follows: 18.2% had no qualifications, 9.6% had 1-4 GCSEs, 13.4% had 5 or more GCSEs and 1-2 A/AS Levels, 16.9% had 2 or more A Levels, 33.8% held a degree (or equivalent), and 5.4% had completed an apprenticeship.
This area stands out for its low percentage of residents with higher education degree. The UK average is 33.8%, while in this area it is 14.7%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 39.5% | 25.6% | -13.9% | 18.2% | 7.4% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 17.1% | 11.5% | -5.6% | 9.6% | 1.9% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 20.4% | 16% | -4.4% | 13.4% | 2.6% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.6% | 10.9% | 6.3% | 5.3% | 5.6% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 5.3% | 19.2% | 13.9% | 16.9% | 2.3% |
| Degree or Similar | 8.6% | 14.7% | 6.1% | 33.8% | -19.1% |
| Other | 4.6% | 1.9% | -2.7% | 2.8% | -0.9% |
In this area, the population is more ethnically diverse compared to the UK average. While 72.9% of the residents identify as white, which is lower than the UK average of 81.4%, there are significant representations of other ethnic groups.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladeshi | 0% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1.1% | -0.6% |
| Chinese | 1% | 0% | -1.0% | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| Indian | 0% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 3.1% | -2.6% |
| Pakistani | 0% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 2.7% | -1.3% |
| Black African | 7.9% | 6.2% | -1.7% | 2.5% | 3.7% |
| Black Caribbean | 0% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.0% | 0.9% |
| Other Black | 0% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 0.5% | 1.4% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 0% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Mixed White and African | 0% | 1% | 1.0% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 2% | 4.3% | 2.3% | 0.9% | 3.4% |
| Mixed Other | 0% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 0.8% | 2.1% |
| White | 89.2% | 72.9% | -16.3% | 81.4% | -8.5% |
| Gypsy or Irish Traveller | 0% | 1% | 1.0% | 0.1% | 0.9% |
| Other | 0% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1.6% | 2.7% |
In this area, 84.8% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is similar to the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 90.1% | 84.8% | -5.3% | 83.2% | 1.6% |
| European Union | 3% | 4.7% | 1.7% | 6.1% | -1.4% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.5% | 0% | -0.5% | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| Africa | 5.4% | 6.2% | 0.8% | 2.7% | 3.5% |
| Middle East and Asia | 0% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 5.6% | -3.2% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 0.5% | 1.4% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 0.1% |
| Oceania | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 90.1% | 84.8% | -5.3% | 83.2% | 1.6% |
| 10+ Years | 0% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 9.8% | 1.6% |
| 5-10 Years | 2% | 1.4% | -0.6% | 2.9% | -1.5% |
| 2-5 Years | 5.9% | 2.4% | -3.5% | 2.2% | 0.2% |
| Less than 2 years | 2% | 0% | -2.0% | 1.9% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 65% | 76.7% | -11.7% |
| Ireland | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.1% |
| France | 0.9% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Lithuania | 0.9% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Other EU countries | 1.4% | 1.5% | -0.1% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 1.4% | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Middle East | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Southern Asia | 0.5% | 1.2% | -0.7% |
| No passport held | 29% | 13.5% | 15.5% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 48.3% | 37.2% | 11.1% |
| Christian | 38.4% | 46.2% | -7.8% |
| Hindu | 0.9% | 1.7% | -0.8% |
| Muslim | 7.6% | 6.5% | 1.1% |
| Other religion | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Not answered | 3.8% | 6.0% | -2.2% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Birchfields was 0.0 per 1,000 residents, matching the Alexandra average.
Violent and sexual offences accounted for a small share of all recorded crimes and have been falling year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -20.5%.

Households in this area have a lower level of wealth compared to the average household in England and Wales. 74% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have higher average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Birchfields, Oldham, Greater Manchester Detached, an established residential building | £167,000 | 2012-03-09 | £339,587 |
| 4 Birchfields, Oldham, Greater Manchester Detached, an established residential building | £215,000 | 2011-07-29 | £411,926 |
| 1 Birchfields, Oldham, Greater Manchester Detached, an established residential building | £135,000 | 2011-07-07 | £258,651 |
| 2 Birchfields, Oldham, Greater Manchester Detached, an established residential building | £179,950 | 2007-04-30 | £323,260 |
| 6 Birchfields, Oldham, Greater Manchester Detached, a newly built property | £135,000 | 2003-05-06 | £439,554 |
| Full-Time Employee | 35 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 28 |
| Retired | 23 |
| Looking after home or family | 19 |
| Part-Time Employee | 16 |
| Other | 11 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 9 |
| Unemployed | 8 |
| Self-Employed | 6 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 1 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 18 |
| Manufacturing | 9 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 8 |
| Human health and social work activities | 8 |
| Construction | 7 |
| Education | 5 |
| Other | 3 |
| Information and communication | 3 |
| Transport and storage | 3 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 2 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 2 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 2 |
| Real estate activities | 1 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Agnes CofE Primary School Knolls Lane , Lees OL4 5RU | 3out of 4 | 462 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Thomas' Leesfield CofE Primary School Thomas Street , Lees OL4 5AT | 3out of 4 | 657 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Hugh's CofE Primary School Wildmoor Avenue , Holts OL4 5NZ | 2out of 4 | 802 yd | Voluntary aided school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Alt Academy Alt Lane , OL8 2EL | 3out of 4 | 1,168 yd | Academy sponsor led | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| St Edward's RC School Rowland Way , Lees OL4 3LQ | 3out of 4 | 1,206 yd | Voluntary aided school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oasis Academy Leesbrook Roxbury Avenue , OL4 5JE | - not rated | 1,120 yd | Free schools | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Waterhead Academy Huddersfield Road , OL4 3NY | 2out of 4 | 2,234 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St Damian's RC Science College Lees Road , OL6 8BH | 4out of 4 | 2,838 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Mossley Hollins High School Huddersfield Road , Mossley OL5 9DP | 4out of 4 | 3,263 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| The Blue Coat CofE School Egerton Street , OL1 3SQ | 4out of 4 | 3,300 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oldham Sixth Form College Union Street West , OL8 1XU | - not rated | 3,737 yd | Academy 16-19 converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| The Oldham College Rochdale Road , OL9 6AA | - not rated | 3,955 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ashton Sixth Form College Darnton Road , OL6 9RL | - not rated | 4,914 yd | Academy 16-19 converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Tameside College Beaufort Road , OL6 6NX | - not rated | 5,464 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iqra High School 319 Waterloo Street , OL4 1BJ | - not rated | 2,182 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Lawrence House The Coach House , Dean Terrace OL6 8AJ | - not rated | 2,298 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
| Kingsland School Whitecroft Street , Watersheddings OL1 4HX | 3out of 4 | 2,882 yd | Pupil referral unit | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Hollinwood Academy Roman Road , Hollinwood OL8 3PT | 4out of 4 | 3,303 yd | Academy special sponsor led | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Samuel Laycock School Broadoak Road , OL6 8RF | 2out of 4 | 3,387 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roc n Rolls Cafe | 16 Near Birches Parade | 466 yd | |
| Ruger Co Work & Coffee | Unit 2, The Greaves Building, Hartshead Street | 637 yd | |
| Age UK Oldham | Spring Lees Court, Oldham Road | 654 yd | |
| Village Tea Room | 9 St Thomas Parade, Thomas Street | 659 yd | |
| Dele Coffee House | 93 High Street | 765 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oldham Golf Club | Oldham Golf Club, Lees New Road | 334 yd | |
| The Top House | 38 Co-Operative Street | 638 yd | |
| Front House | 31-33 Oldham Road | 707 yd | |
| District Bar Ltd | 103 High Street | 763 yd | |
| Red Lion | 109 High Street | 765 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oh my Cod! | 24 Near Birches Parade | 475 yd | |
| Frydays | 81 Oldham Road | 707 yd | |
| Lucky Fortune | 97A High Street | 765 yd | |
| The Village Pantry | 1a Stamford Street | 782 yd | |
| Lana Thai | 161 Oldham Road | 814 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-Operative Food | Oldham Road | 1,074 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Oldham Golf Club LEES NEW ROAD | golf | 319 yd |
| Mills Recreation Ground Barn Fold | grass pitches | 558 yd |
| Zion Methodist Church ZION METHODIST CHURCH ZION METHODIST CHURCH CHAPEL STREET | 707 yd | |
| Bodymatters (Closed) High Street | health and fitness suite | 828 yd |
| Viking Fitness UNIT 6 UNIT 6 ST. JOHNS INDUSTRIAL ESTATE | health and fitness suite | 987 yd |
| Grotton Pavillion STATION ROAD | 1,018 yd | |
| Ashfield Crescent Playing Fields Ashfield Crescent | grass pitches | 1,077 yd |
This statistics are based on Active Places Data - Contains Data © Sport England
| Percentage of premises that have Superfast Broadband (30Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (100Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 2Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 5Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 10Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 30Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Median download speed | 65.3 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 60.9 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 72.76 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 72.76 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 18.1 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 16 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 20 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.