As much as we love the city, most of us live on the outskirts of Manchester, if not the suburbs and further afield. This means commuting into the city we love, whether for work, hobbies or meeting friends, and now Rightmove has revealed the most popular commuter towns to live in around Manchester – so you can either feel smug that you live there, or perhaps consider different areas when planning a move.
Choosing the best commuter town requires buyers to balance a number of factors, including property prices, travel times and local lifestyle, and this new data reveals the locations where buyer demand is highest, based on the number of people enquiring about available properties on Rightmove.
The most popular Manchester commuter towns
As in previous years, the most popular Manchester commuter towns among buyers are led by Stockport, which generated 70% more enquiries per listing than Manchester itself. This was well ahead of the next two locations on the list, with Marple (+14%) and Stalybridge (+10%) generating a smaller enquiries boost over the Manchester average. Rochdale and Warrington were close behind, with +9% and +8% respectively.
What sets these towns apart is their exceptionally fast commute. Stockport is just 8 minutes from Manchester Piccadilly, while Stalybridge and Rochdale also offer swift access at around 15 minutes, and Warrington offering a 22-minute journey.
Transport frequency is also a key factor for commuters to consider. Stockport benefits from around six fast trains per hour, while Stalybridge and Rochdale offer four per hour. Marple is less frequent at two per hour but still attracts strong interest, likely due to its lifestyle appeal and picturesque setting on the edge of the Peak District.
Price growth has been strong across most of the Manchester commuter towns, with Stalybridge (+6.1%) and Rochdale (+5.8%) seeing notable increases year-on-year. However, average prices for four out of the five commuter locations on the list were higher than the average Manchester property price (£261,891), suggesting that lifestyle factors were a stronger draw for Manchester’s surrounding towns.
Most popular Manchester commuter towns in order
1. Stockport, Greater Manchester
Average property price: £308,299
Fastest travel time: 8 mins (Manchester Piccadilly)
2. Marple, Cheshire
Average property price: £383,404
Fastest travel time: 25 mins (Manchester Piccadilly)
3. Stalybridge, Greater Manchester
Average property price: £267,772
Fastest travel time: 15 mins (Manchester Piccadilly)
4. Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Average property price: £234,080
Fastest travel time: 15 mins (Manchester Victoria)
5. Warrington, Cheshire
Average property price: £271,078
Fastest travel time: 22 mins (Manchester Oxford Road)
Commuter towns and cities defined as being within 45 minutes of the target city and with a population of at least 20,000 people (ONS).
