Guide to best areas to live in Manchester for first job new to the area

[Pistachiomonster]

Best areas to live near Manchester for young graduates early 20’s and best places to look for somewhere to rent needed from July? One will be commuting to Birchwood business park three days a week the other will be commuting to Manchester three days a week.

Two Uni friends new to the area want to find a house or flat to rent. Need parking for two cars, access to good public transport, social life and reasonable rent. Chat GPT comes up with Monton, Didsbury, Altrincham, Urmston, Irlam
and Stretford.

What's your budget?

It’s not for me its for my daughter and friend. They just want something reasonable and both in first jobs earning around 30K (what is a reasonable rent). They have both slummed it at Uni in gross large house shares but talk of wanting something better/nicer.

Do you mean Birchwood near Warrington?

Yes I think its called Birchwood Business Park.

I used to live in Altrincham. It’s very expensive and full of tossers with too much money and range rovers. Most depressing place I’ve ever lived in. It’s more for older people I’d say. Didsbury would be much better but might be expensive too.

Ancoats
Chorlton
Urmston
Monton

Thank you do you know if all
these areas meet all of the above criteria i.e easily commutable to Birchwood Park, have parking at some rented accommodation etc etc.

My ds is in his last year at UoM and will stay in the city (as will most of his friends).

He is living in Withington at the moment and will stay in the Withington / Didsbury area as seems to be the norm amongst the graduates who stay in Manchester.

Lol. Thank you a few people have mentioned Didsbury so I think that is the lead contender but parking seems to be an issue as is availability of somewhere reasonable.

Ancoats would be shit for parking, all of city centre you'd have to rent a flat with parking. Expensive.

The rest it would be on street so you'd need to look where you rent.

I’ve stayed in Manchester ever since I went to uni a very long time ago - the most popular areas still seem to be Didsbury and the Charlton/Whalley Range area. You have to be so quick to sign up to rent somewhere though as they are such popular areas. I’ve lived in both East and West Didsbury and there is a lot of on street parking.

Didsbury is lovely but again don't live in centre unless you rent a house with parking. Expensive.. lots of options further from centre as it's a big area. There is west disbury (nearer chorlton and princess parkway), didsbury village (parking a nightmare ), then the bit of didsbury near the big tesco and cinema complex. Not too far from m60. Watch out for places advertised as didsbury but actually burgage and ladybarn.

It's not as good for commuting to birchwood as monton or Urmston. Very busy traffic.

Try spare rooms - and use the filter. Many flats don’t come with parking so you will need to look hard - houses are easier but these will be outside the city centre. Some of the big apartment blocks have some parking spaces and have facilities such as gyms and communal areas eg Anaconda, Sky line etc

I have friends living in Stretford who love it. Up and coming. Great community. Cool new cinema. Couple of decent bars Half an hour into town (Tram and buses). 30 mins to Birchwood. Can walk to Chorlton for more bars and restaurants or go to town.
Much less tossers than Altrincham. Lower crime than Chorlton. Less small minded than Urmston.
What's the budget?

I think they know they will have to pay the going rate whatever that is.

If they’re travelling to Birchwood and Manchester, I’d go for Monton/Eccles/Salford side.

Originally they thought they might get a three bed property for friends staying over but in reality. I think it will just be a two bed in the best area for them with somewhere to park.

Actually 20 mins to Birchwood!
Didsbury is OK, I used to live there. A bit Cheshire set and overpriced imo.

The one thing about living in Manchester and commuting to Birchwood in Warrington is that it's going against much of the traffic, but the motorway network in the area is extremely busy and I don't think public transport is an option.

I think Monton is the best of the Chat GPT ideas. It has a good high street, buses to Manchester, walkable to Eccles for the tram, close to the motorway and the A580. Avoid Eccles itself unless it's Ellesmere Park. Swinton south of the East Lancs, Worsley and Ellenbrook all good. Suburbs though, so lots of families rather than young renters. What about Salford Quays? Lots of apartments and many will have parking spaces, close to Manchester city centre. Depends what you call reasonable for rents. It's not cheap.

I agree monton best for the commute and lots of bars and restaurants. But further for Eccles tram.

Worsley too much of a family area.

Salford keys seems a bit soulless to me. Close to town and I love running on the canals. Limited for restaurants and bars.

They weren’t keen on Salford for some reason.

I would try Salford Quays (where media city is) very different from Salford itself.

Fair enough, but Salford Quays has lots of modern apartments so lots of rental places of a very good standard. It's really close to Manchester so easy commute, very good public transport links, easy to get an Uber, etc. There are bars, restaurants, gyms, supermarkets. It's right where Media City is. Close to the Trafford Centre too. I wouldn't dismiss.

Another area to consider would be Castlefield - although accommodation is mostly apartment blocks.

I agree. I am from Salford - it's big. There are some lovely places which are in Salford and aren't Pendleton, Langworthy, Broughton, Cheetham Hill, etc!