Rochdale is a former mill town in Greater Manchester, sitting in the steep-sided Roch Valley where the River Roch runs down from the foothills of the Pennines. It grew rapidly during the Industrial Revolution with cotton mills fed by the Rochdale Canal, and is famous as the birthplace of the modern co‑operative movement after the 1844 founding of the Rochdale Pioneers.
Today Rochdale blends industrial heritage with ongoing town-centre regeneration, cultural venues such as the Touchstones arts and heritage centre, and outdoor attractions like Hollingworth Lake. The local economy has shifted away from manufacturing, the population is diverse, and community life features markets, grassroots sport including Rochdale AFC, and a strong pride in the town’s co‑operative legacy while being within easy reach of Manchester for wider jobs and services.
Postcode districts covering Rochdale
Most populated places nearby
- Manchester 10.2 miles
- Bradford 20.6 miles
- Preston 24.3 miles
- Oldham 6 miles
- Wigan 19.8 miles
- Warrington 23.1 miles
- Burnley 12.7 miles
- Huddersfield 15.7 miles
- Blackburn 16.1 miles
- Bolton 10.9 miles
- Stockport 14.2 miles
- Salford 9.7 miles
Neighbouring places
- Spotland & Falinge Ward 0.7 miles
- Milkstone & Deeplish Ward 0.7 miles
- Bamford Ward 0.9 miles
- Central Rochdale Ward 1.1 miles
- Healey Ward 1.3 miles
- Balderstone & Kirkholt Ward 1.8 miles
- Kingsway Ward 1.8 miles
- Smallbridge & Firgrove Ward 1.9 miles
- Castleton Ward 1.9 miles
- North Heywood Ward 2.1 miles
- Norden Ward 2.2 miles
- Trub Built-up area 2.5 miles
Example postcodes in Rochdale
OL12 0JB, OL11 4NG, OL12 6HX, OL12 0RJ, OL16 1UQ, OL11 5WF, OL12 7EH, OL12 7HX, OL16 1AU … See all
Transport links
- Manchester Airport 18.5 miles
- Leeds Bradford International Airport 27.2 miles
- Rochdale Railway Station 0.9 miles
- Castleton Railway Station 1.6 miles
- Manchester Piccadilly Gardens Bus Station 9.7 miles
Hotels in Rochdale Ad
Schools in Rochdale
- Alice Ingham Roman Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy Primary
- All Saints C of E Primary School Primary
- Ashfield Valley Primary School Primary
- Bamford Academy Primary
- Beech House School Independent - all ages
- Belfield Community School Primary
- Brimrod Community Primary School Primary
- Broadfield Community Primary School Primary
- Caldershaw Primary School Primary
- Castleton Primary School Primary
- Deeplish Primary Academy Primary
- Falinge Park High School Secondary
- Great Howarth School Independent - special
- Greenbank Primary School Primary
- Hamer Community Primary School Primary
- Healey Foundation Primary School Primary
- Heybrook Primary School Primary
- Holy Family Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Primary
- Kentmere Primary Academy Primary
- … See all
Local points of interest
- Spotland Stadium Stadium 0.5 miles
- Boundary Park Stadium 4.5 miles
- Gigg Lane Stadium 5.5 miles
- Blackstone Edge Mountains 5.7 miles
- Heaton Park Estate 6.8 miles
- School Stadium 6.8 miles
- Forest of Rossendale Forest 7.7 miles
- Agecroft Hall Archaeological site 8.6 miles
- Manchester Velodrome Stadium 9 miles
- City of Manchester Stadium Stadium 9.2 miles
- Manchester MEN Arena Stadium 9.2 miles
- Manchester Evening News Arena Stadium 9.2 miles