# Central Rochdale

Central Rochdale. About 13,956 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 2.7 square kilometres.

Central Rochdale had 12,833 usual residents at the census (ONS Census 2021).

Ward. Code E05014036. In: [North West](https://openindex.co.uk/north-west) › [Rochdale](https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale)

## Key figures

- **Population: 12,833** (2021). Central Rochdale had 12,833 usual residents at the census (ONS Census 2021). 1,346th most populated of 8,397. Source: Census 2021, England and Wales and Scotland's Census 2022 and Census 2021, Northern Ireland, 2021. Published 21 July 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/central-rochdale#f-population
- **People in radon Affected Area squares: 100%** (2022). About 100% of people in Central Rochdale live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area. UK 44%. Source: Worked out by Open Index from the UKHSA and BGS radon atlas and census output areas. Published 1 December 2022. https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/central-rochdale#f-radon-affected-share
- **Gigabit broadband coverage: 94.1%** (January 2026). In Central Rochdale, 94.1% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026 (Ofcom). UK 87.8%. Source: Connected Nations (Ofcom), January 2026. Published 13 May 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/central-rochdale#f-gigabit-coverage
- **Claimant rate: 11.0%** (August 2026). In Central Rochdale, 11.0% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026 (ONS via Nomis). UK 3.9%. Source: Claimant count (Nomis), August 2026. Published 15 September 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/central-rochdale#f-claimant-rate

## On the map

- [Radon Affected Area by ward](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=E05014036) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 100% of people in Central Rochdale live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
- [Average house price by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/house-prices?place=E05014036) (UK House Price Index · August 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Rochdale. The outline is Central Rochdale.
- [Population by ward](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=E05014036) (Census 2021, England and Wales): Central Rochdale had 12,833 usual residents at the census.
- [Deprivation score by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/deprivation-score-england?place=E05014036) (English Indices of Deprivation 2025): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Rochdale. The outline is Central Rochdale.

## How Central Rochdale compares

Each ward against every other ward the measure covers.

| Measure | Central Rochdale | Rank | Compared with |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 12,833 | most populated | 20 wards, Rochdale · 2021 |
| People in radon Affected Area squares | 100% | joint most people in radon Affected Areas | 20 wards, Rochdale · 2022 |
| Gigabit broadband coverage | 94.1% | 10th lowest | 20 wards, Rochdale · Jan 2026 |
| Claimant rate | 11.0% | highest | 20 wards, Rochdale · Aug 2026 |

## What is the population of Central Rochdale?

Central Rochdale had 12,833 usual residents at the census.
Central Rochdale is the 1,346th most populated of 8,397 in the UK.

## Figures for the whole of Rochdale

These figures are published for the whole of Rochdale, not for each ward, so they describe all of Rochdale and not Central Rochdale alone. [See Rochdale](https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale)

- **Average house price: £211,022** (August 2026). Rochdale’s average house price was £211,022 in August 2026 (HM Land Registry). Up 3.3% in a year. Source: UK House Price Index, August 2026. Published 21 October 2026.
- **Median full-time pay: £34,660** (2025). Full-time workers living in Rochdale earned a median of £34,660 in 2025 (ONS earnings survey). 46th lowest paid of 348. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025. Published 23 October 2025.
- **House price to pay: 6.1×** (2025). A home in Rochdale costs 6.1 times local full-time pay. Joint 101st most affordable of 348. Source: Worked out by Open Index from the UK House Price Index and the ONS earnings survey. Published 21 October 2026.
- **Deprivation score: 34.3** (2025). Rochdale has a deprivation score of 34.3 in the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG). 17th most deprived of 296. Source: English Indices of Deprivation 2025, 2025. Published 30 October 2025.

## Central Rochdale in brief

Central Rochdale had 12,833 usual residents at the census.
About 100% of people in Central Rochdale live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
In Central Rochdale, 94.1% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026.
In Central Rochdale, 11.0% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026.

## About

- Type: Ward
- Code: E05014036
- Constituency: [Rochdale †](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/rochdale)
- Council: [Rochdale](https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale)
- Region: [North West](https://openindex.co.uk/north-west)
- Nation: [England](https://openindex.co.uk/england)
- Area: 2.74 km²
- People, mid-2024: 13,956*
- Neighbourhoods: 8
- Output areas: 34

* People: worked out by Open Index from neighbourhood estimates, shared out by where people lived at the census (by area in Northern Ireland). This area's edges do not follow neighbourhood edges, so the figure is close but not exact.
† Best fit: the constituency this ward mostly lies in. Its edges do not follow it.

## Next door

[Smallbridge & Firgrove](https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/smallbridge-and-firgrove), [Milkstone & Deeplish](https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/milkstone-and-deeplish), [Healey](https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/healey), [Spotland & Falinge](https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/spotland-and-falinge), [Kingsway](https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/kingsway)

## Latest updates for Central Rochdale

- August 2026 house prices published: HM Land Registry and partners · Oct 2026.
- September 2026 rent published: ONS private rents · Oct 2026.
- Dental practices updated: NHS England · Oct 2026.
- Schools updated: Ofsted · Oct 2026.

The same figures as JSON: https://openindex.co.uk/v1/places/E05014036

## How to cite

Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/central-rochdale, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/central-rochdale#f-population.

Open Index's own text and the figures it works out are licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source data keeps its publishers' licences, named with each figure. Give each figure's period and source with it.

Snapshot 2026.10.9. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/rochdale/ward/central-rochdale
