Nursing in Rochdale: Studying, working, and living guide
Find out about nursing in Rochdale - where nurses can find jobs, the hospitals they might work in, colleges & universities to study in, plus living information.
Rochdale is a town in Greater Manchester at the foothills of the South Pennines in the dale of the River Roch - hence its name.
Rochdale was once a famous mill town known for its production of textiles and was one of the first industrialised towns.
Rochdale was the birthplace of the modern cooperative movement which heralds more than one billion members worldwide.
Rochdale could be an ideal place for prospective nurses to live, study and work in.
From cost of living and travel through to culture and nightlife, it is an end-to guide for Nurses wanting to study or work in Rochdale.
Where do Nurses work in Rochdale?
There are lots of places that registered Nurses can work in such as hospitals, health and wellbeing centres, nursing homes, hospices, communities, and National Health Service across the Rochdale area.
Rochdale Infirmary
The Highfield Hospital (Private)
Birch Hill Hospital
NYE Bevan House – Community Health Centre
All these institutions are major employers and there are thousands ready to fill vacancies for nurses throughout Rochdale for anyone wishing to live and work here.
Where do aspiring Nurses study in Rochdale?
Across Rochdale and surrounding areas there are many educational places that aspiring Nurses can study at.
The Hopwood Hall College and University Centre has campuses in Rochdale and Middleton and offers high quality education with a range of health and wellbeing related courses at the Rochdale campus. These courses start in September.
Whilst there is no University in Rochdale itself, the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University can be reached within a 20 minute train journey from Rochdale. Both universities have campuses across Greater Manchester.
The Manchester Metropolitan University has two campuses in Birley and All Saints and is ranked 4th in the UK for nursing (The Guardian University Guide 2022). Start dates are available for Nursing courses in September.
University of Manchester has two campuses, one based on Oxford Road formerly known as The Victoria University of Manchester campus and one in Sackville Street, formerly the UMIST campus. Start dates again are in September.
Find our nursing university guide here.
The average monthly rental in Rochdale is around £800 per month which is cheaper than renting in Greater Manchester city.
Where do Nurses live in Rochdale?
Nurses live all over Rochdale and surrounding areas.
Some of the best places to live in Rochdale are:
Rochdale Town Centre.
Popular with students due to its excellent central location with endless amenities close by as well as being within proximity of The Hopwood Hall College and University Centre.
Littleborough
Considered one of the best areas in Rochdale with some of the North West’s finest countryside and sweeping hillsides. This would be a good place for a nurse who enjoys outdoor activities. There are also lots of excellent local schools in the area.
Buckley
Appeals to all types of people From Rochdale and Manchester due to having a broad selection of local schools in the area and lots of local amenities.
Bamford
An attractive village and popular visitor destination close to walking routes and the reservoirs. It has a select number of local shops and amenities but offers easy transport links to Rochdale town centre.
Manchester City Centre
20 minutes away from Rochdale - Popular with nurses due to it being close to endless amenities and to both the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.
What are the living costs for Nurses in Rochdale?
Rochdale is an affordable town with a slightly lower cost of living compared to other towns and cities across the United Kingdom.
Here is a general guide to some of the different costs of living in Rochdale.
The average price for a home in Bolton is currently £199,000, which is markedly below the national average of £293,000 – according to Rightmove.
The average rental price for a property in Rochdale is £800 per month. But if you are looking to rent a room in a shared house, the average cost is just over £400 depending on the area of Rochdale and Greater Manchester.
Council tax costs vary across the United Kingdom but in Rochdale many people reside in a Band B property or similar which means paying £1725 a year, which works out to just under £143 per a month.
Bills like shopping and utilities are priced along the same lines to the rest of the UK.
Is travel easy in Rochdale?
Travel is very accessible in Rochdale no matter where you need to travel.
Rochdale has excellent motorway links via the M62. London to Rochdale takes just under 4 hours and 30 minutes by car whereas Greater Manchester can be reached in 30 minutes.
Rochdale is easily accessible to train due to its state-of-the-art modern interchange. Served by the Northern Network it allows easy access to towns and cities across the region and for onward further travel. Alternatively, the Metrolink Light Rail offers quick and easy travel to Manchester and surrounding areas. Either way Manchester can be reached within 15 minutes.
There are lots of places in Rochdale easily accessible by foot, bike, or bus.
The nearest airport is Manchester Airport which provides flights all over the UK, as well as to Europe and the US.
There are multiple travel options in Rochdale no matter where you need to go to and from.
What to do in Rochdale: walks, culture, nightlife and eating out?
There are numerous places to visit in Rochdale from daytime attractions to evening entertainment and events depending on your interests and where you want to spend your free time
Culture and attractions
Rochdale’s picturesque location offers delightful days out such as Hollingworth Lake, Greenbooth Reservoir and Blackstone Edge while Rochdale Canal boasts the highest concentration of locks in the country.
A popular place to visit is Healey Dell Nature Reserve and Heritage Centre located in a beauty spot and wildlife sanctuary just outside of Rochdale town centre. There are recently opened tea rooms as well as an art exhibition and Fairy Grotto where children can meet the Healey Dell.
Ellenroad Engine House and Steam Museum is home to the world’s largest working steam mill engine and offers a one-of-a-kind hands-on experience to learn about the steam engines through its guided tours.
Look out for Springfield Park for its charming walks and wooded slopes down to Roch Valley. There are also many art galleries and museums in Rochdale to visit including Touchstones Rochdale, Museum and Art gallery while Rochdale Pioneers traces the history of the town’s co-operative movement.
There are also many entertainment venues across Rochdale such as Gracie Fields Theatre, Curtain Theatre and Middleton Arena, a state-of-the-art auditorium which offer a range of music and entertainment activities.
Sports fans can indulge in the talents of Rochdale Association Football Club who play in the EFL League Two with matches staged at Spotlands or Crown Oil Arena as it is known these days.
Nightlife and eating out
Rochdale had lots of places to enjoy a good night out and for its quality bars and restaurants to eat and drink in.
Highlights include:
Berni Inn. A popular place to visit in the evenings for food, drinks, and events. The winner of the Rossendale Business awards in 2022 and ranked number one restaurant in Rochdale on TripAdvisor.
Hoya’s Cantonese Restaurant for great food, atmosphere, and service.
The Cedar Tree Bar and Grill, known for its bottomless brunches and cocktails.
Vicolo Del Vino, A popular wine bar with a vast selection of fine wines on offer.
What are the school options in Rochdale?
There are many schools in Bolton for your children’s education. Choosing a school is down to personal preference and the best future interests for your children and your family.
Rochdale has 76 Primary schools, 25 Secondary schools and 4 private independent schools.
There are lots of Ofsted Outstanding and Good rated schools in Rochdale and surrounding areas.
Population and demographics in Rochdale
Here are some of the stand-out population and demographic facts.
Rochdale metropolitan area has a population of 224,000.
Rochdale’s population density is 1,417 people per square kilometre.
Rochdale’s population has grown by 6% in the last decade.
19% of people in Rochdale are Muslim and 46% of people in Rochdale are Christian.
4.3% of Rochdale's population is unemployed – higher than the UK average.
In summary: is Rochdale a good place to be a Nurse?
There are many popular areas to live in Rochdale.
Rochdale is a town with many attractions and amenities close by.
Living costs are a little cheaper than other major cities and there is lots of work on offer.
There are lots of places to study close by: The Hopwood Hall College and University Centre, University of Manchester, and Manchester Metropolitan University which all offer an excellent choice of courses.
Whatever your requirements, travel to and from Rochdale is simple due to its integrated transport links.
Average salary for nurse in Rochdale is £31,000 per year.
So, your salary as a registered Nurse goes much further in Rochdale.
Here are a couple of examples:
As a newly qualified Nurse on an NHS Band 5 salary, if you rented a house, you would still have just over £1200 left in your pocket each month for everything else. Your disposable income in the Southeast would barely reach half of this figure, for example.
As a Band 6 Nurse, you would easily be able to borrow enough money to buy a joint mortgage for an average-priced flat in Rochdale. In fact, in many parts your salary would cover the cost of buying a house.
As a nursing student or Nurse in Rochdale, you will have an excellent quality of life with lots of things to do.
