Frenchwood & Fishwick
Preston 016 · 6 sub-areas · 9,927 residents
Preston 016 is a residential neighbourhood within Preston, home to around 9,900 people. A typical two-bedroom lets for about £720 a month — well under half the UK median for a two-bed — though rents rose nearly 8% last year. With over half of households owning their home and a deposit reachable in around two years, it's one of the more accessible corners of the North West.
Frenchwood & Fishwick is a green, lower-density part of Preston — parks within walking distance of most addresses, a slower weekday rhythm, and a population skewed toward longer-tenure households rather than transient renters. The demographic profile leans family-aged, with a clear share of households with school-age children.
Overview
What's it like to live in Frenchwood & Fishwick?
Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; there's effectively nothing within walking distance — eating out, drinking and shopping mean a drive; Recorded crime is higher than the national norm — common for built-up urban areas, but worth weighing if you're looking for a quieter base; Public transport is genuinely strong; most errands and a fair share of social life don't need a car; rents are below the national norm, with a typical home letting at around £778 a month; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 6 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Frenchwood & Fishwick in Preston
Living in Frenchwood & Fishwick
Preston 016 sits firmly in the affordable end of the Preston market. Where most of England's cities have seen rents climb out of reach, a two-bed here still runs around £720 a month — a fraction of what you'd pay in Manchester or London. That affordability is one of the neighbourhood's defining qualities, and it explains why a broad mix of households has put down roots.
The cost picture across bedroom sizes is consistent: a one-bed averages around £570 a month, a two-bed around £720, and a three-bed around £845. You get more space for your money than almost anywhere else in the North West, and the median house price of just over £122,000 means buying is genuinely within reach for many residents. The average deposit is achievable in roughly two years — a figure that would be laughable in most southern cities.
Who lives here reflects that accessibility. Over a quarter of residents are under 18, and households with children — couples with kids make up around a quarter of homes — are a significant presence. It's a neighbourhood with young families as well as a noticeable share of young adults aged 18 to 34. Tenure is mixed: just over half of households own their home, while around one in five is in social housing and one in four rents privately. The ethnic diversity index sits at 50, and just under 70% of residents were born in the UK — more varied than the Preston average.
For day-to-day practicalities, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 2.1 km away — around a 27-minute walk or a short drive. Public transport use is low at around 9% of commuters; most residents drive, and just under one in five works from home. Greenspace is close: around 58% of residents are within walking distance of public green space, with the nearest accessible patch just 290 metres away on average. See the streets and sub-areas below for more.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Preston 016 a nice place to live?
- It depends on your priorities. It's genuinely affordable — a two-bed runs around £720 a month — with good greenspace access and a strong family community. The trade-off is a crime rate roughly double the national average and a relatively low share of highly-rated schools nearby. It suits households who prioritise space and low cost over polished amenities.
- What is the rent in Preston 016?
- A one-bedroom typically lets for around £570 a month, a two-bedroom around £720, and a three-bedroom roughly £845. Rents rose by nearly 8% over the past year. These figures are estimates scaled from council-level data using local sale prices rather than a direct survey of this specific neighbourhood.
- Is Preston 016 safe?
- Crime runs at around 148 incidents per 1,000 residents per year — nearly double the UK average of roughly 80. The neighbourhood sits in the second most deprived decile nationally, and crime and deprivation tend to move together. Quieter residential streets away from main roads tend to see fewer incidents than the busier thoroughfares.
- What's the commute from Preston 016 to Manchester?
- By public transport, Manchester is around 61 minutes from Preston. Most residents drive rather than use public transport — only about 9% of commuters here travel by bus or train. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 2.1 km away, about a 27-minute walk or a short drive.
- Who lives in Preston 016?
- A broad mix — young families make up a significant share, with over a quarter of residents under 18 and couples with children in around 24% of households. Tenure is unusually varied: just over half own their home, around one in four rents privately, and about one in five is in social housing. Nearly a third of residents were born outside the UK.
- What schools are near Preston 016?
- There are 104 schools within 2 km of typical residents, so options are plentiful. Around 32% of those are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national share of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 3.8 km away. Checking individual Ofsted reports is strongly recommended before choosing a catchment area.
- Is buying a home in Preston 016 realistic?
- More so than almost anywhere in England. The median house price is just over £122,000, and on a typical local salary a deposit is achievable in roughly two years. Just over half of residents already own their home, which reflects how accessible ownership is here compared to southern cities or even Manchester.