Aspley, Longley & University
Kirklees 042 · 4 sub-areas · 8,646 residents
Kirklees 042 is a densely rented corner of Kirklees, home to around 8,600 people in Yorkshire and The Humber. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £691 a month — well below the UK average for a 2-bed — with a notably young population and a high share of private renters. Rents rose around 10.5% in the past year, so the affordability window is narrowing.
Aspley, Longley & University is a commuter neighbourhood within Kirklees — train into Leeds runs in around 38 minutes, and the rhythm of weekday mornings is shaped by it. The population skews young, with a high concentration of 18- to 34-year-olds.
Overview
What's it like to live in Aspley, Longley & University?
Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; 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 £759 a month; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 4 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Aspley, Longley & University in Kirklees
Living in Aspley, Longley & University
This part of Kirklees stands out from much of the wider district for one thing above all: it's young. Around two in five residents are aged 18 to 34, which is unusually high for a Yorkshire neighbourhood. That skews the whole feel of the area — more private rentals, more single-person households (nearly four in ten), and a transient population that contrasts with the owner-occupied terraces found elsewhere in Kirklees.
On cost, it's genuinely cheap by national standards. A two-bed runs roughly £691 a month at the median, compared to the UK national two-bed median of around £1,200. Even at the three-bed level you're looking at under £840 a month. That said, rents climbed about 10.5% in the past year, so the gap is closing. Council tax at Band D comes to around £2,441 a year, broadly in line with other Kirklees areas.
The tenure mix here is unusually split three ways: about 37% own their home, 34% rent privately, and nearly 29% are in social housing. That last figure is well above the typical English neighbourhood. It signals a genuinely mixed community — not purely a student-heavy rental enclave, but not a settled owner-occupier suburb either. Ethnic diversity is meaningful too, with a diversity index of 51, and about 74% of residents UK-born.
Practically speaking, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 1.5 km away — around an 18-minute walk. The nearest major employment hub is accessible in about 36 minutes, and Manchester is reachable by public transport in around 46 minutes. Most residents drive to work: nearly half use a car, while just 11% travel by public transport. Working from home is relatively common at 23%. Broadband is fully gigabit-capable across the area, with no premises below the universal service obligation speed. See the streets and sub-areas below for more.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Kirklees 042 a nice place to live?
- It depends what you're after. It's genuinely affordable — a two-bed runs around £691 a month — with fast broadband and rail access to Manchester in under an hour. The trade-off is a crime rate well above the national average and a below-average share of Good or Outstanding schools nearby. It suits renters on a budget who prioritise value and connectivity over neighbourhood polish.
- What is the rent in Kirklees 042?
- A one-bed typically costs around £566 a month, a two-bed around £691, and a three-bed roughly £839. These are estimates scaled from council-level data. Rents rose about 10.5% in the past year, so expect upward pressure if you're looking to move in the near future.
- Is Kirklees 042 safe?
- Crime runs at around 197 incidents per 1,000 residents per year — more than double the UK national rate of roughly 80 per 1,000. That's a meaningful gap. It doesn't make the area uniquely dangerous, but it's above average for Yorkshire and worth weighing against the low rents when you're making your decision.
- What's the commute from Kirklees 042 to Manchester?
- Manchester is around 46 minutes by public transport. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 1.5 km away — about an 18-minute walk. Most residents actually drive rather than use public transport, with nearly half commuting by car. There's no tram or metro service in the area.
- Who lives in Kirklees 042?
- It's a noticeably young area — around 40% of residents are aged 18 to 34. The housing mix reflects that: a third rent privately, a third own, and nearly 29% are in social housing. There's meaningful ethnic diversity, with a diversity index of 51, and about 74% of residents born in the UK.
- What schools are near Kirklees 042?
- There are 53 schools within typical catchment distance, so choice isn't the issue. Around 47% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — noticeably below the national share of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 2.7 km away. It's worth checking individual school catchments carefully before choosing a street.
- How affordable is buying a home in Kirklees 042?
- Very affordable by national standards. The median sale price is around £130,000, and the typical buyer needs just 2.2 years to save a deposit — one of the shorter timescales in England. That said, rents rose around 10.5% in the past year, so the cost-of-renting-while-saving equation is shifting.