In the last couple of decades Manchester has swiftly become one of the preferred places to live for young professionals starting out. There are a few reasons why, including endless job opportunities, reasonable property prices, as well as its buzzing nightlife and rich culture.
Moving to Manchester means becoming one of the fastest-growing cities in Europe, while also living in a perfectly sized cosmopolitan city where practically everything is within walking distance.
The standard of living here is great, and there’s always something to do, whether it be visiting open-air food halls, five-star restaurants, music festivals, or international football. Boredom is not an option.
Different parts of the city appeal to different tastes and needs, so we’ve compiled a quick rundown of the best areas in Manchester for young professionals to live.
Ancoats
Perhaps the area most popular with young people is Ancoats. Situated close to Manchester city centre, this is one of the best areas in Manchester to set up camp.
Its close proximity to the Northern Quarter means those who live here always have access to the culture, nightlife and lifestyle that the area enjoys, while also benefiting from slightly lower housing prices.
Ancoats was once an industrial powerhouse, so many of the buildings here are converted factories and mills, which makes for an interesting blend of old and new.
The area also has its own unique selection of attractions to keep residents of nearby modern apartment complexes like Victoria Riverside busy. The mill-lined streets are packed with independent restaurants, bars and pop-ups. Alfresco dining is the order of the day in this area, with hugely popular venues such as Rudy’s, or more elegant places like Elnecot’s to be found on Cutting Room Square, a veritable foodie heaven.
And if travelling to work is high on your agenda, then it’s made all the easier here by numerous bus and tram routes. Both Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly train stations are within 5-minutes walking distance too, so if you need to travel further afield, there’ll be no problem.
Seriously cool.
Northern Quarter
Following hot on the heels of Ancoats, the Northern Quarter is undoubtedly one of the best areas in Manchester for young professionals. The area is teeming with young creatives who have come to make their way in a sea of opportunities.
The Northern Quarter is a place to take in food, fashion, and music, as well as some of the most stunning apartments in Manchester such as the Burton Buildings. In fact, the area’s unique architecture makes it a sought-after spot for filming movies and series such as Peaky Blinders, so it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to leave your nearby Victoria Riverside apartment and cross paths with someone famous!
The Northern Quarter is also the go-to nightlife area for many young people in Manchester, with an endless array of quirky restaurants and bars in this area. Whether it be dog-friendly Mackie Mayor, or Wolf at the Door with its delicious bao buns and cocktails, there’s plenty of options to choose from.
And it’s all located a stone’s throw from the action, conveniently nestled between trendy Ancoats and the city centre and its main shopping areas. Despite being so close to the centre, the Northern Quarter has a personality all of its own. That personality is perhaps best expressed in some of the impressive street art and graffiti that spring up on every corner of this decidedly creative area.
Castlefield
Moving across to the other side of the city centre, another of the best areas in Manchester for many young professionals is Castlefield.
This area is growing in popularity thanks to its stunning, tranquil canalside location, just a short distance from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Castlefield was where the Romans first set up camp in what we now know and love as Manchester. It’s also based in the basin of the Bridgewater Canal, so the entire area is steeped in history.
There are traces of Manchester’s industrial legacy everywhere, in the canals, cobbled streets, and the gorgeous Victorian mills, set against the backdrop of a modern skyline. To really take in the significance of this area on the world stage, a trip to the nearby Museum of Science and Industry is highly recommended.
In Castlefield, you get the best of both worlds: a quieter life a little further from the maelstrom, alongside a thriving pub culture. There are many spots along the canals to have a pint, as well as restaurants serving up delicious fare. Their canalside location makes them ideal for lazy sunny afternoons after work.
On chillier days, take a trip to HOME cultural arts centre to catch a movie or have a pizza.
Castlefield Bowl provides a great deal of entertainment, with live shows and concerts, and you can even take a stroll along the Castlefield Viaduct, opened in 2022 by the National Trust as Manchester’s newest outdoor space.
Deansgate
Next stop: Deansgate, another prime location for young professionals seeking the best areas in Manchester.
Set on the longest stretch of road in Manchester City Centre, at over a mile in length, Deansgate is one of the city’s most historic and iconic areas. That’s mainly thanks to its grand train station, which was one of the first in the world to offer commercial routes.
These days Deansgate is a shoppers paradise, filled with designer shopping opportunities. So if you like to indulge in a little retail therapy after work, Deansgate could be the ideal location for you.
What’s more, although the previously mentioned Victorian train station is now mainly used as a cinema, the area still enjoys many transport options to choose from, from trams, to trains and even a shuttle bus.
Deansgate is home to some of the most iconic landmarks in Manchester, like the Beetham Tower, and is also packed with funky bars and restaurants, so after-work cocktails can be a naughty-but-nice treat. Go on, you deserve it.
Didsbury
Didsbury offers a little of the best of both worlds. Being located outside of the city centre, you can find yourself in a more tranquil space surrounded by young families and a community feeling.
Think lush green spaces, tree-lined avenues, elegant properties, restaurants, hotels and shops. Although Disbury is still fairly close to the city centre thanks to regular transport links, you will find that you have almost everything you could want in this area.
Wilmslow Road is full of shops, restaurants, and bars, and just because it’s a little further from the city centre doesn’t mean there’s no nightlife. In fact, Didbury’s nightlife is thriving, and there are lots of live music events and concerts to enjoy.
If you need to travel abroad for work, or even just like to have the airport close at hand for weekend breaks, Didsbury has the advantage of being a mere four miles from the airport.
Rusholme
In a similar way to Didsbury, Rusholme offers the perfect combination of a quiet residential area with all the benefits of Manchester’s nightlife and food scene.
Rusholme is, in fact, famous for its food, with its legendary ‘Curry Mile’ lined with curry houses serving up mouthwatering dishes from all over the world, particularly influenced by Asian cuisines.
If you need to commute to work, there’s no problem, as you can easily reach Manchester city centre in around thirty minutes. The cherry on the cake? The property prices here are affordable, so you get the best of Manchester without having to pay a premium for it.
Salford
A couple of decades ago, Salford and job opportunities didn’t belong in the same sentence. Now, thanks to many years of regeneration and investment in the area, Salford has become one of the most desirable areas in Greater Manchester for young professionals considering a move.
A great deal of this transformation is due to the installation of MediaCity in the area. Media giants BBC and ITV have set up camp there, alongside a plethora of other tech, creative, and digital businesses.
MediaCity is surrounded by a green belt and there’s easy accessibility to the city centre of Manchester by regular transport links, most notably the Metrolink services that communicate between both centres. Living waterside is also an attractive bonus for those who enjoy a beer with a view, or even enjoy partaking in watersports.
Shops, restaurants, cinemas, museums and bars are also to be found in the area, so there’s no excuse for boredom.
Supported by excellent housing prices, Salford is a great place to enjoy the best of urban and rural living, all with your foot firmly on the career ladder with the cream of the crop.
Spinningfields
If you’re looking for the best areas in Manchester to feel like a high-flyer, then Spinningfields is calling your name.
One of the biggest commercial centres of Manchester, Spinningfields is where it’s at for professionals working at some of the biggest companies. It’s even been referred to as ‘the Canary Wharf of the North’, as it’s home to various multinational companies, several law courts, and go-getters in suits.
It’s not all work and no play, though. Spinningfields is packed full of bars and restaurants, and there are numerous transport links that will take you to the heart of Manchester within 15 minutes, although you can easily reach the centre on foot. Just don’t scuff your Manolos, darling.
Millennium Quarter
The Millennium Quarter has undergone intense regeneration since the IRA bombing in 1996, and is one of the best areas in Manchester to establish yourself as a young professional.
Some of its standout landmarks include the Cathedral, the Printworks, with its variety of bars, gyms, and places to eat.
You can also visit the iconic Chetham’s Library (where Marx met Engels), or take in the history of the Beautiful Game at the National Football Museum. It’s also highly recommended that you make the most of sunny days in the beer gardens of some of the legendary pubs in the area, such as Sinclair’s Oyster bar, a centuries-old pub that survived the 1996 bomb by being moved brick by brick to its new location.
Not only is this area very close to many of the offices and workspaces in the city, but it’s also on the doorstep of the Arndale shopping centre, and offers excellent accessibility thanks to the nearby Victoria train station and various bus routes.
Green Quarter
Another area that is undergoing considerable regeneration right now and well worth investing in is the Green Quarter.
Located close enough to the city centre to be within walking distance, this area is the perfect option if you’re looking to become part of a residential neighbourhood full of trendy bars and independent restaurants.
Living in the Green Quarter, you can get the best of both worlds: all the amenities of the city centre, alongside the tranquillity and security of the inner city will provide.
There are some seriously exciting projects underway in this area, including the renovation of parks, establishment of new businesses, and the protection of habitats. All this, within a fascinatingly historic area of the city – you just have to scratch the surface to discover intriguing stories about what made, and makes, Manchester such a popular destination for people investing in a new life.
Mark our words – you’ll be hearing more about the Green Quarter.
Manchester is a big city, so this list of places to live is just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to know more about the best areas in Manchester that you could call home, get in touch today.
Interested in buying a new home at Victoria Riverside, get in touch today.