A guide to living in Manchester

Manchester is the second largest urban area in England, and is often thought of as the UK’s second city. Located in the north west of England nestled between Liverpool and Leeds, Manchester is also reportedly the UK’s fastest growing city economically. The area's 2.8 million residents are incredibly proud of their city – and rightly so. In 2018 Manchester was officially named the Best Place To Live In The UK in The Economist's Global Livability Index. Read on to discover the developments rated by residents as the best places to live in Manchester and to read reviews from locals who own or rent in Manchester. The landlocked county of Manchester is mostly urban and comprises ten boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan and the cities of Manchester and Salford. Historically, the textiles industry generated most of Manchester's wealth. However, the city has developed to become a major exporter of media, music and football. It's home to two international football teams – Manchester United and Manchester City – as well as popular TV soap Coronation Street and five universities.

Excellent

83.0%

Very Good

13.0%

Average

2.9%

Disappointing

0.6%

Very poor

0.5%

Best places to live in Manchester

How is ranking calculated?

Viewing 1-5 out of 82

Rental Only

Award Winner 2025

The Castings, M1

By Native Communities

Award winner 2025

4.97

(193 reviews)

The Castings offers studio, 1, 2, and 3-bedroom apartments in Manchester’s newest neighbourhood, Piccadilly East. Residents benefit from top-notch amenities ranging from 3 roof terraces, complete with wraparound views of Manchester, to a high-spec gym and studio space with 24/7 virtual classes. Additionally, there are 2 social lounges, a cinema room, bookable private dining room and a working hub with meeting rooms and private booths.

1st

Ranked 1st out of 68 in Manchester

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Rental Only

Award Winner 2025

The Trilogy, M15

By Allsop Letting and Management

Award winner 2025

4.9

4.90

(381 reviews)

The Trilogy is a HomeViews award-winning development comprising of 232 one, two and three bedroom apartment. This is more than an outstanding development. It’s the start of a whole new community – and a new chapter in your life. Feel safe whatever the time of day or night with 24-hour security, while the on-site resident services team are always on hand to answer questions or lend assistance. You will be enjoying vibrant, modern living in the heart of Castlefield, with its waterside bars and pubs perfect for al fresco drinks on sunny days. The nightlife and boutiques of Spinningfields are just a few moments away on the tram or a leisurely twenty minute walk.

2nd

Ranked 2nd out of 68 in Manchester

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Award Winner 2025

Poplin, M4

By Native Communities

Award winner 2025

4.85

(91 reviews)

Poplin offers 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments to rent in a community of 144 homes. Residents benefit from flexibility, social spaces and rooftop views. Additionally, residents can enjoy a communal atrium garden, glass atrium and social lounge, and a bookable kitchen. Bordering Ancoats, Poplin is just a couple of minutes’ walk to the Shudehill interchange, and ten minutes to Victoria Station. It’s also a short walk to spots such as Angel Meadow, Cutting Room Square and New Islington Marina – or onwards to any of the shops, bars, restaurants and supermarkets of the Northern Quarter.

3rd

Ranked 3rd out of 68 in Manchester

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The James Manchester, M4

By The James

Award winner 2025

4.79

(30 reviews)

Formerly a 19th century shoemaker's warehouse, The James Manchester has been carefully converted to offer luxury apartments, providing residents with generous spaces to recharge mind and body in a prime central location known for being a creative and culture hub. Situated in the lively Manchester's Northern Quarter, renowned for its blend of office spaces, shops, and leisure offerings, the property benefits from its proximity to the bustling business district, a variety of retail shops, and convenient transportation hubs such as train, bus, and tram stations.

4th

Ranked 4th out of 68 in Manchester

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Award Winner 2025

Apo at Angel Gardens, M4

By Apo

Award winner 2025

4.78

(393 reviews)

Apo at Angel Gardens, newly managed by Apo as of 1st November 2025, sits in the heart of Manchester, within the NOMA innovation district. It features a total of 466 interior designed apartments to rent with a mix of sizes, ranging from studios to three beds. In addition, it is pet-friendly. Likewise, residents benefit from free WiFi and, a Samsung 50″ inch smart TV included in their rent. Plus, onsite amenities such as: a rooftop sports pitch, rooftop terrace, residents’ gym, sky lounge, private dining room, media room and atrium.

5th

Ranked 5th out of 68 in Manchester

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Page 1 of 17

Featured developments in Manchester

Latest Reviews in Manchester

4367 total reviews

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Viewing 1-5 out of 4367

WL (Tenant)

Unverified

Swan Street House, M4

Apr 2026

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.

Very nice

WL (Tenant)

Unverified

Swan Street House, M4

Apr 2026

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Got great variety, very close to arndale for everything. Very close to the bus station and tram station.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

They respond very quickly and solve any of my issues within one week

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

They have bike storage and a gym! I enjoyed the gym a lot.

・・

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

HomeViews

Ritali Singh (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Swan Street House, M4

Apr 2026

This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.

Modern city living with great amenities in a lively location

Ritali Singh (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Swan Street House, M4

Apr 2026

Swan Street House has a modern design with well-planned apartments and good natural light. The building offers useful amenities like lounges, study rooms, a cinema room, and a gym, which add to the overall living experience. Shared spaces are usually clean and well-maintained. Building and property management are generally helpful, though there can be occasional delays with maintenance. Overall, it’s a comfortable place to live with good facilities, especially for those who value a central location.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Living in Swan Street House in Manchester is great for city life, with the Northern Quarter’s cafes, grocery stores, Arndale mall, and shops just steps away. Transport is very convenient, with Manchester Victoria Station and the Metrolink Manchester nearby, so not having a car isn’t an issue. It can get noisy and busy, especially at night, but overall it’s ideal if you enjoy a lively, central location.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

The building management team has been very responsive and caring. Yuvraj, Holly and Hassan are warm, welcoming, and always greet residents kindly. They are approachable, professional, and ensure any concerns are handled quickly and with care.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

One thing I wish I had known before moving into Swan Street House in Manchester is how lively the area gets, especially in the evenings and on weekends due to its central location near the Northern Quarter. It’s great if you enjoy being in the middle of everything, but worth being prepared for the buzz. On the plus side, everything you need cafés, groceries, and public transport is within easy walking distance, so day-to-day life is very convenient.

・・

HomeViews

Rebecca (Tenant)

Verified Resident

The Trilogy, M15

Apr 2026

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.

Building management is amazing and super-efficient

Rebecca (Tenant)

Verified Resident

The Trilogy, M15

Apr 2026

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

The good aspects are that we’ve got both co-op and Tesco which are very close to the development and I great park across the road which is great for dog walking. It’s great how close the tram stop is which makes it so convenient to get into town etc. There’s a super cute quite brunch stop down the road which is dog friendly too. The parking in front of the building which is quite expensive and you can only be there for 3 hours. Also, down the road there is a lot of construction going on so the road can get a bit blocked up with traffic.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Really positive feedback on when I raised an issue with my washing machine. Maintenance came that afternoon to fix it and in the meantime, I was able to use a washing machine in an empty apartment.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

When I went to view a few apartments and I settled on the apartment, I’d recommend checking what side of the main road you’re on and how much sun your apartment will get.

・・

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

HomeViews

Josh B (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Swan Street House, M4

Apr 2026

This is rated 2.00 out of 5.00.

Pretty disappointing

Josh B (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Swan Street House, M4

Apr 2026

Falls pretty short of reasonable expectations. Staff are very unapproachable and can often be heard badmouthing residents. Emails and other communication just don’t get responded to at all if you’re not a prospective resident Maintenance issues such as the doors breaking and being stuck open (which is really unsafe) happens all the time. Windows don’t get cleaned and there’s always issues with WiFi

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

The area is great as it’s northern quarter/ancoats, plenty to do and transport links etc you’ll like that

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

It’s been raised to them before but I’ve never seen any improvement

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

How the staff actually treat the residents and the doors

・・

HomeViews

Sara (Tenant)

Unverified

Swan Street House, M4

Apr 2026

This is rated 2.00 out of 5.00.

Building looks lovely and staff love networking opportunities, however real issues will be ignored.

Sara (Tenant)

Unverified

Swan Street House, M4

Apr 2026

The amenities are very lovely however cinema room is always booked. I’ve rated it very low because my windows are so dirty we can barely see out of them as they were missed by the cleaners and our complaints have been completely ignored. Instead of employing a company that does their job, they asked the (very hard working) maintenance man to come in and put himself in danger hanging out the window attempting to sort it. He is always very busy and cannot be faulted. The cleaners are supposed to come twice a year and we have lived here for 2 years and had them cleaned once. The doors are literally always breaking so the gym is currently unavailable due to this and people have to walk around the building often to get let in to the wrong tower to walk around as they never work. This also poses as a safety risk as they are sometimes simply kept open. The day time staff act like you are a problem for asking for your own parcels, and we even received and email asking us to ask for parcels once they’ve gone home so that the security have to do them all. This building management is focused on looking good with activities and marketing opportunities but fail to actually look after the ‘boring’ important issues.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

My flat is right next to a very busy road so cannot have windows open. It is however close and handy to town

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Terribly. I’m repeating myself as I have to add minimum characters however we have been completely ignored and the whole side of my building have very dirty windows. This is the second time we have been missed/ they had never come. In the sun you can literally not see out of them.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

How loud the road would be and the fact that your windows will be left dirty.

・・

HomeViews

Page 1 of 874

These reviews are the subjective opinion of a HomeViews user and not of HomeViews

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