A Guide to Living in West Yorkshire

Where is West Yorkshire? 

West Yorkshire is located in the North of England and is bordered by the counties of Derbyshire andGreater Manchester to the south, Lancashire and North Yorkshire to the north, and South Yorkshire to the south-east.

Areas in West Yorkshire 

The metropolitan and ceremonial county of West Yorkshire is made up of five boroughs: City of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.

The city of Leeds functions as the main commercial centre of the county, whereas Bradford is the largest borough both geographically and second largest in terms of population.

West Yorkshire universities

West Yorkshire has some of the best universities in the UK located in its larger cities, with the University of Leeds, University of Bradford, and the University of Huddersfield being standout examples.

The University of Leeds

The University of Leeds was established more than 100 years ago with over 33,000 students enrolled for courses each year. The university offers a wide range of degrees across many subject areas including medicine, law and engineering.

The University of Bradford

The University of Bradford is a research-led institution that offers courses in the arts, humanities and social sciences as well as science and technology disciplines such as computer programming, mathematics, physics, chemistry.

The University of Huddersfield

A public university that was founded in 1825, The University of Huddersfield has over 12,000 students enrolled each year. It provides courses for aspiring managers, IT professionals, engineers and language specialists among others.

Top schools in West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire plays host to some excellent schools that are recognised for their academic excellence. Here are some of the top schools in West Yorkshire that prospective home buyers should consider if they have school-aged children who will be moving with them to a new property purchase:

The Grammar School at Leeds

Founded in the early 16th century, The Grammar School at Leeds is a selective school that educates both boys and girls between 11 and 18 years of age at their senior school. The senior school has a constantly excellent pass rate for both GCSE and A-Level exams.

York High School

A mixed secondary school and  academy, York High School  is one of the largest secondary education facilities in West Yorkshire, but still consistently archives excellent Ofsted reports and GCSE and A-Level results

South Hunsley Secondary Academy

A co-educational secondary school, South Hunsley Secondary Academy teaches students aged 11 to 16 years. This academy is located in Melton and was established back in 1956.

Now a specialised technology college, South Hunsley Secondary Academy is recognised as one of the best state schools in West Yorkshire.

Population of West Yorkshire

The population of West Yorkshire has grown by 18% since 2001 according to the latest census data available online from 2011. The county has a total population of approximately two million, with the vast majority living in Leeds and Bradford.