Salford
§ This page gives an overview of the Salford local authority district, bringing together key facts, maps, and data to help you quickly understand the area. This is one of 361 LAD profiles on Baseview.
Overview ⁞ Salford lies west of Manchester, with a landscape shaped by the River Irwell and the Manchester Ship Canal. Salford Quays is a major landmark, home to The Lowry arts complex, Imperial War Museum North, and MediaCityUK. The wider district includes parks such as Buile Hill Park, Worsley’s historic village with its canal network, and Chat Moss, an expanse of lowland peat bog rich in wildlife. From riverside developments to greenbelt countryside, Salford blends historic waterways with modern culture and industry.
Salford Boundary Map
This map shows the official boundary of the Salford local authority district, based on the latest geographic data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It provides a clear view of the district’s extent and helps you understand how the area fits within the wider regional and national landscape.
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The administrative boundary of Salford can also be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Salford.
Key Facts about Salford
What region is Salford in? Salford is in the North West of England, a region within the UK.
What county is Salford in? Salford is located in the county of Greater Manchester.
Is Salford a city? Yes, Salford is a city. Salford holds official city status as one of the 76 designated cities in the UK.
Who governs Salford? The local government for this district is: Salford City Council (Metropolitan District).
▶ Official website of Salford City Council 🔗 salford.gov.uk
Which police force covers Salford? Policing in Salford is provided by Greater Manchester Police 🔗 gmp.police.uk, which serves 10 local authority districts: Bolton ⁞ Bury ⁞ Manchester ⁞ Oldham ⁞ Rochdale ⁞ Salford ⁞ Stockport ⁞ Tameside ⁞ Trafford ⁞ Wigan.
Constituencies in Salford
Salford is divided into 4 parliamentary constituencies, listed below in alphabetical order.
A constituency is a specific geographical area that elects one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons. The United Kingdom is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK parliamentary constituencies: List of Constituencies.
Wards in Salford
Salford is divided into 20 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Barton & Winton
- Blackfriars & Trinity
- Boothstown & Ellenbrook
- Broughton
- Cadishead & Lower Irlam
- Claremont
- Eccles
- Higher Irlam & Peel Green
- Kersal & Broughton Park
- Little Hulton
- Ordsall
- Pendlebury & Clifton
- Pendleton & Charlestown
- Quays
- Swinton & Wardley
- Swinton Park
- Walkden North
- Walkden South
- Weaste & Seedley
- Worsley & Westwood Park
In the UK, a ward is a subdivision of a local authority area, used mainly for electoral and statistical purposes. Defined by the ONS, wards represent the primary unit for local elections, each returning one or more councillors to the local council. Wards are also used as a key geography for presenting population and census data. We have this list page for easy browsing of all electoral wards: List of all Electoral Wards in the UK.
Parishes in Salford
Salford is entirely unparished—there are no civil parishes in this local authority district.
Parishes are the lowest tier of local government; where they don’t exist, those very local services and representation sit directly with the principal council. We have this list page for easy browsing of all parishes: List of Civil Parishes in England and Wales.
Post Towns in Salford
Below is a list of post towns in Salford, grouped by postcode area:
M ▸ Salford (M3 / M5 / M6 / M7 / M50 / M60)
The UK postal hierarchy begins with broad postcode areas (such as “CB” or “M”), which are divided into smaller postcode districts (such as “CB8” or “M1”) to support accurate mail routing. Each postal address is anchored by a designated post town, the official locality name used in the UK postcode system, which operates independently from Local Authority Districts —the administrative boundaries used for council tax and local government services. Because they serve different purposes, a property’s postal address and its local authority district do not always align exactly.
Built-up Areas in Salford
Salford covers 14 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Clifton (Salford) *
- Eccles (Salford) *
- Farnworth *
- Irlam *
- Little Hulton *
- Manchester *
- Old Trafford *
- Pendlebury
- Prestwich *
- Salford *
- Swinton (Salford)
- Walkden *
- Wardley
- Worsley *
In the UK, a Built-up Area (BUA) is a continuous urban area of at least 20 hectares (0.2 km²), defined by the ONS as land where buildings are generally no more than 200 metres apart, such as towns, cities, or large villages. (Note: A BUA name marked with an asterisk (*) indicates that the area is situated partly in the district of Salford.)
We have this list page for easy browsing of all built-up areas: List of all Built-up Areas in GB.
Railway Stations in Salford
Salford is served by a number of National Rail stations, providing rail connections to nearby towns, cities, and destinations across Great Britain. The railway stations listed below are located within the Salford Local Authority District and are grouped by train operating company for clarity.
- Northern Trains ▸ Salford Crescent (M5 4BR) ⁞ Salford Central (M3 5ET) ⁞ Walkden (M28 3DY) ⁞ Irlam (M44 5AB) ⁞ Eccles (Manchester) (M30 0DN) ⁞ Swinton (Manchester) (M27 6BT) ⁞ Patricroft (M30 0GX) ⁞ Moorside (M27 9PU) ⁞ Clifton (Manchester) (M27 8LL)
This is a district-level view only. For a complete list of all National Rail stations across Great Britain, see the UK National Rail Stations Directory.
Salford compared with other districts in the UK
This section shows how Salford compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.
Salford has 20 electoral wards.
Salford has a population of 294,348 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)
Population and Migration Trends in Salford
This chart shows the population trend for Salford from 2015 to 2024. It provides a quick overview of whether the local authority is growing, stable, or declining over time, and helps set context for the migration patterns shown below.
Population change is influenced by natural change (births minus deaths) and migration. The net migration chart below focuses on migration, separating internal migration (moves within the UK) from international migration (moves to and from abroad). Positive values indicate net inflows, while negative values indicate net outflows. The rate labels (per 1,000 residents) help compare migration intensity across years, even when the population size changes.
More local statistics and data for Salford can be found on the ONS statistics for Salford.