Greater Manchester city named UK’s ‘loneliest’ with highest percentage of people living alone
Emily Sergeant
One of Greater Manchester’s cities has been named the ‘loneliest’ in the UK, according to the number of single occupants.
Living alone used to be seen as somewhat of a short-term ‘phase’, often between living in family homes or house shares, but today it’s a completely different story, as solo living is fast becoming a defining feature of urban Britain.
From high-rise studio flats, to compact commuter apartments, single-occupancy living is reshaping the character of many UK cities.
While for some, living alone simply represents independence and flexibility, for others it’s more a case of necessity – with wider demographic data apparently showing single-occupancy linked to student populations, delayed family formation, career mobility, and rising house prices that make shared living less practical.
But, with all things considered then, which towns and cities in the UK have the most solo occupants? The ‘loneliest’ cities, if you will.
A new study by Tarotoo set out to identify where solo living is most concentrated across the UK, with researchers analysing 58 cities, examining the number of studio and one-bedroom homes listed for sale or rent per 10,000 residents using Rightmove data – and it was Salford that came out on top.
Salford has been named the UK’s ‘loneliest’ with the highest percentage of people living alone / Credit: Hilverd Reker (via Wikimedia Commons)
That’s right, Salford tops the ranking with a striking 158.08 single-occupancy homes per 10,000 people, which is more than double the figure of the city in second place, and also vastly ahead of the national average.
The city’s rapid regeneration over the past decade, particularly around MediaCity and the wider Greater Manchester area, is said to be a huge contributing factor it in taking the top spot, as this has driven a boom in purpose-built apartments.
In fact, according to ONS data, Salford has seen one of the fastest rates of population growth among young professionals in the North West.
Other northern cities in the top 20 include Lancaster and Leeds, at fourth and fifth place respectively, and outside the top 20 is where you’ll find other northern cities like Liverpool, Chester, York, and Sheffield – with Manchester itself coming in at number 39 on the list.
At the opposite end of the ranking, Newport records just 2.59 single-occupancy homes per 10,000 people, which is the lowest figure in the study, and it’s then followed by Glasgow (3.29), Swansea (3.78), Dundee (4.33), and Stoke-on-Trent (4.51).
Featured Image – Patrick Perkins (via Unsplash)
Salford
Inside the most expensive apartment for rent in Manchester that looks like a five-star hotel
Daisy Jackson
A new apartment has gone on the rental market in Manchester that’s immediately become the most expensive in the city.
The luxurious penthouse has three bedrooms, its own cinema room, and access to an 18m swimming pool, jacuzzi and steam room.
Its fixtures and fittings are so lavish, it looks like a five-star hotel – and for good reason, because this apartment actually belongs to the residential arm of a premium aparthotel brand.
Coming in at a mere £15,000 per month (the ‘mere’ was sarcastic), this swish home is part of CitySuites II in Embankment West.
It’s actually so expensive, it comes in a whopping £2,500 a month more expensive than the next most-expensive apartment, which is one of the Deansgate Square penthouses.
The new Embankment West neighbourhood is in Salford, just across the river from Deansgate and Spinningfields.
And while CitySuites is maybe best-known for its aparthotel, short-stay offering, they also have a number of long-term residences – like this particular fancy SuperSuites penthouse.
The poolThe open-plan living space at the penthouseA huge bathroomThe dining area
It includes an open-plan living space with a fully equipped designer kitchen, a dining area, and a plush lounge and cinema room, with views of Manchester Cathedral from one of two balconies.
There are three bedrooms, each with hotel-quality king-size beds, a spa-inspired bathroom with rainfall shower, smart technology, high-speed Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, and plenty more.
And it gets the future tenant access to CitySuites II’s premium facilities, like an 18m swimming pool, jacuzzi and steam room, a 24-hour state-of-the-art gym, and a 24 hour concierge.
The apartment also comes with private car parking, and private lift access.
Daisy Jackson -
10th June 2022 
