What it's like to live in Halifax

Housing in the Calderdale council area is mostly owner-occupied at 64.6%, with 20.4% privately rented and 14.6% social rented. That social figure is a bit below the England average of 17.1%, so social homes are in demand. Of the social stock, 10.4% is housing association and 4.2% council.

Together Housing Association is by far the biggest social landlord locally with over 10,000 homes, followed by Yorkshire Housing, Stonewater, Home Group and Places for People Homes. Average weekly social rents in 2024/25 were around £86 for a one bed, £99 for two beds and £110 for three. Calderdale's housing register held 11,180 households at the end of March 2025, which is a reminder that a mutual exchange is often the quicker route.

The age profile is fairly balanced. Across the council area, 27.9% are aged 45 to 64 and 19% are 65 or over, both a touch above England, while 25 to 44s are slightly under. Expect a mix of families, older residents and younger households, especially nearer the centre.

There's a good spread of primary schools close to the centre. St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy is about four-tenths of a mile away, with Beech Hill School, St Mary's Catholic Primary Academy, Holy Trinity Primary School and St Augustine's CofE School all within three-quarters of a mile. That's a useful choice for families who'd rather walk the school run than drive it.

For older children, The Crossley Heath School is just over a mile away and The Halifax Academy about a mile and a half. Stafford Hall School is around a mile out, and Ravenscliffe High School and Sports College, which serves pupils with additional needs, is under a mile from the centre.

Outside school hours, families have Duffy's Park, People's Park, Albert Park and Akroyd Park all within easy reach, plus the Woodside Playground. Halifax Central Library is a short walk for homework, reading groups and a warm place on a wet Saturday. Calderdale Royal Hospital is just over a mile away, which is reassuring with young children. In the wider council area, under-16s make up 19.2% of the population, slightly above the England average.

Halifax station is about a third of a mile from the town centre, with trains running through the Calder Valley. Sowerby Bridge station is a little over two miles away if that suits you better. Halifax Bus Station sits right in the middle of town, which makes it easy to pick up services across Calderdale and towards neighbouring towns without changing in the rain.

If you drive, the valley roads link Halifax with the rest of West Yorkshire, though the hills and older streets mean journeys can feel slower than the map suggests. Parking in the centre is town-centre parking: fine, but worth checking what comes with any home you're offered.

On foot, the centre is genuinely compact. Supermarkets, pharmacies, the library and the cinema are all within a few minutes' walk of each other. The catch is the gradients: Halifax is built on hillsides, and a walk home with shopping can be hard work if you're uphill. If walking is your main way of getting about, think carefully about where a swap sits in relation to the valley floor.

For a town of this size, Halifax has plenty going on. Vue Halifax is barely a few minutes' walk from the centre, with The Rex Cinema about 2.8 miles out for something more old-fashioned. Halifax Borough Market is right in the middle of town and worth a wander even if you only go for a brew.

The pub and bar scene is lively. The Old Cock, The Jubilee, Dukes, Watchmakers Bar & Grill and Evokesomm are all central, and there's a cluster of late venues including Acapulco, Panacea, Fusion, Twilight and Vicky Show Bar. If you want a quiet life, pick a swap a little away from that strip.

For exercise, PureGym and Everlast Gyms are both within half a mile, with 1Vigor around 2.5 miles out. Green space is close at hand in People's Park and Akroyd Park, and the parks are as much a part of daily life here as the shops. Community centres like the Oddfellows Rooms, the Maurice Jagger Centre and, further out, Northowram and Greetland, host local groups and activities.

Across the Calderdale council area, 56% of adults are in work, just under the England figure of 57.4%. Unemployment sits at 3.2%, slightly below the England average of 3.5%. More recent benefit figures put unemployment-related claimants at 4.3% of working-age people, a little above the 4% seen nationally.

In short, the local job market is broadly in line with the country as a whole, without being noticeably stronger. Halifax town centre itself is a hub for shops, hospitality and public services, and Calderdale Royal Hospital is a significant local employer just over a mile from the centre.

The bigger picture matters too. With a train station and a central bus station, Halifax works for people who need to travel out for work as well as those who find it locally. If you're moving for a job, it's worth testing the journey at the time you'd actually make it, because valley roads and hill routes can be slower than expected in bad weather.