Overview
Trafford is a prominent area of great diversity and contrasts with a lively mix of inner-city neighbourhoods, leafy suburbs and semi-rural communities. From the 21st century Trafford Centre to the traditional Market town of Altrincham. The award winning Imperial War Museum North was voted “Best Building in Britain” by the British Construction Industry, while the Sale Waterside development is another nationally recognised achievement, providing local people with easy access to Council Services.
Trafford’s community is highly diverse, ranging from urban through to the distinctly rural with a population of 210,145 (2001 census). As of the 2001 UK census, Trafford had 151,445 residents aged 16 to 74. 2.5% of these people were students with jobs, 5.7% looking after home or family, 5.4% permanently sick or disabled and 2.8% economically inactive for other reasons. Trafford has a low rate of unemployment (6.7%) compared with Greater Manchester (8.4%) and Great Britain as a whole (6.9%) (Period July 2008-June 2009, Source: Office of National Statistics). Trafford consists of Stretford, Sale and Altrincham together with the former urban districts of Bowden, Hale and Urmston and the parishes of Carrington, Warburton, Dunham Massey and Partington. The ethnic minority population is small but significant at 6 %, with 94% describing themselves as “white British” . Trafford has a strong economy with low levels of employment. Apart from the City of Manchester, it is the only Borough in greater Manchester to be above the national average for income.
Trafford has a significant track record in educational attainment, with outstanding school examination results placing it amongst the best Local Education around the country. Its Parks and green spaces were placed joint first in the North West wand joint Second Nationwide achieving 11 “Green Flags”.
Sports feature heavily across the Borough, from the pedigree of Old Trafford to the much revered Lancashire Cricket Club. The Trafford community has excellent access to leisure facilities.
