Handforth
vs Wilmslow East
Handforth has the younger population: 16% of residents are aged 15–29, against 13% in Wilmslow East. Homes in Wilmslow East sold for a median of £742,500, 118% above Handforth. Handforth has more green space nearby (17% within 500 m, against 13%).
People
Handforth has 9,791 residents in 4,391 households; Wilmslow East has 4,439 in 1,950. Wilmslow East has the higher share of residents aged 65 and over: 27%, 8.4 percentage points more than Handforth (Cheshire East: 22%). Handforth has the higher share of people living alone: 36%, 5.6 percentage points more than Wilmslow East (Cheshire East: 30%).
Homes and prices
The most common type of home is terraced houses in Handforth (29%) and detached houses in Wilmslow East (60%). Wilmslow East has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 80%, 22.1 percentage points more than Handforth (Cheshire East: 72%). Wilmslow East has the higher share of private renting: 17%, 3.1 percentage points more than Handforth (Cheshire East: 16%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £340,000 in Handforth and £742,500 in Wilmslow East, against £300,000 across Cheshire East.
Surroundings
Handforth has the higher share of land within 500 m that is green space: 17%, 4.6 percentage points more than Wilmslow East (Cheshire East: 15%). A typical postcode has 57 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in Handforth, and 134 in Wilmslow East. The typical postcode is 508 m from the nearest school in Handforth and 515 m in Wilmslow East. The typical postcode is 730 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in Handforth and 801 m in Wilmslow East. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 93% of premises in Handforth and 68% in Wilmslow East.
Safety
Over 12 months, police recorded 86 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in Handforth and 92 in Wilmslow East, against 71 across Cheshire East. Police.uk records crimes by approximate location, not by where victims or offenders live. Busy streets, shops, stations and nightlife record more. Figures are counts, not a measure of personal risk.
Sources: Census 2021 (ONS) · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data · official school registers · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Environment Agency · data.police.uk, 12 months to Aug 2026 · Ofcom Connected Nations
In brief.
Each ward in a few lines, from its own page.
Handforth is one of 52 wards in Cheshire East, home to 9,791 people in 4,391 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £340,000 over the past two years, 13% above the Cheshire East median. On average 17% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 15% above the Cheshire East average.
Wilmslow East is one of 52 wards in Cheshire East, home to 4,439 people in 1,950 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £742,500 over the past two years, 148% above the Cheshire East median. On average 13% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 15% below the Cheshire East average.
More comparisons.
Handforth and Wilmslow East next to other wards of Cheshire East.