HOW IT RATES

The birthplace of the Industrial Revolution when the canals and cotton mills transformed Manchester from a provincial town into a city. In 1996 an IRA bomb woke the city from its economic sleep. It has been transformed into a modern metropolis, embracing 21st-century style and technology. Now its biggest export is the football team – United, not City.

ARCHITECTURAL GEMS

A great mix of old and new. The newly refurbished John Rylands Library is a fine example of Victorian Gothic. The Grade I listed town hall rises 286ft over Albert Square. For something new, the Urbis in the centre of the city is a stunning glass triangular exhibition centre.

WHAT’S NEW

Stonehurst Estates has The Light House development in the Northern Quarter of Manchester. It is a 20-storey building comprising 169 Conran-designed apartments. One and two-bedroom flats are available from £158,500 (King Sturge: 0161-833 9494).

QUALITY OF LIFE

Pretty good for most. It’s a very friendly and young city with a diverse range of people. The central area has great shopping, three parks, and the redeveloped canals offer waterside living. Students are a huge presence, which is emphasised by a vibrant nightlife.

TRAVEL

The tram and shoe power are all you need to get around the compact city centre. Motorway links and two railway stations allow you to connect to anywhere in the country. The airport is the largest in the UK outside London.

POPULATION

In December 2003 the city’s population was estimated at 422,300, a 7 per cent increase since the 2001 Census. Females just beat males in numbers, but only by a few thousand.

SMARTEST STREETS

Canal Street and Whitworth Street are where the pricier properties can be found. Century Buildings is the most prestigious address in the city. The best outside the city are in Hale or Wilmslow, favoured by footballers.

BEST RESTAURANTS

Shimla Pinks is a modern Indian in the city, or head for Rusholme, home to at least 30 Indian restaurants. Grill on the Alley is a new restaurant from the Living Ventures team. Pesto, another relatively new eatery, has broadened the concept of tapas to include dishes from other countries.

NIGHTLIFE

Take your pick. The Northern Quarter is for the young and trendy. Try the Dry Bar, or for music there is The Night and Day Cafe or Roadhouse. For comedy try the Frog and Bucket club. The more refined crowd hang out at Deansgate Locks. The Royal Exchange is the most prestigious theatre, and the city also has an opera house.

EDUCATION

Manchester Grammar School is an independent boys school for 11 to 18-year-olds. Its female equivalents, Withington Girls’ School and Manchester High School for Girls, are equally respected. There are five universities in Manchester; the two major ones are the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan. There are about 58,000 students in the city.

WORKING LIFE

The largest and fastest-growing centre for business in the UK after London. The Royal Bank of Scotland has moved there and the BBC plans to move to Salford Quay by 2011.

UPSIDE

Music and football. Although the Hacienda and Madchester are long gone, there are plenty of venues and bands to see. A trip to Old Trafford may seem the ideal but for those wanting the real Mancunian football experience, the City of Manchester Stadium is where more of the locals can be found. For the best views of the city, visit the Godlee Observatory in Sackville Street.

DOWNSIDE

It’s renowned for its wet weather. Despite the regeneration of the city centre, there are still concerns about crime rates in certain areas.

£153,345 The average house price in Manchester
Source: Halifax

8% The change in house prices in Manchester over the past year
Source: Halifax

190% The change in house prices in Manchester over the past ten years
Source: Halifax

41.9% The percentage of Manchester residents aged under 24
Source: Office for National Statistics

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