Trafford

Borough of Trafford
Trafford Town Hall
Motto: 
Hold fast that which is good
Trafford shown within Greater Manchester
Trafford shown within Greater Manchester
Coordinates: 53°26′46″N 2°18′29″W / 53.44611°N 2.30806°W / 53.44611; -2.30806
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryEngland
RegionNorth West
Ceremonial county and city regionGreater Manchester
Incorporated1 April 1974
Administrative HQTrafford Town Hall
Government
 • TypeMetropolitan borough
 • BodyTrafford Council
 • ExecutiveLeader and cabinet
 • ControlLabour
 • LeaderTom Ross (L)
 • MayorDolores O'Sullivan
 • MPs
Area
 • Total41 sq mi (106 km2)
 • Rank192nd
Population
 (2022)[3]
 • Total236,301
 • Rank78th
 • Density5,770/sq mi (2,228/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
Postcode area
Dialling code0161
ISO 3166 codeGB-TRF
GSS codeE08000009
Websitetrafford.gov.uk
The boundary of the historic counties of Lancashire and Cheshire is marked along the River Mersey in Trafford.

Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England, with an estimated population of 236,301 in 2022.[3] It covers 106 square kilometres (41 sq mi)[5] and includes the area of Old Trafford and the towns of Altrincham, Stretford, Urmston, Partington and Sale. The borough was formed in 1974 as a merger of six former districts and part of a seventh. The River Mersey flows through the borough, separating North Trafford from South Trafford, and the historic counties of Lancashire and Cheshire. Trafford is the seventh-most populous district in Greater Manchester.[3]

There is evidence of Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Roman activity in the area, two castles – one of them a Scheduled Ancient Monument – and over 200 listed buildings. In the late 19th century, the population rapidly expanded with the arrival of the railway. Trafford is the home of Manchester United F.C. and Lancashire County Cricket Club, as well as Altrincham F.C. and Trafford F.C.. The Imperial War Museum North, opened in 2002, is located in the borough.

Trafford has a strong economy with low levels of unemployment and contains both Trafford Park industrial estate and the Trafford Centre, a large out-of-town shopping centre. Apart from the City of Manchester, Trafford is the only borough in Greater Manchester to be above the national average for weekly income. Socially, the area includes both working class and middle class areas like Bowdon and Hale. In Parliament, Trafford is represented by three constituencies: Stretford and Urmston; Altrincham and Sale West; and Wythenshawe and Sale East, which mainly covers neighbouring Manchester.

  1. ^ "About Trafford Council". Trafford Council. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Trafford Local Authority (E08000009)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.