Altofts and Whitwood East
Whitwood and the western edge of Castleford, priced a little above the Wakefield average, with recorded crime below the district rate
Altofts and Whitwood East at a glance
- House prices
- £218,000
- Lower prices25th percentile
- Schools
- 55th percentile
- Middle
- Transport
- 68th percentile
- Middle
- Crime rate
- 97.3 per 1,000 residents
- Weak26th percentile
- Flood risk
- 10.8% of the area in flood zones
- Middle70th percentile
Underlying data dates vary by measure.
How to read these figuresIs Altofts and Whitwood East a good place to live?
This page covers the eastern part of Altofts and Whitwood ward: Whitwood, Cutsyke and newer estates on the western edge of Castleford, near the M62. Altofts itself is in the western part of the ward. Semi-detached homes made up about half of sales. Homes cost a little more than across the district: the median sale price was £218,000 in the 12 months to August 2026, against £203,500 across Wakefield and £295,000 across England.
Recorded crime is below the Wakefield rate and above the England rate: police recorded 97 crimes and anti-social behaviour incidents per 1,000 residents over the same 12 months, against 117 across Wakefield and 94 across England.
There is no railway station in the ward; Castleford and Glasshoughton stations are each about 1.1 miles from its centre. Kippax and Methley, in Leeds, records less crime but costs a little more; Normanton records slightly more crime but costs a little less.
This guide covers the eastern part of Altofts and Whitwood ward, around Whitwood and the western edge of Castleford: 6 of the ward's 10 small census areas, 4.6 square kilometres and 11,842 residents at the 2021 Census. Altofts is in the western part, which has a separate guide.
You can also compare nearby neighbourhoods in Wakefield below.
How Whitwood compares
| Area | Crime and ASB per 1,000 | Violence and sexual offences per 1,000 | Median sale price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitwood | 97.3 | 43.7 | £218,000 (133) |
| Kippax and Methley | 68.0 | 28.2 | £236,750 (288) |
| Normanton | 102.7 | 44.7 | £205,000 (147) |
| Wakefield | 116.8 | 51.2 | £203,500 (3,256) |
| England | 94.1 | 35.9 | £295,000 (502,418) |
In the same 12 months, semi-detached homes in Whitwood sold for a median of £220,000 (61 sales), terraced homes for £170,000 (48) and detached homes for £320,000 (23). Too few flats sold for a reliable figure.
What to check before you move
- Look at the street, not just the ward. police.uk maps recorded crime month by month, so you can see whether incidents cluster in particular places or near the home you are considering.
- Try the journey at the times you would travel. There is no railway station in the ward; Castleford and Glasshoughton stations are each about 1.1 miles from its centre, and our data does not include bus frequencies.
- Check the flood map for the specific property. Parts of the ward are in flood zones 2 or 3, and surface-water risk is mapped separately.
- Check school places directly. Four primary schools are inside the ward but no secondary school. Faith schools set their own admission criteria; read the latest Ofsted reports and Wakefield Council's admission rules, because living nearby does not guarantee a place.
Areas to compare with Altofts and Whitwood East
Kippax & Methley
Leeds
Neighbouring area to the north, in Leeds, with lower recorded crime (68 per 1,000) and a slightly higher median sale price, £236,750.
Read the Kippax & Methley guideNormanton
Wakefield
Neighbouring area to the south-west, with slightly higher recorded crime (103 per 1,000) and a slightly lower median sale price, £205,000.
Read the Normanton guideSources: police.uk recorded crime (September 2025 to August 2026); ONS 2021 Census population; HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (September 2025 to August 2026); Environment Agency flood zones; NaPTAN station locations; Ofsted school register. Updated 4 November 2026.
Best fit and trade-offs
May suit
- Buyers looking for lower house prices
Watch out for
- Crime data appears weaker than many neighbourhoods nationally
Crime rate in Altofts and Whitwood East
Crime rate
- Crime rate
- 97.3 per 1,000 residents
- Percentile
- 26th percentile nationally
Recorded crime is relatively higher; higher percentiles indicate lower crime.
Recorded crimes and anti-social behaviour per 1,000 residents over the 12 months to August 2026. Higher crime percentiles indicate lower recorded crime. Busy centres can show high rates because crimes are counted where they happen but divided by the people who live there.
House prices in Altofts and Whitwood East
House prices
- Median sale price
- £218,000
- Percentile
- 25th percentile nationally
House prices appear lower than many neighbourhoods nationally.
Median of 133 standard sales over the 12 months to August 2026, from HM Land Registry. Lower price percentiles indicate lower prices nationally. This is an area figure, not a valuation of a particular home.
Crime by type in Altofts and Whitwood East
Recorded crime by type
The largest recorded type in Altofts and Whitwood East is violence, sexual offences and weapons, at 43.7 per 1,000 residents: close to Wakefield (51.2) and higher than England (35.9).
| Type | Altofts and Whitwood East | Wakefield | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violence, sexual offences and weapons | 43.7 | 51.2 | 35.9 |
| Theft, including shoplifting | 12.8 | 17.6 | 18.1 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 8.6 | 9.0 | 6.8 |
| Anti-social behaviour | 8.0 | 10.1 | 10.7 |
| Public order | 7.2 | 9.2 | 6.6 |
| Vehicle crime | 6.6 | 6.2 | 5.3 |
| Burglary | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.7 |
| Other crime | 2.9 | 4.3 | 2.2 |
| Drugs | 2.2 | 3.6 | 3.4 |
| Robbery | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.5 |
Recorded crime is not the same as personal risk. How to read crime figures for an area · Check another area
Schools in Altofts and Whitwood East
Schools
55th percentile nationally
Higher percentiles indicate stronger schools indicators nationally.
Flood risk in Altofts and Whitwood East
Flood risk
10.8% of the area in flood zones 2 or 3
Land in Environment Agency river and sea flood zones 2 or 3. Zone 3, the higher-probability zone, covers 6.1% of the area. That is the 70th percentile among neighbourhoods in England, where higher means more flood-zone land. Surface water is not included, and this is not an address-level assessment: check the flood map for the specific property.
Transport in Altofts and Whitwood East
Transport
68th percentile nationally
Higher percentiles indicate stronger transport indicators nationally.
FAQs
Is Whitwood a good place to live?
It depends on what you are prioritising. Whitwood records less crime than Wakefield as a whole, but homes cost a little more than across the district, with a median sale price of £218,000 in the year to August 2026, and there is no railway station in the ward.
Is Whitwood safe?
Police recorded 97 crimes and anti-social behaviour incidents per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, compared with 117 across Wakefield and 94 across England. Recorded crime is not the same as personal risk, so check police.uk for the streets you are considering.
What are house prices like in Whitwood?
Homes sold for a median of £218,000 in the 12 months to August 2026, across 133 standard sales. Semi-detached homes sold for a median of £220,000, terraced homes for £170,000 and detached homes for £320,000. Too few flats sold for a reliable figure.
Is Altofts and Whitwood East a good place to live?
Altofts and Whitwood East may be a good fit for people who value lower house prices. The available data also shows schools are around the national middle range. Crime data appears weaker, so those factors are worth checking against your priorities.
Is Altofts and Whitwood East safe?
Altofts and Whitwood East ranks in the 26th percentile for crime data; in this dataset, a higher percentile indicates lower crime.
What are house prices like in Altofts and Whitwood East?
The median sale price was £218,000 in the 12 months to August 2026. House prices are in the 25th percentile nationally; lower percentiles indicate lower prices.
How are schools in Altofts and Whitwood East?
Schools rank in the 55th percentile nationally for this public profile.
What neighbourhoods are near Altofts and Whitwood East?
Nearby public profiles include Pontefract North in Wakefield and Normanton in Wakefield.
