Administrative Boundary of Trafford

About Trafford

Trafford is a metropolitan borough within Greater Manchester in northwest England. Covering approximately 106 square kilometres of the Mersey valley, the Cheshire Plain, and the southern fringe of the Greater Manchester conurbation, Trafford had a population of approximately 235,000 at the 2021 Census. The borough is home to some of the most famous sporting and retail destinations in England — including Old Trafford (home of Manchester United FC), Emirates Old Trafford (home of Lancashire County Cricket Club), and the Trafford Centre — as well as some of the finest historic parks and country estates in the northwest. History and Heritage Trafford's history is deeply connected to the River Mersey and the Bridgewater Canal — the first true commercial canal in England, opened in 1761, which runs through the southern part of the borough between Manchester and Runcorn, passing through Stretford, Sale, and Altrincham. The canal transformed the agricultural and market-town landscape of what is now Trafford into a node in the industrial transport network, and the growth of Manchester's textile economy in the 19th century created the prosperous suburban and commercial communities that define the borough today. Old Trafford Old Trafford is one of the most celebrated sports venues in the world. Manchester United FC, founded in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR Football Club and moving to Old Trafford in 1910, has won 20 First Division and Premier League titles, 12 FA Cups, and three European Cup / UEFA Champions League titles, making it one of the most successful clubs in the history of English football. The stadium, expanded and rebuilt over the course of a century to a current capacity of approximately 74,000, is the largest club football stadium in England and one of the largest in Europe. Emirates Old Trafford, adjacent to the football ground, has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since 1884 and is one of England's principal Test match venues. Dunham Massey Dunham Massey, managed by the National Trust, is one of the finest country estates in Greater Manchester. The house — built in the early 18th century around an earlier structure and remodelled extensively in the 1820s — contains an outstanding collection of Huguenot silver, furniture, and portraits accumulated by the Grey and Booth families over four centuries. The park, covering some 300 acres, contains one of the largest herds of fallow deer in the north of England, a restored water mill, formal gardens, a deer barn, and an orangery. The estate is the most visited National Trust property in the north of England. Altrincham and Suburbia Altrincham, in the south of the borough, is one of the most prosperous towns in Greater Manchester, with a thriving Victorian-era market, independent retail sector, and one of the most successful non-league/lower-league football clubs in England (Altrincham FC). The Metrolink tram network connects Altrincham to Manchester city centre in under 30 minutes, making the town a highly desirable residential location. The Trafford Centre The Trafford Centre, opened in 1998 and designed in an opulent mixture of classical, baroque, and Egyptian Revival architectural styles, is one of the largest shopping centres in England. With approximately 200 shops and restaurants, it is the third-largest shopping centre in the UK and one of the most visited retail destinations in the northwest. Population and Demographics The 2021 Census recorded approximately 235,000 residents. Trafford is predominantly White British (approximately 79%) with growing South Asian and Chinese communities, and has the highest average household income of any metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester. GIS and Boundary Data The administrative boundary of Trafford unitary authority is available for free download in GeoJSON and KML formats, sourced from the ONS Open Geography Portal (Crown copyright 2024). Compatible with QGIS, ArcGIS, Mapbox, and Google Earth, the dataset supports sports venue geography, heritage estate management, canal corridor planning, demographic research, and retail development analysis across the Trafford local authority area.

📍 Administrative boundary of Trafford county