They're just 40 miles away from each other. But in many ways, they're a world apart.
Around 170 people from Rochdale and Cheshire have taken part in a series of focus groups where they were asked what makes a 'good life'. Despite huge differences between the post-industrial town and its affluent neighbour, their answers were strikingly similar.
Stability, a good work-life balance and strong community links were all prioritised over material wealth for people in both towns.
What sets them apart though is how hopeful they are about attaining that 'good life' - and what they need to do to make it happen.
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"There’s a bit of a glass ceiling about what you can achieve locally," one participant from Rochdale, a female nurse in her 40s, said.
"I don’t think I know anybody who I grew up with who has had a successful career and stayed local," another Rochdale resident said.
"I’ve said it for ages: I don’t want to stay here," a hairdresser in her late teens said. "There’s not one thing in Rochdale that I’m going to keep in my life."
More than 20 per cent of residents in Rochdale were classed as income-deprived in 2019, compared to just 8 per cent of those living in Cheshire East. People living in Rochdale were also more likely to have no formal qualifications than their Cheshire East counterparts.
According to the Social Mobility Commission, which is behind the study comparing the two places, Cheshire East has 'favourable' mobility prospects, which means those from low socio-economic backgrounds who grew up in the area tend to have better outcomes than people living in other parts of the country, while Rochdale, on the other hand, is classed as 'unfavourable'.
The findings
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