Moving from Chester to a commuter belt town to Manchester - please advise

[Starclan]

Hi,
we are moving from Chester and wanting a commuter belt town with train access to Manchester. Looking at good areas with good nurseries and family friendly community. Happy to consider Cheshire/south Manchester belt and go up or go Yorkshire way (aka Hebden/Todmorden) and come down. May rent to get to know the area, but may just buy. Please advise any really great areas.

Ormskirk? There's are several primary and secondary school, good nurseries, decent links to Manchester and lots to do for young families in terms of toddler groups etc. There's also lots of rural walks etc a short drive away.

I’m not sure about “really great” areas but in your shoes I’d look at
Bramhall, Cheadle Hulme, Handforth, Wilmslow, Heald Green and Gatley as a starting point

Sale? Altrincham? Both great towns in the south. Altrincham has the option of both train and tram. Sale is just tram. The tram would be more flexible than the train too. Or Whitefield in the north?

Mossley has just been voted a great place to live in the Times or some such.