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County Durham

Interactive map displaying County Durham

Crime
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About

County Durham sits in the North East of England, with the River Wear looping through its central city and cutting deep valleys across the county. The city of Durham occupies a peninsula formed by the river, where Durham Cathedral and Castle stand close together; the cathedral and castle are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The county extends into the Durham Dales — Weardale and upper Teesdale — where upland moors give way to narrow valleys and market towns such as Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle. Towns like Consett and Peterlee mark the former industrial belt inland from the dales.

The area has a long history of mining and rail transport, and that legacy remains in museums and preserved lines. Beamish Open Air Museum and the Weardale Railway recreate parts of 19th- and 20th-century life and industry. Agricultural land, upland grazing and pockets of woodland surround the settlements, while cultural projects such as the Bowes Museum and the Auckland Project shape local regeneration. Local roads and footpaths link villages, dales and the river corridor, offering routes that reflect the county’s settlement pattern and industrial past.

Area overview

On average County Durham has high deprivation and high crime levels, with around 76 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, about 35% below the North East average of 117 per 1,000. Approximately 16.9% of homes in this area are social housing provided by a local council or housing association. The average income per household in County Durham is £42,745 per year. The median sale price in County Durham is £141,000 (around £160 per square foot), with typical sale prices between £95,000 and £214,837. There are 240 schools in County Durham: 210 primary (11 Outstanding and 136 Good) and 30 secondary (4 Outstanding and 17 Good). County Durham is home to around 522,068 people, with a population density of about 234.5 per km².

Crime rate
7/10
Crimes per 1k residents
76
Deprivation level
7/10
Income level
5/10
Social housing
16.9%
Connectivity
N/A

Area Profile

County Durham Population
522,068
Population density
234.5 per km²

Crime

Crime per 1,000 population

Violence and sexual offences
37.12(-4%)
Anti-social behaviour
20.41(-7%)
Criminal damage and arson
12.78(+12%)
Shoplifting
10.26(-12%)
Public order
6.52(-20%)
North East average

Demographics

Ethnic groups

British
494,638
94.75%
Other White
8,494
1.63%
Chinese
2,838
0.54%
Indian
2,148
0.41%
White and Asian (mixed)
1,962
0.38%
Total population: 522,067

Economics

Education (age 16+)

Level 4+ (Degree)
116,019
26.74%
No qualifications
90,804
20.92%
Level 3 (A level)
86,414
19.91%
Level 2 (GCSEs 9-4)
61,724
14.22%
Level 1 (GCSEs 3-1)
41,359
9.53%
Total 16+ residents: 433,958

Housing

Housing tenure

Owns outright
81,046
34.52%
Owns with a mortgage
65,775
28.02%
Private landlord or letting agency
35,156
14.98%
Other social rented
24,859
10.59%
Social rents from council
21,999
9.37%
Total households: 234,764

Property prices in County Durham

Median price: £141,000
Price per sq ft: £160
Sales (last 12 months): 6,294
Typical range (middle 50%): £95K – £215K

Based on 6,294 recent sales, the median property price is £141,000 (about £160 per square foot) in County Durham area, with individual transactions ranging from £10,000 up to £1,700,000.

Prices by property typelast 12 months

Median sale price, median price per square foot, sales count, and percentile information for each property type in County Durham over the last year.
TypeSalesMedian£/sq ft
Detached1,457£265,000£221
Semi-Detached2,090£150,000£172
Terraced2,531£100,000£113
Flats216£88,250£145

10-year price trendmedian sale price in County Durham

Sale price

Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in County Durham.
YearDetachedFlatsSemi-DetachedTerraced
2016£194,950£78,000£115,000£74,725
2017£195,000£80,000£114,998£70,000
2018£200,000£85,500£119,950£74,000
2019£210,000£82,750£120,000£75,000
2020£213,750£88,500£125,000£75,000
2021£237,450£85,000£131,980£84,000
2022£250,000£87,000£138,000£90,000
2023£252,995£91,000£140,000£85,999
2024£257,000£91,000£145,000£90,000
2025£265,000£85,000£150,000£99,000
2026£260,000£90,000£145,000£100,000
Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in County Durham.

Price per sq ft

Ten year median sale price per square foot trend for each property type in County Durham.
YearDetachedFlatsSemi-DetachedTerraced
2016£165£114£132£81
2017£168£136£133£80
2018£171£135£136£81
2019£178£137£138£84
2020£182£145£142£86
2021£197£144£151£96
2022£212£140£161£103
2023£218£147£162£100
2024£220£150£167£104
2025£221£148£171£112
2026£219£143£172£112
Ten year median sale price per square foot trend for each property type in County Durham.

Price distribution by property typelast 12 months

Price distribution by property type for County Durham in the last year.

Council Tax Bands

Annual council tax rates for County Durham district.

Band A£1,748
Band B£2,039
Band C£2,331
Band D£2,622
Band E£3,205
Band F£3,788
Band G£4,370
Band H£5,244

Council tax bands are based on the value of your property. Most homes fall into bands A to D.

Local government

Members of Parliament for the constituencies covering County Durham.

Member of parliament

Sam Rushworth

Bishop Auckland - Elected 4 Jul 2024

Labour Party

Liz Twist

Blaydon and Consett - Elected 4 Jul 2024

Labour Party

Mary Kelly Foy

City of Durham - Elected 4 Jul 2024

Labour Party

Grahame Morris

Easington - Elected 4 Jul 2024

Labour Party

Alan Strickland

Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor - Elected 4 Jul 2024

Labour Party

Luke Akehurst

North Durham - Elected 4 Jul 2024

Labour Party

Frequently asked questions about County Durham

Is County Durham safe?

County Durham records about 76 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, which is a high crime rate for England: it scores 7 out of 10 on the Area360 crime scale, where 10 is the highest crime level.

What is the average house price in County Durham?

The median sale price in County Durham is £141,000 (about £160 per square foot) based on 6,294 registered sales according to HM Land Registry data.

Are there good schools in County Durham?

County Durham has 210 primary schools (11 rated Outstanding, 136 Good) and 30 secondary schools (4 rated Outstanding, 17 Good). Ratings are from the latest Ofsted inspections.

How deprived is County Durham?

County Durham scores 7 out of 10 on the deprivation scale, where 10 is the most deprived. The typical neighbourhood in County Durham sits around rank 12,108 of 32,844 in England on the official Index of Multiple Deprivation (rank 1 is the most deprived).

What is the average household income in County Durham?

The average household income in County Durham is around £42,745 per year, and 17% of homes are social housing (ONS data).

Who are the MPs for County Durham?

County Durham spans 6 parliamentary constituencies, represented by Bishop Auckland: Sam Rushworth (Labour Party), Blaydon and Consett: Liz Twist (Labour Party), City of Durham: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour Party), Easington: Grahame Morris (Labour Party), Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor: Alan Strickland (Labour Party) and North Durham: Luke Akehurst (Labour Party).

DL1 3NL

Lime Lane

DH6 2FA

Maurice Cullen Close

DH1 3DR

Stockton Road

DH1 3BB

High Yard

DH1 5BN

Old Dryburn Way

DH1 4HH

St Nicholas Drive

DH6 4JL

Broadmeadows

DL14 4BB

Bob Hardisty Drive

DH1 1DF

Limecragg Avenue

DH1 5SD

Finchale Avenue

DH1 1QE

Claypath

DH9 0AG

Agnes Street

DH2 1AB

Drum Road

DL12 8BN

Redwell Court

DH1 5JU

Straughan Crescent

DH1 4NJ

North End

SR8 1AB

Manor Way

DH1 3AL

Court Lane

DH1 3EB

Framwelgate Bridge

DH1 1AF

Borrowdale Drive

DH1 1RF

Claypath

DH6 2AL

Pesspool Lane

DH1 3SP

Hett Lane

SR7 7DN

Admiralty Way