Home › UK › County Durham England · County Find your town in County Durham County Durham has 52 towns of 2,500 or more and 64 villages and smaller places. Towns are graded against towns across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on cost of living, safety, schools, health and more.
52 graded towns
4 grade A− or better
64 villages and smaller places
Darlington largest · 93,022
How County Durham compares: its report card → County Durham at a glance What County Durham is like The typical County Durham town grades highest on cost of living and hazard risk against towns across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and lowest on safety. Choose a subject to find the towns that do best on it.
The typical town, subject by subject The median County Durham town against UK towns · the line marks the typical UK town
Cost of living A− ahead of 81% Hazard risk B+ ahead of 69% Walkability B− ahead of 55% Schools B− ahead of 51% Outdoors C+ ahead of 43% Jobs & income C− ahead of 16% Health D ahead of 12% Safety D ahead of 12% The finder
Find a town that’s… 52 towns · ordered by County Durham rank
#1 in County Durham A+ Town · 10,250 people · #68 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A SchoolsA− Cost of livingLowest C+ Walkability
#2 in County Durham A Town · 4,979 people · #232 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A SchoolsA Hazard riskLowest C+ Walkability
#3 in County Durham A− Town · 4,040 people · #391 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Jobs & incomeA− HealthLowest D− Walkability
#4 in County Durham A− Town · 2,998 people · #485 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest C− Health
#5 in County Durham B+ Town · 3,627 people · #599 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− SchoolsLowest C− Health
#6 in County Durham B+ Large town · 50,502 people · #631 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A SchoolsA WalkabilityLowest D Safety
#7 in County Durham B+ Town · 5,783 people · #661 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A+ SchoolsA+ WalkabilityLowest C Jobs & income
#8 in County Durham B+ Town · 3,510 people · #716 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest B+ SchoolsB+ Cost of livingLowest D Hazard risk
#9 in County Durham B Town · 2,525 people · #746 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D Health
#10 in County Durham B Town · 4,843 people · #858 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A SchoolsA Hazard riskLowest C− Safety
#11 in County Durham B Large town · 23,554 people · #920 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− SchoolsA− Cost of livingLowest C− Safety
#12 in County Durham B Town · 4,542 people · #934 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A SchoolsA Hazard riskLowest C− Health
#13 in County Durham B Town · 2,667 people · #950 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest B+ SafetyB Jobs & incomeLowest C− Schools
#14 in County Durham B− Town · 2,653 people · #964 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D Health
#15 in County Durham B− Town · 4,756 people · #1,002 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest B+ SchoolsB Cost of livingLowest C− Safety
#16 in County Durham B− Town · 2,796 people · #1,088 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest C− Safety
#17 in County Durham B− Town · 9,508 people · #1,147 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingA− SchoolsLowest D Safety
#18 in County Durham B− Town · 2,877 people · #1,150 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D Jobs & income
#19 in County Durham C+ Large town · 21,660 people · #1,193 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D Health
#20 in County Durham C+ Town · 5,186 people · #1,226 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D Health
#21 in County Durham C+ Large town · 93,022 people · #1,289 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Cost of livingA− WalkabilityLowest D Safety
#22 in County Durham C+ Town · 2,835 people · #1,328 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D− Jobs & income
#23 in County Durham C+ Large town · 84,824 people · #1,350 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Cost of livingB WalkabilityLowest D− Safety
#24 in County Durham C Town · 4,943 people · #1,400 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingA− SchoolsLowest D− Health
#25 in County Durham C Town · 7,239 people · #1,411 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D− Safety
#26 in County Durham C Town · 3,877 people · #1,480 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB+ WalkabilityLowest D Jobs & income
#27 in County Durham C Large town · 29,874 people · #1,483 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB Hazard riskLowest D Health
#28 in County Durham C Large town · 33,917 people · #1,489 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Cost of livingB WalkabilityLowest D Safety
#29 in County Durham C Town · 6,483 people · #1,508 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB Hazard riskLowest D Health
#30 in County Durham C Town · 7,305 people · #1,582 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskB+ Cost of livingLowest C− Health
#31 in County Durham C Town · 19,423 people · #1,584 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D− Health
#32 in County Durham C Town · 3,148 people · #1,593 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingA− SchoolsLowest D− Safety
#33 in County Durham C Town · 6,968 people · #1,596 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D− Safety
#34 in County Durham C− Town · 2,543 people · #1,602 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D− Health
#35 in County Durham C− Large town · 88,001 people · #1,608 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB+ WalkabilityLowest D− Safety
#36 in County Durham C− Town · 4,031 people · #1,631 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D Jobs & income
#37 in County Durham C− Large town · 20,401 people · #1,641 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB Hazard riskLowest D− Safety
#38 in County Durham C− Town · 2,522 people · #1,683 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Cost of livingA Hazard riskLowest D− Safety
#39 in County Durham C− Town · 3,339 people · #1,686 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA Cost of livingLowest D Health
#40 in County Durham C− Large town · 25,760 people · #1,715 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB+ WalkabilityLowest D Safety
#41 in County Durham C− Town · 6,805 people · #1,804 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D− Health
#42 in County Durham C− Town · 9,717 people · #1,813 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Cost of livingB WalkabilityLowest D Jobs & income
#43 in County Durham D Town · 19,750 people · #1,817 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D− Safety
#44 in County Durham D Town · 8,857 people · #1,853 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D− Safety
#45 in County Durham D Town · 7,786 people · #1,893 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB− WalkabilityLowest D− Health
#46 in County Durham D Town · 5,685 people · #1,909 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB Hazard riskLowest D− Safety
#47 in County Durham D Town · 4,577 people · #1,918 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A Hazard riskA− Cost of livingLowest D− Health
#48 in County Durham D Town · 4,693 people · #1,925 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB Hazard riskLowest D− Safety
#49 in County Durham D Large town · 23,359 people · #1,945 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB+ WalkabilityLowest D− Safety
#50 in County Durham D Town · 9,650 people · #1,947 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB+ WalkabilityLowest D− Safety
#51 in County Durham D Town · 5,033 people · #1,954 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest B+ Cost of livingC+ SchoolsLowest D Safety
#52 in County Durham D Town · 3,107 people · #2,004 of 2,138 nationally
Strongest A− Cost of livingB− WalkabilityLowest D− Safety
Show all 52 towns Dots: each town’s overall grade, sized by population. Labels: the top five.
Go deeper County Durham lists Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
All County Durham rankings → Villages and small towns 64 smaller places in County Durham Places of 1,000 to 2,500 people have subject grades on their pages, but no overall grade or rank. The search at the top finds these too.
Wolsingham2,428 Cornforth2,424 Tanfield Lea2,399 Fishburn2,387 West Rainton2,323 Urpeth2,048 Bournmoor1,991 Toft Hill and High Etherley1,865 Tow Law1,796 Trimdon Colliery1,788 Whitehill1,679 School Aycliffe1,590 Evenwood1,587 Stanhope1,575 Heighington1,548 Castleside1,532 Newfield1,529 Blackhall Mill1,528 Burnhope1,465 Kelloe1,434 Stillington1,407 Startforth1,391 Cockfield1,351 Staindrop1,339 New Brancepeth1,280 Billy Row1,254 Trimdon Grange1,233 Medomsley1,216 Haswell1,185 High Pittington1,147 Bishop Middleham1,136 Gainford1,127 High Shincliffe1,045 31 places under 1,000 people Photos: 0: Andrew Duffell · CC BY 1.0 · 1: Rod Grealish · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 2: Carol Rose · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 3: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 4: Dave Eagle · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 6: Lewis Clarke · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 8: P Glenwright · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 9: Francis Hannaway · CC BY-SA 3.0 · 10: Chris Heaton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 12: Dave Dunford · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 14: mark harrington · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 17: Bill Henderson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 18: Matthew Hatton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 21: Oliver Dixon · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 22: Petegal-half · CC BY-SA 3.0 · 23: Barry Wood · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 27: Jack Bromby · Public domain · 30: Graham Robson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 31: george hurrell · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 32: Des Blenkinsopp · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 33: Tom Tunney · Public domain · 36: Donald Brydon · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 37: Stanley Howe · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 39: David Robinson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 42: peter robinson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 45: David Williams · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 47: Ian S · CC BY-SA 2.0
Sources: TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only · ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
