Egglescliffe, #1 on this list · Photo: Andrew Duffell · CC BY 1.0

County Durham · 2026

Best places to live in County Durham

Q: What is the best place to live in County Durham?

Egglescliffe ranks first of 52 graded towns of 2,500+: schools (A) and cost of living (A−) are its strongest grades; walkability (C+) is its lowest. Sedgefield and Wynyard follow.

Egglescliffe ranks first of 52 County Durham towns of 2,500+ residents, and #68 of 2,138 UK towns. 4 of the 52 grade A− or better; scores run from 72.7 down to 27.2.

The overall score, sorted within County Durham; the letter compares each town with every UK town, and its rank among UK towns sits beside it. How grades work

Egglescliffe

County Durham · 10,250 people

A⁺

Score 72.7·#68 of 2,138 UK towns

Strongest: schools A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: walkability C⁺

Sedgefield

County Durham · 4,979 people

Score 66.4·#232 of 2,138 UK towns

Strongest: schools A, hazard risk A·lowest: walkability C⁺

Wynyard

County Durham · 4,040 people

A⁻

Score 61.6·#391 of 2,138 UK towns

Strongest: jobs & income A⁻, health A⁻·lowest: walkability D⁻

All 52 towns, ranked

By overall score against UK towns; ranks are within County Durham, and each UK rank links to the national list. The score (0–100) blends the seven livability grades and sets the order; the letter places that score among UK towns of 2,500+, and A+ is the top 5%, so neighbours on the list often share a letter.

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52 towns.

#TownScoreGrade · UK rankWhat drives it

1Egglescliffe10,250 people72.7top 3.3%A⁺#68 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: walkability C⁺

2Sedgefield4,979 people66.4top 11.2%A#232 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A, hazard risk A·lowest: walkability C⁺

3Wynyard4,040 people61.6top 18.7%A⁻#391 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A⁻, health A⁻·lowest: walkability D⁻

4Burnopfield2,998 people59.8top 23.2%A⁻#485 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: health C⁻

5Great Lumley3,627 people56.9top 28.4%B⁺#599 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, schools A⁻·lowest: health C⁻

6Durham50,502 people56.2top 30.0%B⁺#631 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A, walkability A·lowest: safety D

7Barnard Castle5,783 people55.7top 31.4%B⁺#661 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A⁺, walkability A⁺·lowest: jobs & income C

8Lanchester3,510 people54.5top 34.0%B⁺#716 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools B⁺, cost of living B⁺·lowest: hazard risk D

9Witton Gilbert2,525 people53.8top 35.4%B#746 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: health D

10Bowburn4,843 people51.2top 40.6%B#858 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A, hazard risk A·lowest: safety C⁻

11Chester-le-Street23,554 people49.8top 43.5%B#920 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A⁻, cost of living A⁻·lowest: safety C⁻

12Coxhoe4,542 people49.6top 44.1%B#934 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A, hazard risk A·lowest: health C⁻

13Hurworth-on-Tees2,667 people49.2top 44.9%B#950 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety B⁺, jobs & income B·lowest: schools C⁻

14Dipton2,653 people49.0top 45.5%B⁻#964 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: health D

15Middleton St George4,756 people48.1top 47.3%B⁻#1,002 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools B⁺, cost of living B·lowest: safety C⁻

16Sherburn2,796 people46.5bottom 48.7%B⁻#1,088 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: safety C⁻

17Brandon9,508 people45.1bottom 46.0%B⁻#1,147 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, schools A⁻·lowest: safety D

18South Hetton2,877 people45.1bottom 45.9%B⁻#1,150 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: jobs & income D

19Seaham21,660 people44.5bottom 43.9%C⁺#1,193 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: health D

20Sacriston5,186 people43.8bottom 42.3%C⁺#1,226 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: health D

21Darlington93,022 people42.5bottom 39.4%C⁺#1,289 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability A⁻·lowest: safety D

22Trimdon2,835 people41.7bottom 37.6%C⁺#1,328 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: jobs & income D⁻

23Stockton-on-Tees84,824 people41.3bottom 36.6%C⁺#1,350 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability B·lowest: safety D⁻

24Shotton Colliery4,943 people40.2bottom 34.3%C#1,400 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, schools A⁻·lowest: health D⁻

25Murton7,239 people40.0bottom 33.7%C#1,411 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: safety D⁻

26Esh Winning3,877 people38.5bottom 30.5%C#1,480 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, walkability B⁺·lowest: jobs & income D

27Consett29,874 people38.4bottom 30.3%C#1,483 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, hazard risk B·lowest: health D

28Billingham33,917 people38.4bottom 30.1%C#1,489 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability B·lowest: safety D

29Ushaw Moor and Bearpark6,483 people38.1bottom 29.2%C#1,508 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, hazard risk B·lowest: health D

30Pelton and Ouston7,305 people36.8bottom 25.8%C#1,582 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B⁺·lowest: health C⁻

31Stanley19,423 people36.8bottom 25.7%C#1,584 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: health D⁻

32Wheatley Hill3,148 people36.7bottom 25.2%C#1,593 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, schools A⁻·lowest: safety D⁻

33Easington6,968 people36.6bottom 25.1%C#1,596 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: safety D⁻

34Thornley2,543 people36.5bottom 24.8%C⁻#1,602 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: health D⁻

35Hartlepool88,001 people36.4bottom 24.5%C⁻#1,608 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, walkability B⁺·lowest: safety D⁻

36Langley Park4,031 people36.0bottom 23.5%C⁻#1,631 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: jobs & income D

37Spennymoor20,401 people35.8bottom 23.0%C⁻#1,641 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, hazard risk B·lowest: safety D⁻

38Coundon and Leeholme2,522 people35.1bottom 21.1%C⁻#1,683 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk A·lowest: safety D⁻

39Leadgate3,339 people35.0bottom 20.9%C⁻#1,686 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A·lowest: health D

40Newton Aycliffe25,760 people34.6bottom 19.6%C⁻#1,715 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, walkability B⁺·lowest: safety D

41Horden6,805 people32.6bottom 15.5%C⁻#1,804 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: health D⁻

42Crook9,717 people32.4bottom 15.1%C⁻#1,813 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability B·lowest: jobs & income D

43Peterlee19,750 people32.4bottom 14.9%D#1,817 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: safety D⁻

44Ferryhill8,857 people31.6bottom 13.2%D#1,853 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: safety D⁻

45Annfield Plain7,786 people30.5bottom 11.3%D#1,893 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, walkability B⁻·lowest: health D⁻

46Willington5,685 people30.0bottom 10.6%D#1,909 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, hazard risk B·lowest: safety D⁻

47Blackhall Colliery4,577 people29.6bottom 10.2%D#1,918 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: health D⁻

48Chilton4,693 people29.5bottom 9.9%D#1,925 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, hazard risk B·lowest: safety D⁻

49Bishop Auckland23,359 people29.0bottom 8.9%D#1,945 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, walkability B⁺·lowest: safety D⁻

50Shildon9,650 people28.9bottom 8.8%D#1,947 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, walkability B⁺·lowest: safety D⁻

51Wingate5,033 people28.8bottom 8.5%D#1,954 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B⁺, schools C⁺·lowest: safety D

52West Auckland3,107 people27.2bottom 6.2%D#2,004 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, walkability B⁻·lowest: safety D⁻

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the best place to live in County Durham?

Egglescliffe ranks first of 52 graded towns of 2,500+: schools (A) and cost of living (A−) are its strongest grades; walkability (C+) is its lowest. Sedgefield and Wynyard follow.

How are these towns ranked?

By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades (cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability, hazard risk) from public data, each comparing a town with every UK town. The rank is within County Durham. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers places of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade. Smaller places, and towns missing figures the overall grade needs, show their subject grades on their own pages; every town in County Durham is listed on the county page.

Sources: TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. 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.