Bishop Middleham’s story
13 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Bishop Middleham’s built-up area.
22% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Bishop MiddlehamCounty Durham
A village of 1,136 in County Durham, North East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Ian S · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,136
Census 2021 · County Durham council
Median home
£144K
47 sales in 3 years
Median age
49
24% are 65+ · County Durham 21%
Degree level
35%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Bishop Middleham a good place to live?
Bishop Middleham has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is hazard risk (A): 0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea. Its weakest is walkability (D−): 6% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The median home sold for £143,500 in the last three years, 3.4 times what households in the County Durham council area earn in a year.
What makes Bishop Middleham stand out
The 3 things Bishop Middleham does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
6% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Church of St Michael and All Angels; 4.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
48% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
How Bishop Middleham grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Bishop Middleham is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityD−Open →Hazard riskAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 76% of towns in England; secondary results beat 82% of towns in EnglandA−Open →Cost of livingrent £650 a monthA−Open →SafetyB+Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £53,536; 1.8% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 80.5 for men, 85.1 for womenB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History22% of homes built before 1919B+Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 2.6 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB−Open →Civic life0% live within 1 km of a libraryC+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Bishop Middleham.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Commuters in Bishop Middleham travel far: only 19% go under 5 km, fewer than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 27% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
That puts Bishop Middleham below both County Durham’s towns (41%) and England’s towns (45%). 92% of commuters drove to work at the census.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot5%
Bus1%
19%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
27%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£54K
mean household income, before tax
1.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 4% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
SchoolsA−
Results at Bishop Middleham’s schools beat 83% of towns in England
Its one school is below.
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Michael's Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 125 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade A−
Private renting is less common in Bishop Middleham than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns: 9%
On this, Bishop Middleham is below both County Durham’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (21%). 77% of households own their home.
£144Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Bishop Middleham£144K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £260,000 | 10 |
| Semi-detached | £137,250 | 20 |
| Terraced | £130,000 | 17 |
77%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£650
average private rent a month, County Durham council area
£2,641
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Homes in Bishop Middleham see less burglary and damage than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 7.6 per 1,000 a year
In the comparison, Bishop Middleham comes below both County Durham’s towns (18.3) and England’s towns (9.4). Violent crime runs at 15.9 per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 33 crimes inside Bishop Middleham’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 7 reports of anti-social behaviour.
15.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 56% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual18
Damage & arson5
Public order3
Vehicle crime3
Burglary2
Drugs1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social7
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
15.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
33
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
History
More of the land in Bishop Middleham is conservation area than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 35%
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
For Bishop Middleham, that is above both County Durham’s towns (0%) and England’s towns (7%). Bishop Middleham has 114 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents. Bishop Middleham has 13 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 1 Grade II*.
13listed buildingsB+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II12
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Michael and All Angels Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
22%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
114
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
In Bishop Middleham, 19% of residents have a disability, against 22% in County Durham’s towns and 17% in England’s towns
6.2% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, below County Durham’s towns (7.3%) but above England’s towns (5.2%). Bishop Middleham has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.2 miles away. These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
80%good or very good healthB−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 80%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Bishop Middleham | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 80% | 77% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.2% | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 19% | 22% | 17% |
80.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Bishop Middleham than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 14% are under 15
Bishop Middleham sits below both County Durham’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%) on this measure. Over-65s are 24% of the population. Bishop Middleham has a median age of 49.
49median age
Bishop MiddlehamCounty DurhamEngland
Ages · share of residents
24%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level35%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 87 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Bishop Middleham | County Durham | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.1% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 24% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.9% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 35% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · County Durham and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bishop Middleham
14pages on Bishop Middleham
The big questions
SafetyB+15.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £144K · rent £650 a monthHousing9 sold in 12 months · busiest street StoneybeckSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthB−Life expectancy 80.5 (men), 85.1 (women)Work & commuteC+44% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Bishop Middleham
3 notable people were born in Bishop Middleham.
G
George CrowtherEnglish footballer (1891-1957)M
Muriel YoungBritish broadcaster (1923-2001)Photo credits
Henry Taylor: Julia Margaret Cameron, Public domain
Bishop Middleham’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
CornforthSedgefieldFishburnFerryhillCoxhoeTrimdonKelloeBishop Middleham
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Middleham | 1,136 | — | — | A− | B+ | B− |
| Cornforth | 2,424 | 1.9 | — | A− | D | D− |
| Sedgefield | 4,979 | 2.2 | A | B | B− | B |
| Fishburn | 2,387 | 2.2 | — | A− | C− | D |
| Ferryhill | 8,857 | 2.5 | D | A− | D− | D− |
| Coxhoe | 4,542 | 2.6 | B | B+ | C | C− |
| Trimdon | 2,835 | 2.7 | C+ | A− | C− | D |
| Kelloe | 1,434 | 2.9 | — | A | D | D |
Cornforth, Fishburn and Kelloe have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Bishop Middleham
How many listed buildings are there in Bishop Middleham?
That is 4.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Bishop Middleham expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £143,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £130,000, semi-detached houses £137,250 and detached houses £260,000.
Are schools in Bishop Middleham good?
GCSE results beat 82% of towns in England, and primary results beat 76% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by County Durham council.
How much is council tax in Bishop Middleham?
Band D council tax in Bishop Middleham is £2,641 for 2026–27, more than in 92% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Bishop Middleham
Village in County Durham, England
Bishop Middleham is a built-up area of 1,136 people, in the County Durham council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 1,136 (Census 2021)
- Council
- County Durham
- County
- County Durham
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000246
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · 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.