Blackhall Colliery’s story
1 listed building
Historic England lists them inside Blackhall Colliery’s built-up area.
23% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Blackhall CollieryCounty Durham
A town of 4,577 in County Durham, North East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Carol Rose · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
4,577
Census 2021 · County Durham council
Median home
£90K
280 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.8
26% are 65+ · County Durham 21%
Degree level
18%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
12%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
D
#47 of 52 in County Durham
Is Blackhall Colliery a good place to live?
Blackhall Colliery grades D overall against UK towns: better than 10% of UK towns, and #47 of 52 in County Durham. 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 health (D−): life expectancy 74.8 for men, 78.5 for women. The median home sold for £90,000 in the last three years, 2.1 times what households in the County Durham council area earn in a year.
What makes Blackhall Colliery stand out
The 3 things Blackhall Colliery does most differently from other towns.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
68% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
12% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Life expectancy, against UK towns
Health
78.5 and 74.8 years
Life expectancy at birth, women and men: shorter than in 98% of UK towns
OHID Fingertips, 2019–23.
How Blackhall Colliery grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Blackhall Colliery is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
HealthD−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £35,150D−Open →SafetyDOpen →Hazard riskAOpen →Cost of livingrent £650 a monthA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 36% of towns in England; secondary results beat 22% of towns in EnglandC−Open →Walkability12% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transportC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingC−Open →Outdoors95% live within 400 m of a park; 1.1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsBOpen →Civic life0.9 local charities per 1,000 residents; 78% live within 1 km of a libraryC+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Blackhall Colliery.
Health
Only 69% of people in Blackhall Colliery say their health is good or very good, fewer than in County Durham’s towns and England’s towns
On this, Blackhall Colliery is below both County Durham’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (82%). Women here live to 78.5 on average and men to 74.8 (2019–23). 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.
69%good or very good healthD−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 69%Fair 20%Bad or very bad 11%
| Census 2021 | Blackhall Colliery | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 69% | 77% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 11% | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 30% | 22% | 17% |
74.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
78.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
SchoolsC−
Results at Blackhall Colliery’s schools trail 75% of towns in England
One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
C−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhall Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 310 | C |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 2 schools →
Safety
Homes in Blackhall Colliery see more burglary and damage than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 23.1 per 1,000 a year
In the comparison, Blackhall Colliery comes above both County Durham’s towns (17.7) and England’s towns (9.4). Violent crime runs at 49.1 per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 494 crimes inside Blackhall Colliery’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 69 reports of anti-social behaviour.
49.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearDSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 5% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual234
Damage & arson59
Public order38
Other theft35
Shoplifting34
Other crime27
Vehicle crime23
Burglary15
Anti-social69
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.
49.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
23.1
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
14
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
494
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
1 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Blackhall Colliery has 1 listed building inside its built-up area on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 0 Grade II*. 23% of its homes were built before 1919.
1listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II1
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
23%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
2
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
HousingCost of living grade A−
Blackhall Colliery gets an A− for cost of living grade
Half the homes sold went for more than £90K, below both County Durham’s towns (£144K) and England’s towns (£308K).
£90Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Blackhall Colliery£90K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £197,997 | 48 |
| Semi-detached | £150,000 | 77 |
| Terraced | £66,000 | 154 |
59%
of households own their home · England 61%
21%
rent privately · England 21%
£650
average private rent a month, County Durham council area
£2,719
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
More people aged 16 to 64 in Blackhall Colliery claim unemployment benefits than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 5.2%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 17% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For Blackhall Colliery, that is above both County Durham’s towns (3%) and England’s towns (2.3%). For 25% of commuters, work was under 5 km away.
12%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving85%
On foot7%
Bus4%
Train1%
25%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
17%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£35K
mean household income, before tax
5.2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 36% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Fewer people in Blackhall Colliery hold a degree than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 18%
Blackhall Colliery sits below both County Durham’s towns (27%) and England’s towns (34%) on this measure. Children under 15 make up 14% of residents. Blackhall Colliery has a median age of 49.8.
49.8median age
Blackhall CollieryCounty DurhamEngland
Ages · share of residents
26%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications30%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level18%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 93 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.
| Blackhall Colliery | County Durham | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.2% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 26% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 30% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.6% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 18% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · County Durham and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Blackhall Colliery
15pages on Blackhall Colliery
The big questions
SafetyD49.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £90K · rent £650 a monthHousing69 sold in 12 months · busiest street Sunshine PlaceSchoolsC−2 state schoolsHealthD−Life expectancy 74.8 (men), 78.5 (women)Work & commuteD−39% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Blackhall Colliery
6 notable people were born in Blackhall Colliery.
Blackhall Colliery’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HordenPeterleeEasingtonWingateShotton CollieryHartlepoolTrimdon CollieryBlackhall Colliery
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhall Colliery | 4,577 | — | D | A− | D | D− |
| Horden | 6,805 | 1.6 | C− | A− | D− | D− |
| Peterlee | 19,750 | 2.4 | D | A− | D− | D− |
| Easington | 6,968 | 3.4 | C | A− | D− | D− |
| Wingate | 5,033 | 3.9 | D | B+ | D | D |
| Shotton Colliery | 4,943 | 4.2 | C | A− | D | D− |
| Hartlepool | 88,001 | 5 | C− | A− | D− | D |
| Trimdon Colliery | 1,788 | 5.1 | — | A− | D− | D− |
Trimdon Colliery has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Blackhall Colliery
Is Blackhall Colliery expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £90,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £66,000, semi-detached houses £150,000 and detached houses £197,997.
Is Blackhall Colliery safe?
It has more crime per resident than most places its size: 95% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people report less. Police recorded 494 crimes inside Blackhall Colliery’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, 47% of them violence and sexual offences, a police category that includes harassment and stalking.
How much is council tax in Blackhall Colliery?
Band D council tax in Blackhall Colliery is £2,719 for 2026–27, more than in 97% 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.
Are schools in Blackhall Colliery good?
GCSE results trail 78% of towns in England, and primary results trail 64% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Blackhall Colliery has 2 state schools; places are handled by County Durham council.
About Blackhall Colliery
Town in County Durham, England
Blackhall Colliery is a built-up area of 4,577 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
- 4,577 (Census 2021)
- Council
- County Durham
- County
- County Durham
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000208
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.