Blackhall Mill’s story
1 listed building
Historic England lists them inside Blackhall Mill’s built-up area.
25% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Blackhall MillCounty Durham
1,528 people call this village in County Durham, North East home.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,528
Census 2021 · County Durham council
Median home
£159K
105 sales in 3 years
Median age
47.3
25% are 65+ · County Durham 21%
Degree level
33%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Blackhall Mill a good place to live?
Blackhall Mill’s strongest is schools — primary results beat 69% of towns in England. Work and incomes lag: households earn a mean £47,934 a year, and 2.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Health is weaker too: men here can expect to live to 79, women to 82. It takes 3.7 years of household income in the County Durham council area to buy the median home, at £159,000. Hazard risk is weaker too — a fifth of homes face a high or medium risk of river or sea flooding.
Figures: income and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP · flood risk, Environment Agency · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Blackhall Mill has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Blackhall Mill stand out
The 3 things Blackhall Mill does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
43% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Flood risk, against UK towns
Flood risk
High or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea: more than in 98% of UK towns
Environment Agency flood maps, defences counted.
How Blackhall Mill grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Blackhall Mill is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hazard riskGraded on exposure to natural hazardsD−Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the weakest comparedC−Open →HealthBehind most towns comparedCOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 69% of towns in EnglandB+Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesCOpen →Cost of livingHomes are easier to afford than in most townsB+Open →SafetyBetter than most of the towns comparedBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingC−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 3.4 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB+Open →Civic life1.3 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryDOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Blackhall Mill.
History
Blackhall Mill’s listed buildings: 1, all Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Homes built before 1919 account for 25% of the housing. Of Blackhall Mill’s land, 12% lies in conservation areas, above both County Durham’s towns (0%) and England’s towns (7%).
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
25%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
7
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
More people in Blackhall Mill live with a disability than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns: 25%
One GP practice serves the town; 83% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey. At the census, nearly three quarters of people in Blackhall Mill called their health good or very good, below County Durham’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (82%) alike. 7.8% of residents report bad or very bad health. Women here live to 82 on average and men to 79 (2019–23).
74%good or very good healthCHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 74%Fair 18%Bad or very bad 8%
| Census 2021 | Blackhall Mill | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 74% | 77% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 7.8% | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 25% | 22% | 17% |
79
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · 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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Work tends to be further away for Blackhall Mill: 11% commute under 5 km, below County Durham’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 28% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car took 87% of commuters, above both County Durham’s towns (80%) and England’s towns (70%). There are 0.5 jobs in Blackhall Mill for each resident in work. Of the commuters living locally, 4% work in the town itself.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
Bus7%
On foot3%
11%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
28%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£48K
mean household income, before tax
2.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 30% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
HousingCost of living grade B+
Few households rent privately in Blackhall Mill: 13%, fewer than in County Durham’s towns and England’s towns
Owners make up two thirds of households. 105 standard sales inside Blackhall Mill’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £159,000. Private rents average £701 a month across the County Durham council area.
£159Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Blackhall Mill£159K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £195,495 | 32 |
| Semi-detached | £154,000 | 39 |
| Terraced | £130,500 | 30 |
67%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£701
average private rent a month, County Durham council area
£2,572
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
Blackhall Mill records less burglary and damage per resident than County Durham’s towns or England’s towns, at 8.3 per 1,000 a year
Violence came to 19.7 per 1,000 residents a year, below County Durham’s towns (36.6) and England’s towns (22) alike. In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 46 crimes and 31 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Blackhall Mill’s built-up area. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Blackhall Mill has more crime per resident than just over three fifths of them.
19.7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearBSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 39% 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 & sexual25
Damage & arson9
Drugs4
Public order3
Other theft3
Other crime2
Shoplifting0
Burglary0
Anti-social31
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.
19.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
21.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
46
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Who lives here
Blackhall Mill has fewer young adults than County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 7.5% are 15 to 24
A quarter of residents are 65 or over, above both County Durham’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (18%). Children under 15 make up 16% of residents. At 47.3, the median resident of Blackhall Mill sits in the middle of the age range. Among adults, 33% have a degree.
47.3median age
Blackhall MillCounty DurhamEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications19%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar15%
Degree level33%
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 Mill | County Durham | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.5% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 24% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 19% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.2% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 15% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 33% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · County Durham and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Derwentcote Steel Furnace and 2 more in and around Blackhall Mill
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Blackhall Mill. Best known first.
Historic siteHistoric site · English HeritageDerwentcote Steel Furnace700 m outside town, to the east
CastleHamsterley Hall2.1 km outside town, to the eastArt galleryArt galleryThe Glass & Art Gallery4.6 km outside town, to the south
CastleHamsterley Hall2.1 km outside town, to the eastArt galleryArt galleryThe Glass & Art Gallery4.6 km outside town, to the southPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Hamsterley Hall: P Glenwright, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Blackhall Mill
15pages on Blackhall Mill
The big questions
SafetyB19.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £159K · rent £701 a monthHousing22 sold in 12 months · busiest street George CloseSchoolsB+HealthCLife expectancy 79 (men), 82 (women)Work & commuteC−49% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD−19.6% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Blackhall Mill
3 notable people were born in Blackhall Mill.
Blackhall Mill’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ChopwellMedomsleyHigh SpenLeadgateDiptonRowlands GillBurnopfieldBlackhall Mill
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhall Mill | 1,528 | — | — | B+ | B | C |
| Chopwell | 2,530 | 1.3 | D | B | D− | D |
| Medomsley | 1,216 | 1.3 | — | A− | C | C+ |
| High Spen | 1,933 | 2.5 | — | C+ | B | D |
| Leadgate | 3,339 | 2.9 | C− | A | D | D |
| Dipton | 2,653 | 3 | B− | A− | C | D |
| Rowlands Gill | 5,254 | 3.1 | C | C+ | B− | C+ |
| Burnopfield | 2,998 | 3.3 | A− | A− | B+ | C− |
Medomsley and High Spen have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Blackhall Mill
Does Blackhall Mill flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
Is Blackhall Mill expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £159,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £130,500, semi-detached houses £154,000 and detached houses £195,495.
How much is council tax in Blackhall Mill?
Band D council tax in Blackhall Mill is £2,572 for 2026–27, more than in 81% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Blackhall Mill
Village in County Durham, England
Blackhall Mill is a built-up area of 1,528 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
- 1,528 (Census 2021)
- Council
- County Durham (mostly)
- County
- County Durham
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000128
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.