Burnhope’s story
1 listed building
Historic England lists them inside Burnhope’s built-up area.
18% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BurnhopeCounty Durham
With 1,465 residents, it is a village in County Durham, North East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,465
Census 2021 · County Durham council
Median home
£125K
54 sales in 3 years
Median age
43.9
21% are 65+ · County Durham 21%
Degree level
21%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Burnhope a good place to live?
Homes are affordable: a typical home costs £125,000 and rent runs £650 a month. It is strong on schools as well (B+): primary results beat nearly four in five towns in England; secondary results beat 47% of towns in England. Jobs & income is its weak spot (D) — mean household income £48,649; 3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Few people walk, cycle or take the bus to work: 11% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021. Burnhope is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
What makes Burnhope stand out
The 3 things Burnhope 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
55% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Degree level, 16+
Education
Degree-level qualifications, residents 16+ (England’s towns 34%)
County Durham 27%.
How Burnhope grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Burnhope is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Burnhope is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Jobs & incomeIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Cost of livingMedian sale £125,000, 2.9 years of area incomeA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 79% of towns in England; secondary results beat 47% of towns in EnglandB+Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesCOpen →SafetyMore crime than in most townsC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 80.5 for men, 85.9 for womenC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingC−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 3.1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB+Open →Civic life2 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryCOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Burnhope.
Who lives here
Children make up 21% of Burnhope, above County Durham’s towns and England’s towns
Nearly one in ten residents are 15 to 24, lower than both County Durham’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%). Half of Burnhope is older than 43.9, half younger. Over-65s are 21% of the population.
43.9median age
BurnhopeCounty DurhamEngland
Ages · share of residents
21%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications26%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level21%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 96 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Burnhope | County Durham | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.3% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 21% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 26% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.4% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 21% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · County Durham and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsB+
Exam results at Burnhope’s schools top 66% of towns in England
Key Stage 2 results at the 6 primary schools within 3 km: 67% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its one school is below. GCSE results at the one secondary school within 3 km: 43% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 45.8.
B+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnhope Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 69 | C |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
History
Burnhope’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.
Before 1919: that is when 18% of homes were built. Burnhope has 7 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents.
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
18%
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
HousingCost of living grade A−
More households in Burnhope live in social housing than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 23%
The private rented sector houses 16% of households. The £125,000 median rests on 54 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
£125Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Burnhope£125K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £290,000 | 13 |
| Semi-detached | £118,750 | 18 |
| Terraced | £102,000 | 23 |
16%
rent privately · England 21%
£650
average private rent a month, County Durham council area
£2,529
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
Fewer commuters in Burnhope work nearby than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 22% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 19% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Working mainly from home: 19% of workers, below County Durham’s towns (22%) and England’s towns (31%) alike. The car carried 86% of commuters at the census. Burnhope counts 0.4 jobs per working resident.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot6%
Bus5%
22%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
19%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£49K
mean household income, before tax
3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 35% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
Burglary and damage in Burnhope run at 15.5 per 1,000 a year, against 18.3 in County Durham’s towns and 9.4 in England’s towns
A year of reports to August 2026 adds up to 77 offences in Burnhope and 14 cases of nuisance behaviour. Violent crime ran at 22.5 per 1,000 residents a year, about level with England’s towns (22) and below County Durham’s towns (36.6). Of all the crimes, 47% were violence and sexual offences. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Burnhope has more crime per resident than nearly four fifths of them.
22.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 21% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual36
Damage & arson20
Public order5
Burglary5
Drugs4
Other theft3
Vehicle crime3
Other crime1
Anti-social14
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.
22.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
15.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
13
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
77
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
Health
Fewer people in Burnhope say their health is good than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns: 73%
Men in Burnhope can expect to live to 80.5, women to 85.9 (2019–23). A quarter of residents have a disability, above County Durham’s towns (22%) and England’s towns (17%) alike. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 8.6% of the town. The nearest A&E to Burnhope is University Hospital North Durham, 5.2 miles away.
73%good or very good healthC+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 73%Fair 18%Bad or very bad 9%
| Census 2021 | Burnhope | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 73% | 77% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 8.6% | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 25% | 22% | 17% |
80.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Read these answers with age in mind: they aren’t adjusted, so younger places do better. The Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Diggerland and 3 more in and around Burnhope
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Burnhope. Best known first.
Theme parkDiggerland3 km outside town, to the southeastZooZooPotter's Tropical Village2.9 km outside town, to the southwestTheme parkTheme parkHolmside Park2.7 km outside town, to the eastAttractionAttractionUshaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens4.7 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Diggerland: Roger Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Burnhope
15pages on Burnhope
The big questions
SafetyC+22.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £125K · rent £650 a monthHousing15 sold in 12 months · busiest street MeadowfieldSchoolsB+1 state schoolHealthC+Life expectancy 80.5 (men), 85.9 (women)Work & commuteD41% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Burnhope
3 notable people were born in Burnhope.
Burnhope’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
LanchesterLangley ParkAnnfield PlainStanleyWitton GilbertSacristonTanfield LeaBurnhope
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnhope | 1,465 | — | — | A− | C+ | C+ |
| Lanchester | 3,510 | 1.5 | B+ | B+ | B | B− |
| Langley Park | 4,031 | 2.3 | C− | A− | C− | C− |
| Annfield Plain | 7,786 | 2.7 | D | A− | D | D− |
| Stanley | 19,423 | 2.9 | C | A− | D− | D− |
| Witton Gilbert | 2,525 | 3.1 | B | A− | B+ | D |
| Sacriston | 5,186 | 3.2 | C+ | A− | D | D |
| Tanfield Lea | 2,399 | 3.7 | — | A− | B− | D |
Tanfield Lea has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Burnhope
Is Burnhope expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £125,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £102,000, semi-detached houses £118,750 and detached houses £290,000.
About Burnhope
Village in County Durham, England
Burnhope is a built-up area of 1,465 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
- 1,465 (Census 2021)
- Council
- County Durham
- County
- County Durham
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000171
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.