Burnopfield’s story
7 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Burnopfield’s built-up area.
14% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BurnopfieldCounty Durham
Home to 2,998 people, this town lies in County Durham, North East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,998
Census 2021 · County Durham council
Median home
£155K
156 sales in 3 years
Median age
45.9
24% are 65+ · County Durham 21%
Degree level
28%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
A−
#4 of 52 in County Durham
Is Burnopfield a good place to live?
Buying a home costs less than in most towns: a typical home costs £154,500 and rent runs £650 a month. Burnopfield grades A− overall, better than 77% of UK towns. The ranking puts it #4 of 52 in County Durham. Safety is another plus — 15.8 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 8.5 home and vehicle crimes. Health lags: life expectancy 79.5 for men, 80.6 for women. Work and incomes lag: mean household income £47,712; 2.4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP.
What makes Burnopfield stand out
The 3 things Burnopfield does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
44% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Rent against income, UK towns
Renting
£650 a month
Average private rent, 18% of what households in the area earn: less than in 93% of UK towns
ONS private rents, County Durham council area.
How Burnopfield grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Burnopfield is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Cost of livingMedian sale £154,500, 3.6 years of area incomeA−Open →HealthWeaker than most of the towns comparedC−Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentB+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 67% of towns in EnglandB+Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work trail most townsC+Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryBased on listed places, the town’s age and notable peopleCOpen →Outdoors50% live within 400 m of a park; 1.5 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC−Open →Civic life1 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 Burnopfield.
HousingCost of living grade A−
Private renting is less common in Burnopfield than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns: 13%
67% of households are owner-occupiers. 156 standard sales inside Burnopfield’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £154,500. Social renters account for a fifth of households.
£155Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Burnopfield£155K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £424,995 | 39 |
| Semi-detached | £157,500 | 43 |
| Terraced | £125,000 | 72 |
67%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£650
average private rent a month, County Durham council area
£2,500
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Health
Lifespans in Burnopfield run shorter than in 75% of UK towns
6.2% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, between County Durham’s towns (7.3%) and England’s towns (5.2%). The nearest A&E to Burnopfield is Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 6.7 miles away. A disability affects 21% of people in the town. One GP practice serves the town; 92% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey.
77%good or very good healthC−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 77%Fair 17%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Burnopfield | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 77% | 77% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.2% | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 21% | 22% | 17% |
79.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
80.6
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.
Safety
Burnopfield has less crime per resident than 72% of UK towns
Reported offences in Burnopfield came to 95 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 19. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 7.5 reports per 1,000, about level with England’s towns (7.8) and below County Durham’s towns (16.5). Among the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people, Burnopfield has less crime per resident than nearly four fifths of them. 46% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
15.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 79% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual44
Shoplifting22
Damage & arson10
Vehicle crime6
Public order3
Drugs3
Other crime3
Other theft2
Anti-social19
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.
15.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
95
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.
History
Burnopfield’s listed buildings include Burnopfield House, Grade II*
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
14% of its homes were built before 1919, below both County Durham’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (16%). Burnopfield has 23 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents.
7listed buildingsCHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II6
Among them · Grade II*
- Burnopfield House Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
14%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
23
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Work tends to be further away for Burnopfield: 19% commute under 5 km, below County Durham’s towns and 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.
At the census, 13% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, below both County Durham’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (27%). Of the commuters living in Burnopfield, 4% work in the town itself. There are 0.3 jobs in Burnopfield for each resident in work.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving85%
On foot7%
Bus5%
Bicycle1%
Train1%
19%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
27%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£48K
mean household income, before tax
2.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 46% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Few people in Burnopfield are 15 to 24: 9.1%, fewer than in both County Durham’s towns and England’s towns
28% of adults hold a degree, close to County Durham’s towns (27%) and below England’s towns (34%). People 65 and over make up 24% of the town. Half of Burnopfield is older than 45.9, half younger.
45.9median age
BurnopfieldCounty DurhamEngland
Ages · share of residents
24%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications19%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level28%
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.
| Burnopfield | County Durham | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.1% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 24% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 19% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.7% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 28% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · County Durham and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Beamish Museum and 5 more in and around Burnopfield
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Burnopfield. Best known first.
MuseumBeamish Museum4.8 km outside town, to the southeast · 350K visitors a year
Heritage railwayTanfield Railway3.2 km outside town, to the east
Historic house · National TrustGibside1.5 km outside town, to the north
CastleHamsterley Hall2.1 km outside town, to the westHistoric siteHistoric site · English HeritageDerwentcote Steel Furnace3.1 km outside town, to the westGardenGardenBirkheads Secret Gardens4.3 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Beamish Museum: Benjamin Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tanfield Railway: Stephen Daglish, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Gibside: John Darch, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Hamsterley Hall: P Glenwright, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Burnopfield
15pages on Burnopfield
The big questions
SafetyB+15.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £155K · rent £650 a monthHousing42 sold in 12 months · busiest street Ord DriveSchoolsB+HealthC−Life expectancy 79.5 (men), 80.6 (women)Work & commuteC+43% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Burnopfield
7 notable people were born in Burnopfield.
C
Colin MilburnEnglish Test and County cricketer (1941-1990)G
George NevinEnglish footballer (1907-1973)T
Ted BellAssociation football player · born 1883G
George HickmanEnglish cricketer (1909-1978)Photo credits
Eddie Chapman: Unknown British photographer., Public domain · Jim McConnon: Authorised by the New South Wales Cricket Association (edited by E.W. Murphy), Public domain
Burnopfield’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Rowlands GillDiptonTanfield LeaHigh SpenSunnisideAnnfield PlainChopwellBurnopfield
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnopfield | 2,998 | — | A− | A− | B+ | C− |
| Rowlands Gill | 5,254 | 1.3 | C | C+ | B− | C+ |
| Dipton | 2,653 | 1.8 | B− | A− | C | D |
| Tanfield Lea | 2,399 | 2.1 | — | A− | B− | D |
| High Spen | 1,933 | 2.4 | — | C+ | B | D |
| Sunniside | 3,422 | 2.7 | B | B− | C+ | C+ |
| Annfield Plain | 7,786 | 3 | D | A− | D | D− |
| Chopwell | 2,530 | 3.2 | D | B | D− | D |
Tanfield Lea 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 Burnopfield
Is Burnopfield expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £154,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £125,000, semi-detached houses £157,500 and detached houses £424,995.
Does Burnopfield flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Burnopfield
Town in County Durham, England
Burnopfield is a built-up area of 2,998 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
- 2,998 (Census 2021)
- Council
- County Durham
- County
- County Durham
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000126
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.