Cornforth’s story
4 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Cornforth’s built-up area.
22% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
CornforthCounty Durham
A village of 2,424 in County Durham, North East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,424
Census 2021 · County Durham council
Median home
£95K
107 sales in 3 years
Median age
47.9
25% are 65+ · County Durham 21%
Degree level
20%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Cornforth a good place to live?
Cornforth has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is cost of living (A−): median sale £95,000, 2.2 years of area income; rent £650 a month. Its weakest is health (D−): life expectancy 75.3 for men, 80.7 for women.
What makes Cornforth stand out
The 3 things Cornforth does most differently from other towns.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
66% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
10% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Household income, against UK towns
Work
Mean, before tax: lower than in 100% of UK towns
ONS small-area income estimates.
How Cornforth grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Cornforth is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
HealthD−Open →Jobs & income4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsD−Open →SafetyDOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →Walkability10% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transportC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 61% of towns in EnglandBOpen →Hazard risk0.1% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryCOpen →Outdoors66% live within 400 m of a park; 1.9 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC−Open →Civic life0.8 local charities per 1,000 residents; 100% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Cornforth.
Health
Only 67% of people in Cornforth say their health is good or very good, fewer than in County Durham’s towns and England’s towns
That puts Cornforth below both County Durham’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (82%). Cornforth’s share in bad or very bad health, 12%, is the second highest of the 85 towns in County Durham. 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.
67%good or very good healthD−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 67%Fair 21%Bad or very bad 12%
| Census 2021 | Cornforth | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 67% | 77% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 12% | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 31% | 22% | 17% |
75.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
80.7
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
SchoolsB
Results at Cornforth’s schools beat 64% of towns in England
Its one school is below.
BSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Cornforth Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 251 | B− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Burglary and damage hit Cornforth harder than County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 20.8 per 1,000 residents a year
On this, Cornforth is above both County Durham’s towns (17.7) and England’s towns (9.4). Violence comes to 44 per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 212 crimes inside Cornforth’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 34 reports of anti-social behaviour.
44violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearDSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 4% 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 & sexual105
Damage & arson27
Burglary19
Vehicle crime19
Public order14
Other crime12
Other theft8
Drugs4
Anti-social34
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.
44
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
20.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
24.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
212
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
HousingCost of living grade A−
Social housing is more common in Cornforth than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns, at 29% of households
In the comparison, Cornforth comes above both County Durham’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (18%). 51% of households own their home.
£95Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Cornforth£95K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £210,000 | 13 |
| Semi-detached | £94,000 | 61 |
| Terraced | £85,000 | 33 |
51%
of households own their home · England 61%
21%
rent privately · England 21%
£650
average private rent a month, County Durham council area
£2,610
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−
Money is tighter in Cornforth than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: households earn £31K a year
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 22% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For Cornforth, that is below both County Durham’s towns (£43K) and England’s towns (£55K). For 23% of commuters, work was under 5 km away.
10%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot5%
Bus4%
23%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
22%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£31K
mean household income, before tax
4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 22% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
4 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.
Cornforth has 4 listed buildings inside its built-up area on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 0 Grade II*. 22% of its homes were built before 1919.
4listed buildingsCHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II4
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
22%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
17
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
Degrees are less common in Cornforth than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns: 20% of adults
Cornforth sits below both County Durham’s towns (27%) and England’s towns (34%) on this measure. Young adults of 15 to 24 are 8.4% of the population. The median resident of Cornforth is 47.9 years old.
47.9median age
CornforthCounty DurhamEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications28%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level20%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
About 105 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Cornforth | County Durham | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.4% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 28% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.8% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 20% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · County Durham and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cornforth
14pages on Cornforth
The big questions
SafetyD44 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £95K · rent £650 a monthHousing22 sold in 12 months · busiest street Salisbury CrescentSchoolsB1 state schoolHealthD−Life expectancy 75.3 (men), 80.7 (women)Work & commuteD−42% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB0.1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Cornforth
3 notable people were born in Cornforth.
Cornforth’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
CoxhoeFerryhillBishop MiddlehamKelloeBowburnChiltonTrimdonCornforth
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornforth | 2,424 | — | — | A− | D | D− |
| Coxhoe | 4,542 | 1 | B | B+ | C | C− |
| Ferryhill | 8,857 | 1.8 | D | A− | D− | D− |
| Bishop Middleham | 1,136 | 1.9 | — | A− | B+ | B− |
| Kelloe | 1,434 | 2.1 | — | A | D | D |
| Bowburn | 4,843 | 2.6 | B | A− | C− | C− |
| Chilton | 4,693 | 3.3 | D | A− | D− | D |
| Trimdon | 2,835 | 3.4 | C+ | A− | C− | D |
Bishop Middleham 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 Cornforth
Is Cornforth expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £95,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £85,000, semi-detached houses £94,000 and detached houses £210,000.
Is Cornforth safe?
Police recorded 212 crimes inside Cornforth’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, 50% of them violence and sexual offences, a police category that includes harassment and stalking.
How much is council tax in Cornforth?
Band D council tax in Cornforth is £2,610 for 2026–27, more than in 87% 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 Cornforth
Village in County Durham, England
Cornforth is a built-up area of 2,424 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
- 2,424 (Census 2021)
- Council
- County Durham
- County
- County Durham
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000234
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.