Hamsterley’s story
17 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Hamsterley’s built-up area.
63% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
HamsterleyCounty Durham
A village of 453 in County Durham, North East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Gordon Hatton · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
453
Census 2021 · County Durham council
Median home
£285K
19 sales in 3 years
Median age
53.5
30% are 65+ · County Durham 21%
Degree level
37%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
4%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Hamsterley a good place to live?
Hamsterley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Hamsterley stand out
The 3 things Hamsterley does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
4% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
5% of commuters travel under 5 km.
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
30% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Hamsterley.
Who lives here
Hamsterley has fewer young adults than County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 6% are 15 to 24
Among adults, 37% have a degree. 30% of residents are 65 or over, above both County Durham’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (18%). The median resident of Hamsterley is 53.5 years old.
53.5median age
HamsterleyCounty DurhamEngland
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications18%
Apprenticeship3%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level37%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Hamsterley | County Durham | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 16% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 33% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 30% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 18% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 3.4% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 37% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · County Durham and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Hamsterley
Its one school is below. Key Stage 2 results at the 2 primary schools within 3 km: just over half of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamsterley Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 36 | D− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
Walking, cycling and public transport carry fewer commuters in Hamsterley than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 4%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 43% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
In 2026, 1.3% of 16 to 64s were claiming unemployment benefits. The car took 94% of commuters, higher than both County Durham’s towns (80%) and England’s towns (70%), and 43% of workers did their job mainly from home at the census. Of the commuters living in Hamsterley, 1% work in the town itself.
4%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving94%
On foot2%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
5%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
43%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£41K
mean household income, before tax
1.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Housing
Most households in Hamsterley own their home: 82%, more than in County Durham’s towns and across England’s towns
Private renters make up one in ten households, lower than both County Durham’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (21%). The social rented sector houses 8% of households. 19 standard sales inside Hamsterley’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £285,000.
£285Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Hamsterley£285K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £474,995 | 11 |
82%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£650
average private rent a month, County Durham council area
£2,525
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
Hamsterley records less violent crime per resident than County Durham’s towns or England’s towns, at 14 per 1,000 a year
Burglary and damage came to 9.6 per 1,000 residents a year, below County Durham’s towns (17.7) and close to England’s towns (9.4). Police recorded 16 crimes inside Hamsterley’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 4 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences made up 38% of the total.
14violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual6
Vehicle crime4
Damage & arson2
Other theft2
Drugs1
Weapons1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Anti-social4
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.
14
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
16
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
18% of people in Hamsterley have a disability, against 22% in County Durham’s towns and 17% in England’s towns
Asked at the census, four in five residents of Hamsterley said they were in good or very good health. At the census, 5.3% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, below County Durham’s towns (7.3%) and close to England’s towns (5.2%). Seeing a GP means leaving Hamsterley: the nearest practice is 3.4 miles away.
80%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 80%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Hamsterley | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 80% | 77% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.3% | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 22% | 17% |
78.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Old homes shape Hamsterley: 63% were built before 1919, more than in County Durham’s towns and across England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Scaled to its population, Hamsterley has 375 listed buildings per 10,000 people, above County Durham’s towns (7) and England’s towns (39) alike. This County Durham town has 17 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 1 Grade II*.
17listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II16
Among them · Grade II*
- Hamsterley Baptist Chapel Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
63%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
375
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hamsterley
14pages on Hamsterley
The big questions
Safety14 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £285K · rent £650 a monthHousing7 sold in 12 months · busiest street Hamsterley PasturesSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 78.1 (men), 85.5 (women)Work & commute59% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Hamsterley’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Toft Hill and High EtherleyCrookEvenwoodCockfieldWolsinghamWest AucklandTow LawHamsterley
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamsterley | 453 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Toft Hill and High Etherley | 1,865 | 3.2 | — | A− | B+ | C |
| Crook | 9,717 | 3.8 | C− | A | D | D |
| Evenwood | 1,587 | 4.3 | — | A− | D | C |
| Cockfield | 1,351 | 4.3 | — | A | C | C |
| Wolsingham | 2,428 | 4.7 | — | B | B | B− |
| West Auckland | 3,107 | 4.8 | D | A− | D− | D |
| Tow Law | 1,796 | 4.9 | — | A− | D | D− |
Toft Hill and High Etherley, Evenwood, Cockfield, Wolsingham and Tow Law have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Hamsterley
How many listed buildings are there in Hamsterley?
That is 15.4 times the typical UK town for its size.
How much is council tax in Hamsterley?
Band D council tax in Hamsterley is £2,525 for 2026–27, more than in 70% 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 Hamsterley
Village in County Durham, England
Hamsterley is a built-up area of 453 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
- 453 (Census 2021)
- Council
- County Durham
- County
- County Durham
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000253
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.