South Hetton’s story
No listed buildings inside South Hetton’s built-up area
7% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
South HettonCounty Durham
A town of 2,877 in County Durham, North East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Bill Henderson · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,877
Census 2021 · County Durham council
Median home
£105K
131 sales in 3 years
Median age
42.3
17% are 65+ · County Durham 21%
Degree level
21%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
12%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
B−
#18 of 52 in County Durham
Is South Hetton a good place to live?
South Hetton grades B− overall against UK towns: better than 46% of UK towns, and #18 of 52 in County Durham. Its strongest subject is hazard risk (A): 0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea. Its weakest is jobs & income (D): mean household income £42,739; 3.4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. The median home sold for £105,000 in the last three years, 2.5 times what households in the County Durham council area earn in a year.
What makes South Hetton stand out
The 3 things South Hetton does most differently from other towns.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
62% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
12% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Degree level, 16+
Education
Degree-level qualifications, residents 16+ (England’s towns 34%)
County Durham 27%.
How South Hetton grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far South Hetton is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & incomeDOpen →HealthLife expectancy 76.5 for men, 81.1 for womenDOpen →Hazard riskAOpen →Cost of livingrent £650 a monthA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 51% of towns in England; secondary results beat 87% of towns in EnglandB+Open →Safety26.4 violent and sexual offences and 16.9 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026COpen →WalkabilityC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsD−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 3.4 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB+Open →Civic life0.3 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryD−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in South Hetton.
Who lives here
Degrees are less common in South Hetton than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns: 21% of adults
That puts South Hetton below both County Durham’s towns (27%) and England’s towns (34%). People 65 and over make up 17% of the town. The median resident of South Hetton is 42.3 years old.
42.3median age
South HettonCounty DurhamEngland
Ages · share of residents
17%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications26%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level21%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| South Hetton | County Durham | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 17% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 26% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.4% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 21% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · County Durham and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsB+
Results at South Hetton’s schools beat 74% of towns in England
Its one school is below.
B+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Hetton PrimaryLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 202 | C |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
History
Most of South Hetton is newer: only 7% of homes were built before 1919, below County Durham’s towns and England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
On this, South Hetton is below both County Durham’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (16%).
0listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
7%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
0
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
Life expectancy in South Hetton is shorter than in 89% of UK towns
Women here live to 81.1 on average and men to 76.5 (2019–23). At the census, 7.8% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, above both County Durham’s towns (7.3%) and England’s towns (5.2%). The nearest A&E to South Hetton is Sunderland Royal Hospital, 7.1 miles away.
76%good or very good healthDHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 76%Fair 16%Bad or very bad 8%
| Census 2021 | South Hetton | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 76% | 77% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 7.8% | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 22% | 22% | 17% |
76.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
81.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
HousingCost of living grade A−
South Hetton gets an A− for cost of living grade
Half the homes sold went for more than £105K, below both County Durham’s towns (£144K) and England’s towns (£308K).
£105Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
South Hetton£105K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £185,245 | 33 |
| Semi-detached | £106,000 | 51 |
| Terraced | £89,950 | 45 |
66%
of households own their home · England 61%
16%
rent privately · England 21%
£650
average private rent a month, County Durham council area
£2,692
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
Violent crime in South Hetton runs at 26.4 per 1,000 a year, against 36.6 in County Durham’s towns and 22 in England’s towns
Homes saw 16.9 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year, close to County Durham’s towns (18.3) and above England’s towns (9.4). Police recorded 194 crimes inside South Hetton’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 65 reports of anti-social behaviour. For its size, South Hetton records more crime per resident than 73% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people.
26.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearCSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 27% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual95
Damage & arson38
Other theft14
Other crime14
Public order10
Vehicle crime9
Burglary7
Drugs3
Anti-social65
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.
26.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
16.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
13.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
194
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Commuters in South Hetton travel far: only 20% go under 5 km, fewer than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 21% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
In the comparison, South Hetton comes below both County Durham’s towns (41%) and England’s towns (45%). 12% of commuters went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport at the census.
12%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot6%
Bus5%
20%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
21%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£43K
mean household income, before tax
3.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 36% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Hetton
14pages on South Hetton
The big questions
SafetyC26.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £105K · rent £650 a monthHousing39 sold in 12 months · busiest street King Charles GardensSchoolsB+1 state schoolHealthDLife expectancy 76.5 (men), 81.1 (women)Work & commuteD38% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from South Hetton
5 notable people were born in South Hetton.
South Hetton’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HaswellEasington LaneMurtonHetton-le-HoleShotton CollieryEasingtonEast RaintonSouth Hetton
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Hetton | 2,877 | — | B− | A− | C | D |
| Haswell | 1,185 | 1.2 | — | A− | C | D− |
| Easington Lane | 4,170 | 1.2 | C+ | A | D | D− |
| Murton | 7,239 | 1.5 | C | A− | D− | D− |
| Hetton-le-Hole | 8,968 | 2.1 | C | A− | D | D− |
| Shotton Colliery | 4,943 | 2.8 | C | A− | D | D− |
| Easington | 6,968 | 3 | C | A− | D− | D− |
| East Rainton | 1,476 | 3.2 | — | C+ | C+ | D |
Haswell and East Rainton have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about South Hetton
Is South Hetton expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £105,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £89,950, semi-detached houses £106,000 and detached houses £185,245.
Who lives in South Hetton?
At the 2021 Census, 11% of South Hetton’s 2,877 residents were 15 to 24 and 17% were 65 or over, against 12% and 18% across England’s towns.
How much is council tax in South Hetton?
Band D council tax in South Hetton is £2,692 for 2026–27, more than in 95% 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.
Is South Hetton safe?
Police recorded 194 crimes inside South Hetton’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, 49% of them violence and sexual offences, a police category that includes harassment and stalking.
About South Hetton
Town in County Durham, England
South Hetton is a built-up area of 2,877 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
- 2,877 (Census 2021)
- Council
- County Durham
- County
- County Durham
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000183
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.