West Rainton’s story
4 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside West Rainton’s built-up area.
11% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
West RaintonCounty Durham
It is a village of 2,323 residents in County Durham, North East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,323
Census 2021 · County Durham council
Median home
£205K
136 sales in 3 years
Median age
48.3
26% are 65+ · County Durham 21%
Degree level
29%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
14%
of commuters · England 27%
Is West Rainton a good place to live?
On schools it is strong (A−): primary results beat 87% of towns in England; secondary results beat 68% of towns in England. Its lowest grade is for safety: 42.7 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 22.4 home and vehicle crimes. Against UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, it has more crime per resident than 96%. At a median £205,000, a home costs 4.8 times the yearly income of households in the County Durham council area.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes, ONS. Below 2,500 residents there is no overall grade, so West Rainton has its subject grades alone.
What makes West Rainton stand out
The 3 things West Rainton does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
14% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
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.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
26% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How West Rainton grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far West Rainton is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyGraded on crime per residentDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →HealthHealth outcomes are among the weakest comparedC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 87% of towns in England; secondary results beat 68% of towns in EnglandA−Open →Jobs & income2.7% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsC−Open →Cost of livingAbove the middle of the towns comparedBOpen →WalkabilityNear typical for the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryLittle recorded history by comparisonC−Open →Outdoors73% live within 400 m of a park; 2.1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsCOpen →Civic life2.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryC+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in West Rainton.
Safety
More crimes per resident in West Rainton than in 91% of UK towns
225 crimes and 48 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside West Rainton’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. There were 16.8 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), near County Durham’s towns (16) and higher than England’s towns (7.8). Of all the crimes, 45% were violence and sexual offences.
42.7violent 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 & sexual101
Damage & arson45
Other theft24
Public order19
Burglary9
Other crime9
Shoplifting6
Drugs5
Anti-social48
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.
42.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
22.4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
16.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
225
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.
SchoolsA−
West Rainton’s schools outperform 82% of towns in England on results
Below is its only school. GCSE results at the 3 secondary schools within 3 km: half of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 48.5. 69% of pupils at the 14 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Rainton Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 148 | B+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Who lives here
Fewer children live in West Rainton than in County Durham’s towns or England’s towns: 14% are under 15
Over-65s are just over a quarter of the population. Young adults of 15 to 24 are one in ten residents, lower than both County Durham’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%). The age that splits West Rainton in two is 48.3. Graduates make up 29% of adults.
48.3median age
West RaintonCounty DurhamEngland
Ages · share of residents
26%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications25%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar15%
Degree level29%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 89 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.
| West Rainton | County Durham | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.7% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 26% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 25% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.2% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 15% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 29% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · County Durham and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Health
More people in West Rainton live with a disability than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns: 26%
Life expectancy here is 82.2 for women and 79.2 for men (2019–23). 73% of West Rainton’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, below County Durham’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (82%) alike. At the census, nearly a tenth of people here described their health as bad or very bad. One GP practice serves the town; nearly nine in ten patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey.
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 | West Rainton | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 73% | 77% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 8.8% | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 26% | 22% | 17% |
79.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.2
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · A young population flatters these answers, which are not age-adjusted; the Health Grade instead uses measures that allow for age, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
West Rainton’s listed buildings include the Church of St Mary and 2 Arches Attached to North, Grade II*
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
11% of its homes were built before 1919, below both County Durham’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (16%). West Rainton has 17 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents.
4listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II3
Among them · Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
11%
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
HousingCost of living grade B
Private renting is less common in West Rainton than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns: 12%
Social housing holds nearly a quarter of households, higher than both County Durham’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £650 a month across the County Durham council area. The median sale, £205,000, comes from 136 standard sales inside West Rainton’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£205Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
West Rainton£205K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £341,002 | 65 |
| Semi-detached | £134,500 | 46 |
| Terraced | £135,000 | 23 |
63%
of households own their home · England 61%
12%
rent privately · England 21%
£650
average private rent a month, County Durham council area
£2,557
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 C−
Commuters in West Rainton travel far: only 23% go under 5 km, fewer than in County Durham’s towns and across 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.
Households had £43K a year before tax, about level with County Durham’s towns (£43K) and below England’s towns (£55K). Driving is how 83% of commuters got to work at the census. Of the commuters living in West Rainton, 4% work in the town itself. Walking, cycling and public transport carried 14% of commuters at the census.
14%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving83%
Bus8%
On foot6%
Bicycle1%
23%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
27%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£43K
mean household income, before tax
2.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 51% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Lumley Castle and 3 more in and around West Rainton
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near West Rainton. Best known first.
CastleLumley Castle4.6 km outside town, to the northwest
Abbey or priory · English HeritageFinchale Priory1.4 km outside town, to the westAttractionAttraction · National TrustCrook Hall Gardens5 km outside town, to the southwestTheme parkTheme parkAdventure Valley1.4 km outside town, to the westPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Lumley Castle: Bill Henderson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Finchale Priory: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Rainton
15pages on West Rainton
The big questions
SafetyD42.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingBMedian home £205K · rent £650 a monthHousing45 sold in 12 months · busiest street Allenson ViewSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthC−Life expectancy 79.2 (men), 82.2 (women)Work & commuteC−45% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
West Rainton’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
East RaintonHigh PittingtonHetton-le-HoleFence HousesGreat LumleyHoughton-le-SpringSherburnWest Rainton
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Rainton | 2,323 | — | — | B | D | C− |
| East Rainton | 1,476 | 1.1 | — | C+ | C+ | D |
| High Pittington | 1,147 | 1.6 | — | B+ | B− | C− |
| Hetton-le-Hole | 8,968 | 2.1 | C | A− | D | D− |
| Fence Houses | 6,945 | 2.1 | B− | A− | C | D |
| Great Lumley | 3,627 | 2.3 | B+ | B+ | B | C− |
| Houghton-le-Spring | 12,552 | 2.4 | B− | A− | D | D |
| Sherburn | 2,796 | 2.6 | B− | A− | C− | C− |
East Rainton and High Pittington have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about West Rainton
Are schools in West Rainton good?
Secondary results beat 68%. One state school is inside the town; places are handled by County Durham council.
Is West Rainton expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £205,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £135,000, semi-detached houses £134,500 and detached houses £341,002.
About West Rainton
Village in County Durham, England
West Rainton is a built-up area of 2,323 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
- 2,323 (Census 2021)
- Council
- County Durham
- County
- County Durham
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000178
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.