Wheatley Hill’s story
1 listed building
Historic England lists them inside Wheatley Hill’s built-up area.
9% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Wheatley HillCounty Durham
A town of 3,148 in County Durham, North East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: george hurrell · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
3,148
Census 2021 · County Durham council
Median home
£95K
117 sales in 3 years
Median age
43.4
21% are 65+ · County Durham 21%
Degree level
20%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
C
#32 of 52 in County Durham
Is Wheatley Hill a good place to live?
Good value, with catches elsewhere. At C overall, Wheatley Hill ranks #32 of 52 in County Durham. On that grade it does better than 25% of UK towns. Police record more crime here than in most towns (D−): 50.5 violent and sexual offences and 43.9 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year. It also trails on health (D−): men here can expect to live to 74.7, women to 81.3. Its strongest subject is cost of living (A−) — a typical home costs £95,000 and rent runs £650 a month. Schools are a strength too (A−) — primary results beat 81% of towns in England; secondary results beat 64% of towns in England.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · life expectancy, ONS.
What makes Wheatley Hill stand out
The 3 things Wheatley Hill 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
11% 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 Wheatley Hill grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Wheatley Hill is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyCrime runs among the highest comparedD−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £37,848D−Open →HealthIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedD−Open →Cost of livingMedian sale £95,000, 2.2 years of area incomeA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 81% of towns in England; secondary results beat 64% of towns in EnglandA−Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesCOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingD−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 2.6 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB+Open →Civic life0.6 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 Wheatley Hill.
Who lives here
Degrees are less common in Wheatley Hill than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns: 20% of adults
Children under 15 make up 15%, below County Durham’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Half the people of Wheatley Hill are older than 43.4. People aged 15 to 24 are just over a tenth of the population.
43.4median age
Wheatley HillCounty DurhamEngland
Ages · share of residents
21%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications29%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level20%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Wheatley Hill | County Durham | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 21% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 29% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.9% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 20% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · County Durham and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsA−
Results at Wheatley Hill’s schools beat 77% of towns in England
Its two schools are listed below. Attainment 8 at the one secondary school within 3 km averages 47.3, and half of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths. Key Stage 2 results at the town’s 2 primary schools: 68% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheatley Hill Community Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 445 | B |
| St Godrics Catholic Primary School, ThornleyTop results in townPrimary | Primary | 75 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 2 schools →
Safety
Wheatley Hill records more crime per resident than 99% of UK towns
Violence and sexual offences made up 27% of the total. Reported offences in Wheatley Hill came to 555 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 83. There were 26.5 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), higher than both County Durham’s towns (16) and England’s towns (7.8).
50.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearD−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 1% 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 & sexual151
Shoplifting149
Damage & arson105
Other theft39
Public order31
Burglary26
Vehicle crime17
Other crime15
Anti-social83
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.
50.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
43.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
26.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
555
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
Disability is more common in Wheatley Hill than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns: 28% of residents
71% of people in Wheatley Hill rate their own health good or very good. There is no GP practice here: the nearest is 1.8 miles off. The nearest A&E to Wheatley Hill is University Hospital North Durham, 7.7 miles away.
71%good or very good healthD−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 71%Fair 18%Bad or very bad 10%
| Census 2021 | Wheatley Hill | County Durham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 71% | 77% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 10% | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 28% | 22% | 17% |
74.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
81.3
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Wheatley Hill’s one listed building is Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Homes from before 1919 make up 9% of the total, lower than both County Durham’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (16%). Listed buildings per head: 3 for every 10,000 residents of Wheatley Hill.
1listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II1
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
9%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
3
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 A−
Social housing is more common in Wheatley Hill than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns, at 25% of households
Private renters make up 14% of households, below both County Durham’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (21%). Behind the median of £95,000: 117 standard sales inside Wheatley Hill’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026. Home ownership stands at 60% of households.
£95Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Wheatley Hill£95K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £171,500 | 30 |
| Semi-detached | £95,000 | 49 |
| Terraced | £66,000 | 38 |
60%
of households own their home · England 61%
14%
rent privately · England 21%
£650
average private rent a month, County Durham council area
£2,688
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−
Benefit claims run higher in Wheatley Hill, 4.4% of 16 to 64s, than in County Durham’s towns or across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 20% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For a quarter of commuters, work was under 5 km away. Jobs per working resident: 0.4. 11% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train at the census, lower than both County Durham’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (27%).
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot7%
Bus3%
25%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
20%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£38K
mean household income, before tax
4.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 30% 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 Wheatley Hill
15pages on Wheatley Hill
The big questions
SafetyD−50.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £95K · rent £650 a monthHousing39 sold in 12 months · busiest street Marley FieldsSchoolsA−2 state schoolsHealthD−Life expectancy 74.7 (men), 81.3 (women)Work & commuteD−42% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB+0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Wheatley Hill
6 notable people were born in Wheatley Hill.
E
Eddie CarrEnglish footballer (1917-1998)D
Dave CarrFootballer (1937-2013)L
Lewis StokerEngland footballer (1910-1979)T
Tommy ClishEnglish former footballer (born 1932)O
Ollie ThompsonEnglish footballer (1900-1975)Photo credits
Eddie Hopkinson: Eskil Malmberg, Public domain
Wheatley Hill’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ThornleyTrimdon CollieryShotton CollieryWingateTrimdon GrangeKelloeHaswellWheatley Hill
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheatley Hill | 3,148 | — | C | A− | D− | D− |
| Thornley | 2,543 | 1.2 | C− | A− | D | D− |
| Trimdon Colliery | 1,788 | 1.6 | — | A− | D− | D− |
| Shotton Colliery | 4,943 | 1.7 | C | A− | D | D− |
| Wingate | 5,033 | 1.8 | D | B+ | D | D |
| Trimdon Grange | 1,233 | 2 | — | A− | D | D |
| Kelloe | 1,434 | 2.7 | — | A | D | D |
| Haswell | 1,185 | 2.9 | — | A− | C | D− |
Trimdon Colliery, Trimdon Grange, Kelloe and Haswell have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Wheatley Hill
Is Wheatley Hill 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 £66,000, semi-detached houses £95,000 and detached houses £171,500.
How much is council tax in Wheatley Hill?
Band D council tax in Wheatley Hill is £2,688 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.
About Wheatley Hill
Town in County Durham, England
Wheatley Hill is a built-up area of 3,148 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
- 3,148 (Census 2021)
- Council
- County Durham
- County
- County Durham
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000210
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.