Acomb’s story
16 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Acomb’s built-up area.
42% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
AcombNorthumberland
A village of 1,155 in Northumberland, North East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,155
Census 2021 · Northumberland council
Median home
£228K
42 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.2
30% are 65+ · Northumberland 25%
Degree level
37%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Acomb a good place to live?
Acomb has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (A−): 13.1 violent and sexual offences and 7 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Its weakest is hazard risk (D−): 11% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea. The median home sold for £227,500 in the last three years, 4.9 times what households in the Northumberland council area earn in a year.
Northumbria Police published 34 of the 36 months; rates are per year over the months published.
What makes Acomb stand out
The 3 things Acomb does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 5.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Rent against income, UK towns
Renting
£695 a month
Average private rent, 18% of what households in the area earn: less than in 96% of UK towns
ONS private rents, Northumberland council area.
How Acomb grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Acomb is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hazard riskD−Open →Jobs & income3.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsDOpen →SafetyA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 76% of towns in England; secondary results beat 74% of towns in EnglandA−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →WalkabilityC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 80.1 for men, 84.4 for womenB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History42% of homes built before 1919A−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 2 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsBOpen →Civic life4.3 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Beaufront Castle and 11 more in and around Acomb
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Acomb. Best known first.
CastleBeaufront Castle2.9 km outside town, to the east
Art galleryQueen's Hall Arts Centre2 km outside town, to the south
FortWarden Hill2.4 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseum · English HeritageChesters Roman Fort4 km outside town, to the northwestHistoric siteHistoric site · English HeritagePlanetrees Roman Wall2.8 km outside town, to the northHistoric siteHistoric site · English HeritageBrunton Turret (26B)3.2 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Beaufront Castle: P Glenwright, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Queen's Hall Arts Centre: Mike Quinn, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Warden Hill: Mike Quinn, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Acomb.
Safety
Per resident, Acomb sees less crime than 82% of UK towns
The 12 months to August 2026 brought 27 recorded crimes inside Acomb’s built-up area, and 6 reports of anti-social behaviour. There were 5.2 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below Northumberland’s towns (16.9) and England’s towns (7.8) alike. Also worth knowing: of all the crimes, 37% were violence and sexual offences.
13.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 68% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual10
Burglary6
Damage & arson4
Public order2
Other crime2
Other theft1
Drugs1
Vehicle crime1
Anti-social6
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.
13.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5.2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
27
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−
School results in Acomb are better than in 79% of towns in England
67% of pupils at the 2 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its only school is listed below. Attainment 8 at the one secondary school within 3 km averages 49.4, and 53% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths.
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acomb First SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 58 | – |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
History
Acomb keeps more of its old housing than Northumberland’s towns or England’s towns: 42% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Relative to its size, Acomb keeps 139 listed buildings per 10,000 residents. Of the town’s land, 19% lies in conservation areas, higher than both Northumberland’s towns (2%) and England’s towns (7%). None of the 16 listed buildings reaches Grade II* or Grade I; all are Grade II.
16listed buildingsA−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II16
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
42%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
139
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 Acomb than in Northumberland’s towns or across England’s towns: 9%
70% of households own their home, above both Northumberland’s towns (65%) and England’s towns (61%). Private rents average £695 a month across the Northumberland council area. Half of the 42 standard sales inside Acomb’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £227,500.
£228Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Acomb£228K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £460,500 | 18 |
| Semi-detached | £185,000 | 9 |
| Terraced | £175,000 | 15 |
70%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£695
average private rent a month, Northumberland council area
£2,611
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
Fewer commuters in Acomb walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Northumberland’s towns or England’s towns: 13%
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 £49K a year before tax, higher than Northumberland’s towns (£45K) yet lower than England’s towns (£55K). By car: that was how 86% of commuters travelled at the census. 3% of commuters who live in Acomb also work there. For just over half of commuters, work was under 5 km away.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot8%
Bus2%
Bicycle2%
Train1%
51%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
27%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£49K
mean household income, before tax
3.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 45% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Bad health is less common in Acomb than in Northumberland’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.9% of residents
Four fifths of Acomb’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, higher than Northumberland’s towns (78%) yet lower than England’s towns (82%). Seeing a GP means leaving Acomb: the nearest practice is 1.6 miles away. The nearest A&E to Acomb is Royal Victoria Infirmary, 19.5 miles away.
80%good or very good healthB−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 80%Fair 16%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Acomb | Northumberland | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 80% | 78% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.9% | 6.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 19% | 22% | 17% |
80.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.4
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Census health answers are raw, so younger towns score better on them; for the Health Grade we use age-adjusted figures like life expectancy and early deaths.
Who lives here
An older town: 30% of people in Acomb are 65 or over, more than in Northumberland’s towns and across England’s towns
Children under 15 count for 16% of the people here. The 15-to-24 age group: 8.2%, lower than both Northumberland’s towns (9.4%) and England’s towns (12%). Typical age in Acomb: 51.2, the median. Graduates make up 37% of adults.
51.2median age
AcombNorthumberlandEngland
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar15%
Degree level37%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 94 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Acomb | Northumberland | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.2% | 9.4% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 22% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 28% | 25% |
| 65+ | 30% | 25% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.2% | 7.1% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 15% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 37% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Northumberland and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Acomb
15pages on Acomb
The big questions
SafetyA−13.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £228K · rent £695 a monthHousing13 sold in 12 months · busiest street Bishops HillSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthB−Life expectancy 80.1 (men), 84.4 (women)Work & commuteD45% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD−10.8% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Acomb’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HexhamCorbridgeHaydon BridgeStocksfieldOvinghamPrudhoeWylamAcomb
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acomb | 1,155 | — | — | B+ | A− | B− |
| Hexham | 10,945 | 1.6 | B+ | B− | C | B− |
| Corbridge | 2,888 | 4 | A+ | C | A | A |
| Haydon Bridge | 1,229 | 5.7 | — | A− | A− | B |
| Stocksfield | 1,944 | 9.1 | — | B− | A+ | A |
| Ovingham | 1,155 | 9.8 | — | A− | B− | B |
| Prudhoe | 10,285 | 10 | B− | A | C | C− |
| Wylam | 1,661 | 11 | — | C+ | A+ | B+ |
Haydon Bridge, Stocksfield, Ovingham and Wylam have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Acomb
Does Acomb flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
How many listed buildings are there in Acomb?
That is 5.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
Are schools in Acomb good?
Primary schools stand out: Key Stage 2 results beat 76% of towns in England. Secondary results beat 74%. One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Northumberland council.
About Acomb
Village in Northumberland, England
Acomb is a built-up area of 1,155 people, in the Northumberland 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
- 1,155 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Northumberland
- County
- Northumberland
- Region
- North East
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000082
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.