Town Pop. 257

Living in Beamish: Liveability Score 42/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Beamish is 42/100, built from 9 categories. Transport is where Beamish most outperforms the national norm: 51/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is broadband, at 6/100 against a town median of 60/100.

That places it last of the 8 scored places in the DH9 postcode district. Its transport score runs 8 points below the DH9 district's 59/100. That is 8 points below the national benchmark of 50, the middle half of all UK towns and villages. Wider context for the surrounding area: DH9 postcode district.

42
OUT OF 100
Below Avg
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Beamish scores 42 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Beamish.
Or compare:
DH9 0AB DH9 6AA DH9 7AA DH9 8AA DH9 9AA DH9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
45
1,206.2 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 108 crimes
↑ 1162% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 57 crimes
↑ 1359% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 34 crimes
↑ 1846% above national average
Other theft 28 crimes
↑ 1656% above national average
Vehicle crime 23 crimes
↑ 1765% above national average
other 60 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Kiphill Court 37 crimes
  2. 2 John Street 31 crimes
  3. 3 Beamishburn Road 24 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment
75
Air Quality NO₂ 6 · PM2.5 5.3 · PM10 8.3 µg/m³
78
Green Space 70
Parks Some 1
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
46
2 schools in area · 19 within 4km
2Good
  • Beamish Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • West Pelton Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
27
A&E departmentsQueen Elizabeth Hospital4.6 mi
Royal Victoria Infirmary6.4 mi
University Hospital of North Durham6.6 mi
Hospital waitsCounty Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust1.1 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.8%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.1%
Nearest GP surgeryStanley Medical Group - Clifford Road1.8 mi
GP capacity1,693 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband
6
Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
40%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
40%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
50%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 10 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
57
Employment rate57.3%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.3%Unemployed2.7%Retired29%Student2.6%Other inactive8.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial36.3%Skilled & technical36.3%Routine & elementary27.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.7%Level 3 (A levels)19.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)27.7%Apprenticeship8.8%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%
Home ownership79%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
34
Council tax Durham · 2026-27
A £1,748
B £2,039
C £2,331
D £2,622
E £3,205
F £3,787
G £4,370
H £5,244
Energy North East England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Northumbrian Water
Average bill regional £435/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
51
Chester-le-Street 3.8 mi
Dunston 4.6 mi
MetroCentre 5.2 mi
J63 A1(M) 3.7 mi
J65 A1(M) 3.9 mi
J64 A1(M) 3.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
34
Pubs & Bars Adequate 3
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 7
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Adequate 15
Takeaways Some 1
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Beamish in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

West Pelton 51 1.2 mi away ⇄
Stanley (County Durham) 49 1.8 mi away ⇄
Newfield 59 1.9 mi away ⇄
Urpeth 55 1.9 mi away ⇄
Tanfield Lea 51 2.0 mi away ⇄
Kibblesworth 36 2.1 mi away ⇄
Pelton and Ouston 56 2.2 mi away ⇄
Craghead 45 2.3 mi away ⇄
Whitehill (County Durham) 53 2.7 mi away ⇄
Tantobie 48 2.8 mi away ⇄
Sunniside 42 2.9 mi away ⇄
Hobson 52 3.1 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Beamish a nice place to live?

Beamish has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Beamish is 42/100, placing it among a below-average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Beamish?

Beamish has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 45/100. There were 310 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Beamish?

Among the top-rated schools in Beamish are Beamish Primary School and West Pelton Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Beamish in total.

Beamish in context

See the best places to live in County Durham, ranked

Postcode districts in Beamish

DH9 46 ⇄

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