Town Pop. 12,453

Living in Berwick-upon-Tweed: Liveability Score 52/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Berwick-upon-Tweed scores 52/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is schools: 55/100 against a national town median of 23/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 49/100 against a town median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the TD15 postcode district scores higher. Berwick-upon-Tweed leads all 3. It scores 8 points above the TD15 postcode district as a whole, which averages 44/100. On schools specifically, Berwick-upon-Tweed sits 15 points above the TD15 district figure of 40/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: TD15 postcode district.

52
OUT OF 100
Average
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.

Berwick-upon-Tweed scores 52 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Or compare:
TD15 1AA TD15 2AA TD15 9BF TD15

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
49
91.5 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 381 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 254 crimes
↑ 34% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 127 crimes
↑ 50% above national average
Shoplifting 88 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 78 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 212 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 59 crimes
  2. 2 Countess Of Buchan Way 56 crimes
  3. 3 Douglas Close 38 crimes

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

Environment
67
Air Quality NO₂ 3.6 · PM2.5 4.4 · PM10 8.2 µg/m³
82
Green Space 32
Parks Ample 14
Sports Pitches Ample 24
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Ample 11
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 15

Services

Schools
55
10 schools in area · 11 within 4km
9Good1Requires Improvement
  • Berwick Middle SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Berwick St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Holy Trinity Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Prior Park Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Spittal Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, BerwickPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • The Grove Special SchoolSpecial · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Tweedmouth Community Middle SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Tweedmouth West Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Berwick AcademySecondary · inspected 2024
    Requires Improvement

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

Healthcare
46
A&E departmentsCommunity Paramedic Service30.8 mi
Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital49.6 mi
Hexham General Hospital54.1 mi
Hospital waitsThe Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks72.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs78.5%
2 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,575 patients per GP
5dentists5pharmacies

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
81
Full fibre (FTTP)81.6%
available across Northumberland
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
90.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
90.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.6%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 313 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
41
Employment rate51.3%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed51.3%Unemployed2.9%Retired31.6%Student2.5%Other inactive11.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial27.8%Skilled & technical31%Routine & elementary41.1%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications23.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.6%Level 3 (A levels)15.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)24.1%Apprenticeship8.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%
Home ownership60.3%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
34
Council tax Northumberland · 2026-27
A £1,731
B £2,020
C £2,308
D £2,597
E £3,174
F £3,751
G £4,328
H £5,194
Energy South Scotland region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Scottish Water
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
37
Berwick-upon-Tweed 0.6 mi
Reston 9.1 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
53
Pubs & Bars Ample 19
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 35
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 16
Retail Shopping Ample 148
Takeaways Ample 18
Fitness Ample 5

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House Prices

Current median sale prices · last 12 months · England & Wales only

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £165,000 89
Detached £295,000 15
Semi-detached £167,500 20
Terraced £155,000 39
Flat / Maisonette £115,000 15
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£102k £185k £271k £354k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (OGL v3.0)

Nearby places

Loanend 0 2.7 mi away ⇄
Haggerston 0 6.3 mi away ⇄
Norham 40 6.7 mi away ⇄
Ayton 39 6.9 mi away ⇄
Eyemouth 45 7.8 mi away ⇄
Chirnside 46 8.1 mi away ⇄
Lowick 31 8.1 mi away ⇄
Coldingham 36 10 mi away ⇄
Swinton (Scottish Borders) 37 10 mi away ⇄
Cornhill on Tweed 44 12 mi away ⇄
Coldstream 41 12 mi away ⇄
Duns 41 13 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Berwick-upon-Tweed a nice place to live?

Berwick-upon-Tweed is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Berwick-upon-Tweed is 52/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Berwick-upon-Tweed?

Berwick-upon-Tweed has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 49/100. There were 1,140 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Berwick-upon-Tweed?

Among the top-rated schools in Berwick-upon-Tweed are Berwick Middle School, Berwick St Mary's Church of England Primary School and Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 10 rated schools in Berwick-upon-Tweed in total.

What are house prices like in Berwick-upon-Tweed?

The current median house price in Berwick-upon-Tweed is £165,000, around 42% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £295,000, semi-detached £167,500, terraced £155,000, flat £115,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 3%. There were 89 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Berwick-upon-Tweed in context

See where Berwick-upon-Tweed ranks among the best places to live in Northumberland

Postcode districts in Berwick-upon-Tweed

TD15 44 ⇄

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