Town Pop. 14,076

Living in Birtley: Liveability Score 52/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Birtley scores 52/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 71/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 44/100 versus a median of 88/100.

That makes it the 6th highest-scoring of the 8 places in the DH2 postcode district. Its transport score runs 8 points above the DH2 district's 63/100. On the national picture that lands Birtley in the top quarter of all the places we score. For the surrounding area, see DH2 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.

Birtley scores 52 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Birtley.
Or compare:
DH2 1AB DH2 2AA DH2 3AA DH2 DH3 NE11

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
44
116.9 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 467 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 337 crimes
↑ 57% above national average
Shoplifting 207 crimes
↑ 88% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 128 crimes
↑ 34% above national average
Public order 105 crimes
↑ 15% above national average
other 401 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Shopping Area 147 crimes
  2. 2 Petrol Station 81 crimes
  3. 3 Beaconsfield Terrace 78 crimes

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

Environment
63
Air Quality NO₂ 10.5 · PM2.5 6.2 · PM10 10.3 µg/m³
72
Green Space 43
Parks Ample 15
Sports Pitches Ample 15
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens Ample 4
Playgrounds Ample 17

Services

Schools
64
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 17 in area · 37 within 4km
1Outstanding14Good2Ungraded
  • Oxclose Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Barley Mow Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Birtley East Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Blackfell Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Harlow Green Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Holley Park AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Kibblesworth AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Lord Lawson of Beamish AcademySecondary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Ouston Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Oxclose Community AcademySecondary · inspected 2024
    Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

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

Healthcare
54
A&E departmentsQueen Elizabeth Hospital1.7 mi
Royal Victoria Infirmary4.3 mi
Sunderland Primary care Trust4.8 mi
Hospital waitsSouth Tyneside And Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust1.7 mi
Routine referral (median)8 wks
Treated within 18 weeks76.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs77.7%
1 GP surgery in area 8 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,457 patients per GP
2dentists2pharmacies

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
28
Full fibre (FTTP)73.3%
available across Gateshead
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
90.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
89.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 314 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
38
Employment rate54.4%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54.4%Unemployed3%Retired25.6%Student3.6%Other inactive13.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial32.3%Skilled & technical32.9%Routine & elementary34.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications22.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.6%Level 3 (A levels)17.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)24.6%Apprenticeship7.7%Other (incl. vocational)2.9%
Home ownership61.9%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
31
Council tax Gateshead · 2026-27
A £1,811
B £2,112
C £2,414
D £2,716
E £3,320
F £3,923
G £4,527
H £5,432
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
71
Chester-le-Street 2.9 mi
Heworth 3.9 mi
Heworth 3.9 mi
J65 A1(M) 0.7 mi
J64 A1(M) 0.7 mi
J65 A1(M) 0.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
52
Pubs & Bars Ample 9
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 8
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 14
Retail Shopping Ample 63
Takeaways Ample 23
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £178,500 86
Detached £285,000 20
Semi-detached £200,000 33
Terraced £130,000 27
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£103k £170k £239k £305k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Urpeth 55 1.5 mi away ⇄
Pelton and Ouston 56 1.7 mi away ⇄
Kibblesworth 36 1.8 mi away ⇄
Springwell 70 1.9 mi away ⇄
Washington 62 2.1 mi away ⇄
Chester-le-Street 62 2.6 mi away ⇄
Newfield 59 2.7 mi away ⇄
Penshaw 57 2.9 mi away ⇄
Whitehill (County Durham) 53 3.0 mi away ⇄
West Pelton 51 3.2 mi away ⇄
Gateshead 66 3.4 mi away ⇄
Beamish 42 3.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Birtley a nice place to live?

Birtley is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Birtley 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 Birtley?

Birtley has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 44/100. There were 1,645 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Birtley?

Among the top-rated schools in Birtley are Oxclose Nursery School, Barley Mow Primary School and Birtley East Community Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 17 rated schools in Birtley in total.

What are house prices like in Birtley?

The current median house price in Birtley is £178,500, around 37% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £285,000, semi-detached £200,000, terraced £130,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 21%. There were 86 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Birtley in context

See where Birtley ranks among the best places to live in Tyne and Wear

Postcode districts in Birtley

DH2 54 ⇄
DH3 54 ⇄
NE11 61 ⇄

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