Town Pop. 19,575

Living in Bishop Auckland: Liveability Score 50/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Bishop Auckland scores 50/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is transport: 68/100 against a national town median of 21/100. Safety falls furthest short: 15/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That is the highest score of the 8 places in the DL14 postcode district. The DL14 district averages 44/100, putting Bishop Auckland 6 points above its own postcode area. Its transport score runs 9 points above the DL14 district's 59/100. For the surrounding area, see DL14 postcode district.

50
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.

Bishop Auckland scores 50 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Bishop Auckland.
Or compare:
DL14 0AA DL14 4BB DL14 6AA DL14 7AB DL14 8AA DL14 9AA DL14

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
15
240.8 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 1,536 crimes
↑ 136% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 1,045 crimes
↑ 251% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 663 crimes
↑ 399% above national average
Shoplifting 337 crimes
↑ 121% above national average
Public order 273 crimes
↑ 114% above national average
other 859 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 273 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 195 crimes
  3. 3 Petrol Station 93 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 5.4 · PM2.5 5.4 · PM10 9.2 µg/m³
78
Green Space 11
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches Ample 18
Allotments Ample 4
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 5
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 9

Services

Schools
62
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 18 in area · 22 within 4km
13Good3Requires Improvement2Ungraded
  • Aclet Close Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Bishop Barrington AcademySecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Cockton Hill Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Etherley Lane Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Etherley Lane Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Evergreen Primary SchoolSpecial · inspected 2022
    Good
  • King James I Academy Bishop AucklandSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Oakley Cross Primary School and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Prince Bishops Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Andrew's AcademyPrimary · inspected 2019
    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
55
A&E departmentsDarlington Memorial Hospital8.8 mi
University Hospital of North Durham8.9 mi
The James Cook University Hospital18.6 mi
Hospital waitsSouth Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks65.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs77.8%
3 GP surgeries in area 4 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity3,093 patients per GP
4dentists8pharmacies

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
83
Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
93.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
93.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 538 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
25
Employment rate51.5%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed51.5%Unemployed3.2%Retired26.3%Student3.7%Other inactive15.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial29.5%Skilled & technical31.1%Routine & elementary39.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications24.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.7%Level 3 (A levels)18.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)23.7%Apprenticeship7.1%Other (incl. vocational)2.2%
Home ownership61.8%
Among the most-deprived 24% of areas in England
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
68
Bishop Auckland 0.5 mi
Shildon 2.6 mi
Newton Aycliffe 4.6 mi
J59 A1(M) 6.8 mi
J60 A1(M) 6.8 mi
J59 A1(M) 6.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
52
Pubs & Bars Ample 23
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 26
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 21
Retail Shopping Ample 197
Takeaways Ample 36
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 £150,000 155
Detached £220,000 45
Semi-detached £155,000 46
Terraced £86,000 57
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£44k £112k £183k £251k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Eldon Lane and Coundon Grange 43 1.5 mi away ⇄
West Auckland 39 2.0 mi away ⇄
Witton Park 47 2.1 mi away ⇄
Shildon 45 2.2 mi away ⇄
Coundon and Leeholme 40 2.4 mi away ⇄
Toft Hill and High Etherley 48 2.6 mi away ⇄
Hunwick 42 2.8 mi away ⇄
Evenwood 40 3.6 mi away ⇄
Byers Green 43 3.7 mi away ⇄
Kirk Merrington 51 4.0 mi away ⇄
Witton-le-Wear 35 4.1 mi away ⇄
Willington (County Durham) 43 4.1 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Bishop Auckland a nice place to live?

Bishop Auckland is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Bishop Auckland is 50/100, 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 Bishop Auckland?

Crime levels in Bishop Auckland are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 15/100. There were 4,713 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Bishop Auckland?

Among the top-rated schools in Bishop Auckland are Aclet Close Nursery School, Bishop Barrington Academy and Cockton Hill Infant School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 18 rated schools in Bishop Auckland in total.

What are house prices like in Bishop Auckland?

The current median house price in Bishop Auckland is £150,000, around 47% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £220,000, semi-detached £155,000, terraced £86,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 36%. There were 155 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Bishop Auckland in context

See where Bishop Auckland ranks among the best places to live in County Durham

Postcode districts in Bishop Auckland

DL14 44 ⇄

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