Town Pop. 4,099

Living in Bowburn: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Bowburn is 41/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 39/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 47/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That makes it the 7th highest-scoring of the 16 places in the DH6 postcode district. That is 9 points below the national benchmark of 50, the middle half of all UK towns and villages. Schools (26) and lifestyle (28) all fall below 30/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: DH6 postcode district.

41
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.

Bowburn scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Bowburn.
Or compare:
DH6 1AA DH6 2AA DH6 3AA DH6 4AA DH6 5AA DH6

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
47
193.9 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 298 crimes
↑ 118% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 166 crimes
↑ 166% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 70 crimes
↑ 151% above national average
Public order 58 crimes
↑ 117% above national average
Shoplifting 55 crimes
↑ 72% above national average
other 148 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Durham Service Area 93 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 62 crimes
  3. 3 Shincliffe Lane 44 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 8.3 · PM2.5 5.7 · PM10 10.6 µg/m³
74
Green Space 18
Parks Adequate 4
Sports Pitches Adequate 2
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 2

Services

Schools
26
1 school in area · 6 within 4km
1Good
  • Bowburn 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
30
A&E departmentsUniversity Hospital of North Durham3.9 mi
Sunderland Primary care Trust13 mi
Darlington Memorial Hospital13.2 mi
Hospital waitsCounty Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.8%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.1%
1 GP surgery in area 3 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity3,261 patients per GP
2dentists1pharmacy

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
68
Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
98.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
98.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 92 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
49
Employment rate56.4%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.4%Unemployed3%Retired25.1%Student4.1%Other inactive11.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial41.7%Skilled & technical29.7%Routine & elementary28.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.6%Level 3 (A levels)16.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)37.9%Apprenticeship5.3%Other (incl. vocational)1.5%
Home ownership66.3%
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 C
Water Northumbrian Water
Average bill regional £435/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
39
Durham 3.8 mi
Bishop Auckland 8.1 mi
Chester-le-Street 8.5 mi
J61 A1(M) 0.4 mi
J61 A1(M) 0.6 mi
J62 A1(M) 3.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
28
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes Some 2
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 4
Retail Shopping Adequate 8
Takeaways Adequate 6
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £148,750 48
Detached £233,500 10
Semi-detached £150,000 24
Terraced £107,000 14
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£90k £149k £210k £270k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

High Shincliffe 54 1.4 mi away ⇄
Coxhoe 46 1.5 mi away ⇄
Kelloe 38 2.3 mi away ⇄
Cornforth 46 2.4 mi away ⇄
Croxdale 26 2.4 mi away ⇄
Sherburn (County Durham) 53 3.0 mi away ⇄
Shadforth 33 3.1 mi away ⇄
Sherburn Hill 33 3.3 mi away ⇄
Ferryhill 42 3.5 mi away ⇄
Thornley 40 3.7 mi away ⇄
Spennymoor 46 3.7 mi away ⇄
Durham 52 3.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Bowburn a nice place to live?

Bowburn has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Bowburn is 41/100, 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 Bowburn?

Bowburn has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 47/100. There were 795 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Bowburn?

Among the top-rated schools in Bowburn is Bowburn Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Bowburn in total.

What are house prices like in Bowburn?

The current median house price in Bowburn is £148,750, around 48% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £233,500, semi-detached £150,000, terraced £107,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 6%. There were 48 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Bowburn in context

See the best places to live in County Durham, ranked

Postcode districts in Bowburn

DH6 37 ⇄

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