Town Pop. 433

Living in Cotherstone: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Cotherstone comes out at 41/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Broadband is where Cotherstone most outperforms the national norm: 98/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. Lifestyle falls furthest short: 6/100 where the typical UK town reaches 21/100.

That makes it the 3rd highest-scoring of the 5 places in the DL12 postcode district. Cotherstone is a place of extremes: 98/100 for broadband against 3/100 for healthcare, a 95-point spread wider than roughly nine in ten UK towns. On broadband specifically, Cotherstone sits 75 points above the DL12 district figure of 23/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: DL12 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.

Cotherstone scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Cotherstone.
Or compare:
DL12 0AA DL12 2BY DL12 8AA DL12 9AA DL12

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
82
182.4 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 34 crimes
↑ 136% above national average
Burglary 18 crimes
↑ 1089% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 11 crimes
↑ 274% above national average
Vehicle crime 5 crimes
↑ 140% above national average
Public order 4 crimes
↑ 42% above national average
other 7 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 32 crimes
  2. 2 The Oval 8 crimes
  3. 3 Fitzhugh Court 7 crimes

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

Environment
68
Air Quality NO₂ 2.04 · PM2.5 4.62 · PM10 6.549 µg/m³
84
Green Space 29
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
11
1 school in area
1Good
  • Cotherstone Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsDarlington Memorial Hospital16.8 mi
University Hospital of North Durham21.5 mi
Friarage Hospital27 mi
Hospital waitsCounty Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust3.3 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.8%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.1%
Nearest GP surgeryBarnard Castle Surgery3.3 mi
GP capacity1,083 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
98
Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
99.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
99.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 42 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
72
Employment rate53.7%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed53.7%Unemployed2%Retired32.5%Student3.7%Other inactive8.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial41.7%Skilled & technical38.9%Routine & elementary19.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.3%Level 3 (A levels)16.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)37.8%Apprenticeship5.8%Other (incl. vocational)1.7%
Home ownership71.6%
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
13
Bishop Auckland 13.6 mi
Shildon 14.4 mi
Newton Aycliffe 16.1 mi
J56 A1(M) 14.6 mi
J56 A1(M) 14.7 mi
J57 A1(M) 15.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
6
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Cotherstone 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

Startforth 44 3.0 mi away ⇄
Barnard Castle 45 3.2 mi away ⇄
Mickleton (County Durham) 41 3.7 mi away ⇄
Middleton-in-Teesdale 40 5.3 mi away ⇄
Staindrop 34 7.2 mi away ⇄
Cockfield 47 7.6 mi away ⇄
Evenwood 40 9.6 mi away ⇄
Hamsterley 33 9.7 mi away ⇄
Gainford 38 10 mi away ⇄
Frosterley 33 11 mi away ⇄
Toft Hill and High Etherley 48 11 mi away ⇄
Witton-le-Wear 35 11 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Cotherstone a nice place to live?

Cotherstone has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Cotherstone 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 Cotherstone?

Cotherstone is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 82/100. There were 79 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Cotherstone?

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

Cotherstone in context

See the best places to live in County Durham, ranked

Postcode districts in Cotherstone

DL12 40 ⇄

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