Town Pop. 9,205

Living in Crook: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Crook scores 41/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is transport: 52/100 against a national town median of 21/100. Safety falls furthest short: 26/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

Of the 4 places sharing the DL15 postcode district, Crook scores lowest. That sits 9 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the middle half of the towns and villages we score. For the surrounding area, see DL15 postcode district.

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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.

Crook scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Crook.

Or compare:

DL15 0AA DL15 8AB DL15 9AA DL15

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

157.5 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 470 crimes

↑ 53% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 289 crimes

↑ 107% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 241 crimes

↑ 285% above national average

Public order 118 crimes

↑ 97% above national average

Other theft 66 crimes

↑ 16% above national average

other 266 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Supermarket 110 crimes
2 Parking Area 89 crimes
3 Victoria Street 56 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 4.6 · PM2.5 5.3 · PM10 8.1 µg/m³

Green Space 18

Parks Adequate 3

Sports Pitches Adequate 3

Allotments Some 1

Golf Courses Some 1

Tennis Courts Some 1

Bowling Greens Some 1

Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools

5 schools in area · 12 within 4km

4Good1Ungraded

Crook Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Hartside Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Peases West AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, CrookPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Howden-le-Wear Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Ungraded

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

A&E departmentsUniversity Hospital of North Durham7.5 mi

Darlington Memorial Hospital14 mi

Queen Elizabeth Hospital16.4 mi

Hospital waitsNorth Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi

Routine referral (median)9 wks

Treated within 18 weeks70.6%

A&E seen within 4 hrs86.2%

1 GP surgery in area 2 within 4km best 'Good'

GP capacity1,486 patients per GP

1dentist4pharmacies

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

Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%

available across County Durham

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

87%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

87%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.9%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 238 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate51.4%

Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed51.4%Unemployed3%Retired26.1%Student3.6%Other inactive15.9%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial27.3%Skilled & technical34.8%Routine & elementary37.9%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications23.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.2%Level 3 (A levels)19.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)22.5%Apprenticeship6.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%

Home ownership60.6%

Among the most-deprived 28% of areas in England

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

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

Bishop Auckland 4.8 mi

Shildon 7.5 mi

Durham 8.2 mi

J61 A1(M) 9.2 mi

J61 A1(M) 9.4 mi

J62 A1(M) 10.3 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 14

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 14

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 8

Retail Shopping Ample 61

Takeaways Adequate 8

Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£123,000	57
Detached	£245,000	11
Semi-detached	£160,000	13
Terraced	£98,475	32

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Crook a nice place to live?

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

Crime levels in Crook are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 26/100. There were 1,450 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Crook?

Among the top-rated schools in Crook are Crook Primary School, Hartside Primary Academy and Peases West Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 5 rated schools in Crook in total.

What are house prices like in Crook?

The current median house price in Crook is £123,000, around 57% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £245,000, semi-detached £160,000, terraced £98,475. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 6%. There were 57 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Crook in context

See the best places to live in County Durham, ranked

Postcode districts in Crook

DL15 37 ⇄

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