Town Pop. 1,982

Living in High Spen: Liveability Score 48/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

High Spen comes out at 48/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is broadband: 99/100 against a national town median of 60/100. Economic health falls furthest short: 36/100 where the typical UK town reaches 67/100.

That places it last of the 4 scored places in the NE39 postcode district. Its broadband score runs 56 points above the NE39 district's 43/100. Healthcare (14) and lifestyle (26) all fall below 30/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the NE39 postcode district.

48
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.

Loading map…

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.

High Spen scores 48 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with High Spen.
Or compare:
NE39 1AB NE39 2AA NE39 9AE NE39

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
69
119.6 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 80 crimes
↑ 21% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 67 crimes
↑ 122% above national average
Other crime 21 crimes
↑ 430% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 17 crimes
↑ 26% above national average
Public order 16 crimes
↑ 25% above national average
other 36 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Hookergate Lane 32 crimes
  2. 2 Beechwood 32 crimes
  3. 3 Clayton Terrace Road 13 crimes

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

Environment
72
Air Quality NO₂ 4.564 · PM2.5 5.154 · PM10 7.954 µg/m³
80
Green Space 53
Parks Adequate 2
Sports Pitches None
Allotments Ample 4
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
33
1 school in area · 8 within 4km
1Good
  • High Spen Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good

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

Healthcare
14
A&E departmentsRoyal Victoria Infirmary6.9 mi
Queen Elizabeth Hospital7.8 mi
University Hospital of North Durham11.8 mi
Hospital waitsCounty Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust2.3 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.8%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.1%
Nearest GP surgeryChopwell Primary Healthcare Centre1.4 mi
GP capacity1,565 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
99
Full fibre (FTTP)73.3%
available across Gateshead
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
100%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
100%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 73 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
36
Employment rate54.6%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54.6%Unemployed3%Retired27.4%Student4%Other inactive11%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial36%Skilled & technical30.5%Routine & elementary33.5%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications19.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.7%Level 3 (A levels)18%Level 4+ (degree & above)28%Apprenticeship6.7%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership67.7%
Among the most-deprived 36% of areas in England
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
44
Wylam 3.3 mi
Blaydon 3.7 mi
Prudhoe 4.1 mi
J65 A1(M) 8.7 mi
J65 A1(M) 9.2 mi
J64 A1(M) 9.3 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
26
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 2
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Adequate 11
Takeaways Some 1
Fitness None

Places like High Spen Pro

Pick the categories you want to beat. Pro members see the most similar settlements that score higher in all of them.

Find somewhere like High Spen, but with a higher score in …

ProSimilar settlements is a Pro featureUpgrade to Pro

House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £141,000 14
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£133k £180k £228k £275k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Rowlands Gill 53 1.4 mi away ⇄
Chopwell 33 1.7 mi away ⇄
Hamsterley Mill 52 2.1 mi away ⇄
Crawcrook and Greenside 59 2.1 mi away ⇄
Blackhall Mill 46 2.4 mi away ⇄
Burnopfield 53 2.5 mi away ⇄
Ryton 57 3.0 mi away ⇄
Hobson 52 3.1 mi away ⇄
Prudhoe 59 3.3 mi away ⇄
Ebchester 51 3.5 mi away ⇄
Blaydon 57 3.5 mi away ⇄
Medomsley 50 3.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is High Spen a nice place to live?

High Spen has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for High Spen is 48/100, 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 High Spen?

High Spen has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 69/100. There were 237 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in High Spen?

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

What are house prices like in High Spen?

The current median house price in High Spen is £141,000, around 51% below the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 22%.

High Spen in context

See the best places to live in Tyne and Wear, ranked

Postcode districts in High Spen

NE39 49 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

Get a personalised score for any UK postcode, tailored to what matters most to you.

Score my postcode