Town Pop. 12,234

Living in Houghton-le-Spring: Liveability Score 53/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Houghton-le-Spring is 53/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 67/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 41/100 versus a median of 88/100.

That makes it the 4th highest-scoring of the 6 places in the DH4 postcode district. That puts Houghton-le-Spring in the top quarter of the UK towns and villages we score. For the surrounding area, see DH4 postcode district.

53
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.

Houghton-le-Spring scores 53 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Houghton-le-Spring.
Or compare:
DH4 4AB DH4 5AA DH4 6AA DH4 7AA DH4 9BR DH4 DH5

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
41
131.3 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 505 crimes
↑ 24% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 249 crimes
↑ 34% above national average
Shoplifting 186 crimes
↑ 95% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 154 crimes
↑ 85% above national average
Public order 124 crimes
↑ 55% above national average
other 388 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Wheler Street 95 crimes
  2. 2 The Broadway 86 crimes
  3. 3 Sunrise Lane 86 crimes

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

Environment
57
Air Quality NO₂ 8.4 · PM2.5 5.8 · PM10 10.1 µg/m³
74
Green Space 18
Parks Ample 8
Sports Pitches Ample 11
Allotments Adequate 2
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Adequate 3
Playgrounds Adequate 6

Services

Schools
56
10 schools in area · 20 within 4km
1Outstanding7Good2Ungraded
  • Bernard Gilpin Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Outstanding
  • Burnside Academy InspiresPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • East Rainton Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Gillas Lane Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Houghton Le Spring Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2025
    Good
  • KepierSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Newbottle Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • St Michael's Catholic Primary School, HoughtonPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Dubmire PrimaryPrimary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded
  • Eppleton Academy Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    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
60
A&E departmentsUniversity Hospital of North Durham5 mi
Sunderland Primary care Trust5.1 mi
Queen Elizabeth Hospital6.7 mi
Hospital waitsGateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)8 wks
Treated within 18 weeks77.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs75.1%
2 GP surgeries in area 7 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,356 patients per GP
5dentists4pharmacies

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
64
Full fibre (FTTP)71.6%
available across Sunderland
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
97.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 297 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
31
Employment rate52.8%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed52.8%Unemployed3.4%Retired26.9%Student3.6%Other inactive13.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial31.9%Skilled & technical34.7%Routine & elementary33.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.6%Level 3 (A levels)17.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)24.6%Apprenticeship7.7%Other (incl. vocational)2.2%
Home ownership64.5%
Among the most-deprived 36% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
65
Council tax Sunderland · 2026-27
A £1,465
B £1,709
C £1,953
D £2,197
E £2,685
F £3,173
G £3,662
H £4,394
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
67
Chester-le-Street 4.3 mi
South Hylton 4.5 mi
Seaham 5.1 mi
J62 A1(M) 3.7 mi
J63 A1(M) 3.8 mi
J62 A1(M) 4.2 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
32
Pubs & Bars Adequate 5
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 6
Retail Shopping Adequate 17
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness Adequate 2

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £145,000 63
Detached £225,000 12
Semi-detached £148,000 27
Terraced £98,000 23
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£83k £150k £218k £285k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Fence Houses 56 1.1 mi away ⇄
East Rainton 57 1.2 mi away ⇄
Hetton-le-Hole 50 1.6 mi away ⇄
Shiney Row and Penshaw 61 1.9 mi away ⇄
Bournmoor 51 2.0 mi away ⇄
West Rainton 41 2.3 mi away ⇄
Great Lumley 60 2.7 mi away ⇄
Easington Lane 48 2.7 mi away ⇄
Penshaw 57 2.9 mi away ⇄
Hetton le Hill 0 3.6 mi away ⇄
High Pittington 50 3.6 mi away ⇄
Murton (County Durham) 42 3.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Houghton-le-Spring a nice place to live?

Houghton-le-Spring is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Houghton-le-Spring is 53/100, 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 Houghton-le-Spring?

Houghton-le-Spring has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 41/100. There were 1,606 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Houghton-le-Spring?

Among the top-rated schools in Houghton-le-Spring are Bernard Gilpin Primary School, Burnside Academy Inspires and East Rainton Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 10 rated schools in Houghton-le-Spring in total.

What are house prices like in Houghton-le-Spring?

The current median house price in Houghton-le-Spring is £145,000, around 49% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £225,000, semi-detached £148,000, terraced £98,000. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 10%. There were 63 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Houghton-le-Spring in context

See where Houghton-le-Spring ranks among the best places to live in Tyne and Wear

Postcode districts in Houghton-le-Spring

DH4 53 ⇄
DH5 52 ⇄

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