Town Pop. 1,022

Living in Kirk Merrington: Liveability Score 51/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Kirk Merrington is 51/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is transport: 53/100 against a national town median of 21/100. That is the highest score of the 4 places in the DL16 postcode district.

It scores 5 points above the DL16 postcode district as a whole, which averages 46/100. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (92). Healthcare (21) and lifestyle (27) all fall below 30/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: DL16 postcode district.

51
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.

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.

Kirk Merrington scores 51 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Kirk Merrington.
Or compare:
DL16 6AA DL16 7AA DL16 9AE DL16

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
82.2 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 36 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 16 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 8 crimes
↑ 20% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 6 crimes
↓ 13% below national average
Other crime 5 crimes
↑ 145% above national average
other 13 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Watson Street 30 crimes
  2. 2 Vyners Close 10 crimes
  3. 3 Bell Road 8 crimes

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

Environment
57
Air Quality NO₂ 4.7 · PM2.5 5.3 · PM10 9.7 µg/m³
78
Green Space 9
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
47
1 school in area · 18 within 4km
1Outstanding
  • Kirk Merrington Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding

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

Healthcare
21
A&E departmentsUniversity Hospital of North Durham7.6 mi
Darlington Memorial Hospital9.8 mi
The James Cook University Hospital17.4 mi
Hospital waitsCounty Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust1.3 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.8%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.1%
Nearest GP surgerySt. Andrew's Medical Practice1.7 mi
GP capacity1,823 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
49
Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
76.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
76.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 32 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
54
Employment rate59.4%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.4%Unemployed1.7%Retired27%Student2.7%Other inactive9.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial38.8%Skilled & technical35.4%Routine & elementary25.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.9%Level 3 (A levels)22.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)30.9%Apprenticeship6.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership78.1%
Among the least-deprived 38% of areas in England
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
53
Bishop Auckland 3.5 mi
Shildon 3.8 mi
Newton Aycliffe 4.3 mi
J60 A1(M) 3.7 mi
J60 A1(M) 3.8 mi
J61 A1(M) 4.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
27
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

Places like Kirk Merrington 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 Kirk Merrington, but with a higher score in …

ProSimilar settlements is a Pro featureUpgrade to Pro

House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Kirk Merrington 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

Coundon and Leeholme 40 1.6 mi away ⇄
Chilton (County Durham) 36 1.7 mi away ⇄
Spennymoor 46 1.7 mi away ⇄
Ferryhill 42 2.0 mi away ⇄
Byers Green 43 2.9 mi away ⇄
Eldon Lane and Coundon Grange 43 2.9 mi away ⇄
Cornforth 46 3.6 mi away ⇄
Croxdale 26 3.7 mi away ⇄
Shildon 45 3.7 mi away ⇄
Bishop Auckland 50 4.0 mi away ⇄
Newton Aycliffe 46 4.3 mi away ⇄
Bishop Middleham 41 4.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Kirk Merrington a nice place to live?

Kirk Merrington is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Kirk Merrington is 51/100, 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 Kirk Merrington?

Kirk Merrington is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 84 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Kirk Merrington?

Among the top-rated schools in Kirk Merrington is Kirk Merrington Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Kirk Merrington in total.

Kirk Merrington in context

See the best places to live in County Durham, ranked

Postcode districts in Kirk Merrington

DL16 46 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

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

Score my postcode