City Pop. 272,074

Living in Newcastle upon Tyne: Liveability Score 66/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Newcastle upon Tyne is 66/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 91/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Safety falls furthest short: 23/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That sits 16 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Also scoring 80 or better: healthcare (83) and lifestyle (81). Wider context for the surrounding area: NE1 postcode district.

66
OUT OF 100
Good
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.

Newcastle upon Tyne scores 66 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Newcastle upon Tyne.
Or compare:
NE1 1AD NE1 2AB NE1 3AA NE1 4AD NE1 5AB NE1 6AE NE1 7AE NE1 8AA NE1 NE12 NE13 NE15

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
23
136 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 11,213 crimes
↑ 24% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 7,212 crimes
↑ 74% above national average
Shoplifting 4,006 crimes
↑ 88% above national average
Public order 2,797 crimes
↑ 58% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 2,742 crimes
↑ 49% above national average
other 9,031 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 2,100 crimes
  2. 2 Shopping Area 1,972 crimes
  3. 3 Nightclub 1,004 crimes

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

Environment
72
Air Quality NO₂ 11.9 · PM2.5 6.2 · PM10 9.9 µg/m³
71
Green Space 77
Parks Ample 135
Sports Pitches Ample 211
Allotments Ample 52
Golf Courses Ample 4
Tennis Courts Ample 41
Bowling Greens Ample 24
Playgrounds Ample 120

Services

Schools
76
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 120 in area
10Outstanding81Good3Requires Improvement1Inadequate25Ungraded
  • Benton Dene Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Byker Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Outstanding
  • Hadrian SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Hilton Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2025
    Outstanding
  • Monkchester Road Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2025
    Outstanding
  • Newcastle Bridges SchoolAlternative provision · inspected 2022
    Outstanding
  • Sir Charles Parsons SchoolSpecial · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • St Mary's Catholic SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, HeatonPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Westgate Hill Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2021
    Outstanding

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare
83
A&E departmentsRoyal Victoria Infirmaryin area
Queen Elizabeth Hospital1.8 mi
Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital3.3 mi
Hospital waitsThe Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks72.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs78.5%
18 GP surgeries in area best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity2,339 patients per GP
39dentists40pharmacies

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
79
Full fibre (FTTP)88.9%
available across Newcastle upon Tyne
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
93%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
93.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.2%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 5,376 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
45
Employment rate50.6%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed50.6%Unemployed4.8%Retired17.9%Student12.9%Other inactive13.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial39.6%Skilled & technical29.7%Routine & elementary30.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications18.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)10.6%Level 3 (A levels)20.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)34.9%Apprenticeship4.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership49.9%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
40
Council tax Newcastle upon Tyne · 2026-27
A £1,695
B £1,977
C £2,260
D £2,542
E £3,107
F £3,672
G £4,237
H £5,084
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
91
West Jesmond 1 mi
Ilford Road 1.1 mi
Haymarket 1.2 mi
J3 A194(M) 5.7 mi
J2 A194(M) 5.7 mi
J2 A194(M) 5.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
81
Pubs & Bars Ample 247
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 491
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 250
Retail Shopping Ample 1316
Takeaways Ample 334
Fitness Ample 61

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £200,000 1,383
Detached £360,000 141
Semi-detached £220,000 432
Terraced £195,000 473
Flat / Maisonette £145,000 337
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£129k £208k £289k £368k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Longbenton 65 3.3 mi away ⇄
Blaydon 57 3.7 mi away ⇄
Gateshead 66 3.7 mi away ⇄
Callerton 51 3.7 mi away ⇄
Wideopen 65 3.8 mi away ⇄
Whickham 62 3.8 mi away ⇄
Woolsington 41 4.0 mi away ⇄
Killingworth 59 4.1 mi away ⇄
Newburn 49 4.1 mi away ⇄
Walbottle 56 4.1 mi away ⇄
Wallsend 63 4.6 mi away ⇄
Dinnington (Newcastle upon Tyne) 47 4.6 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Newcastle upon Tyne a nice place to live?

Yes, Newcastle upon Tyne is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Newcastle upon Tyne is 66/100, placing it among one of the better-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Newcastle upon Tyne?

Crime levels in Newcastle upon Tyne are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 23/100. There were 37,001 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Newcastle upon Tyne?

Among the top-rated schools in Newcastle upon Tyne are Benton Dene Primary School, Byker Primary School and Hadrian School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 120 rated schools in Newcastle upon Tyne in total.

What are house prices like in Newcastle upon Tyne?

The current median house price in Newcastle upon Tyne is £200,000, around 30% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £360,000, semi-detached £220,000, terraced £195,000, flat £145,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 12%. There were 1,383 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Newcastle upon Tyne in context

See where Newcastle upon Tyne ranks among the best places to live in Tyne and Wear

Postcode districts in Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 64 ⇄
NE12 66 ⇄
NE13 56 ⇄
NE15 59 ⇄
NE2 67 ⇄
NE28 63 ⇄
NE3 63 ⇄
NE4 66 ⇄
NE5 61 ⇄
NE6 67 ⇄
NE7 77 ⇄
NE88 67 ⇄
NE98 68 ⇄
NE99 61 ⇄

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