Town Pop. 25,232

Living in Newton Aycliffe: Liveability Score 46/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Newton Aycliffe is 46/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 61/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 30/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That is the highest score of the 6 places in the DL17 postcode district. Against the wider DL17 district average of 36/100, that is 10 points above. Its transport score runs 11 points above the DL17 district's 50/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: DL17 postcode district.

46
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.

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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.

Newton Aycliffe scores 46 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Newton Aycliffe.
Or compare:
DL17 0AA DL17 8AA DL17 9AA DL17 DL5

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
30
141.8 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 1,317 crimes
↑ 57% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 754 crimes
↑ 97% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 368 crimes
↑ 115% above national average
Shoplifting 284 crimes
↑ 45% above national average
Public order 241 crimes
↑ 48% above national average
other 615 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 250 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 197 crimes
  3. 3 Petrol Station 118 crimes

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

Environment
60
Air Quality NO₂ 6.8 · PM2.5 5.6 · PM10 9.2 µg/m³
76
Green Space 21
Parks Ample 20
Sports Pitches Ample 16
Allotments Adequate 2
Golf Courses Ample 3
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Ample 24

Services

Schools
47
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 13 in area · 14 within 4km
1Outstanding7Good2Requires Improvement3Ungraded
  • Sugar Hill Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Outstanding
  • Byerley Park Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • St Francis Horndale CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Stephenson Way Academy and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • UTC South DurhamSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Walworth SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Woodham AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Greenfield AcademySecondary · inspected 2019
    Requires Improvement
  • Woodham Burn Community Primary School and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2021
    Requires Improvement

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
51
A&E departmentsDarlington Memorial Hospital3.9 mi
University Hospital of North Durham10.2 mi
The James Cook University Hospital14.2 mi
Hospital waitsSouth Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks65.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs77.8%
3 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity3,881 patients per GP
2dentists6pharmacies

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
54
Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
89.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
88.1%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 563 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
36
Employment rate53.3%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed53.3%Unemployed2.9%Retired26.8%Student4%Other inactive13.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial33.3%Skilled & technical31.1%Routine & elementary35.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications19.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.2%Level 3 (A levels)19.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)26.3%Apprenticeship6.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership62.5%
Among the most-deprived 37% 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 C
Water Northumbrian Water
Average bill regional £435/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
61
Newton Aycliffe 0.6 mi
Heighington 1.3 mi
Shildon 2.6 mi
J59 A1(M) 2.1 mi
J59 A1(M) 2.4 mi
J60 A1(M) 3.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
32
Pubs & Bars Ample 12
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 9
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 11
Retail Shopping Adequate 19
Takeaways Some 3
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £155,050 136
Detached £230,000 49
Semi-detached £148,000 42
Terraced £106,500 44
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£82k £151k £222k £291k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

School Aycliffe 38 1.2 mi away ⇄
Heighington 43 2.2 mi away ⇄
Shildon 45 2.8 mi away ⇄
Chilton (County Durham) 36 3.3 mi away ⇄
Eldon Lane and Coundon Grange 43 3.6 mi away ⇄
Coundon and Leeholme 40 3.9 mi away ⇄
Beaumont Hill 39 4.0 mi away ⇄
Kirk Merrington 51 4.3 mi away ⇄
Bishop Auckland 50 5.0 mi away ⇄
Ferryhill 42 5.0 mi away ⇄
Bishop Middleham 41 5.5 mi away ⇄
Sedgefield 49 5.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Newton Aycliffe a nice place to live?

Newton Aycliffe has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Newton Aycliffe is 46/100, 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 Newton Aycliffe?

Newton Aycliffe has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 30/100. There were 3,579 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Newton Aycliffe?

Among the top-rated schools in Newton Aycliffe are Sugar Hill Primary School, Byerley Park Primary School and St Francis Horndale CofE Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 13 rated schools in Newton Aycliffe in total.

What are house prices like in Newton Aycliffe?

The current median house price in Newton Aycliffe is £155,050, around 46% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £230,000, semi-detached £148,000, terraced £106,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 16%. There were 136 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Newton Aycliffe in context

See where Newton Aycliffe ranks among the best places to live in County Durham

Postcode districts in Newton Aycliffe

DL17 36 ⇄
DL5 46 ⇄

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