Town Pop. 6,763

Living in Pelton and Ouston: Liveability Score 56/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Pelton and Ouston comes out at 56/100 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. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 63/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That makes it the 3rd highest-scoring of the 8 places in the DH2 postcode district. Its broadband score runs 37 points above the DH2 district's 62/100. On the national picture that lands Pelton and Ouston in the top quarter of all the places we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the DH2 postcode district.

56
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.

Pelton and Ouston scores 56 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Pelton and Ouston.
Or compare:
DH2 1AB DH2 2AA DH2 3AA DH2

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
63
122 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 304 crimes
↑ 35% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 194 crimes
↑ 89% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 115 crimes
↑ 150% above national average
Public order 38 crimes
↓ 14% below national average
Other theft 37 crimes
↓ 11% below national average
other 137 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 46 crimes
  2. 2 Hylton Terrace 41 crimes
  3. 3 Petrol Station 41 crimes

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

Environment
64
Air Quality NO₂ 7.5 · PM2.5 5.9 · PM10 9.7 µg/m³
75
Green Space 38
Parks Adequate 4
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Adequate 4

Services

Schools
38
4 schools in area · 23 within 4km
2Good2Ungraded
  • Ouston Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Roseberry Primary and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Pelton Community Primary SchoolPrimary
    Ungraded
  • St Benet's Catholic Primary School, OustonPrimary · 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
49
A&E departmentsQueen Elizabeth Hospital3.5 mi
University Hospital of North Durham5.6 mi
Royal Victoria Infirmary6.3 mi
Hospital waitsCounty Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.8%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.1%
1 GP surgery in area 7 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,625 patients per GP
1dentist1pharmacy

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)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.2%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 138 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
50
Employment rate57.7%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.7%Unemployed2.6%Retired25.9%Student3.2%Other inactive10.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial34%Skilled & technical34.9%Routine & elementary31.1%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications18%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.1%Level 3 (A levels)19.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)26.4%Apprenticeship7.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership71.1%
Around the England average for deprivation
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
55
Chester-le-Street 1.9 mi
Dunston 5.2 mi
Felling 5.4 mi
J63 A1(M) 1.5 mi
J64 A1(M) 1.8 mi
J63 A1(M) 2 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
40
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 5
Retail Shopping Adequate 6
Takeaways Adequate 6
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £167,000 51
Detached £313,050 16
Semi-detached £166,000 18
Terraced £111,500 15
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£87k £162k £240k £316k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Urpeth 55 0.6 mi away ⇄
Newfield 59 1.0 mi away ⇄
Whitehill (County Durham) 53 1.4 mi away ⇄
West Pelton 51 1.6 mi away ⇄
Chester-le-Street 62 1.6 mi away ⇄
Birtley 52 1.7 mi away ⇄
Kibblesworth 36 1.9 mi away ⇄
Beamish 42 2.2 mi away ⇄
Craghead 45 3.1 mi away ⇄
Stanley (County Durham) 49 3.5 mi away ⇄
Springwell 70 3.6 mi away ⇄
Washington 62 3.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Pelton and Ouston a nice place to live?

Pelton and Ouston is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Pelton and Ouston is 56/100, 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 Pelton and Ouston?

Pelton and Ouston has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 63/100. There were 825 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Pelton and Ouston?

Among the top-rated schools in Pelton and Ouston are Ouston Primary School and Roseberry Primary and Nursery School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Pelton and Ouston in total.

What are house prices like in Pelton and Ouston?

The current median house price in Pelton and Ouston is £167,000, around 41% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £313,050, semi-detached £166,000, terraced £111,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 18%. There were 51 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Pelton and Ouston in context

See where Pelton and Ouston ranks among the best places to live in County Durham

Postcode districts in Pelton and Ouston

DH2 54 ⇄

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