Town Pop. 1,086

Living in Penshaw: Liveability Score 57/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Penshaw is 57/100, built from 9 categories. Transport is where Penshaw most outperforms the national norm: 63/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 46/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Among the 6 scored places sharing the DH4 postcode district, Penshaw ranks 2nd. That puts Penshaw in the top quarter of the UK towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: DH4 postcode district.

57
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.

Penshaw scores 57 but individual postcodes tell the full story

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

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
46
134.4 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Shoplifting 32 crimes
↑ 278% above national average
Violence and sexual offences 31 crimes
↓ 14% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 29 crimes
↑ 76% above national average
Vehicle crime 12 crimes
↑ 129% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 10 crimes
↑ 35% above national average
other 32 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 52 crimes
  2. 2 Chandlers Ford 20 crimes
  3. 3 Coxgreen Road 11 crimes

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

Environment
70
Air Quality NO₂ 7.945 · PM2.5 5.779 · PM10 9.628 µg/m³
75
Green Space 59
Parks Ample 7
Sports Pitches None
Allotments Adequate 2
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
56
5 schools in area · 29 within 4km
1Outstanding3Good1Ungraded
  • Barnwell AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Fatfield AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • New Penshaw AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College, WashingtonSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, PenshawPrimary · inspected 2025
    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
58
A&E departmentsSunderland Primary care Trust4.1 mi
Queen Elizabeth Hospital4.8 mi
University Hospital of North Durham6.8 mi
Hospital waitsSouth Tyneside And Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust1.6 mi
Routine referral (median)8 wks
Treated within 18 weeks76.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs77.7%
Nearest GP surgeryHarraton Surgery0.9 mi
GP capacity1,603 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
54
Full fibre (FTTP)71.6%
available across Sunderland
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
90.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
90.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
91.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 21 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
74
Employment rate62.9%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed62.9%Unemployed2.1%Retired24.7%Student4.2%Other inactive6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial47.1%Skilled & technical32.5%Routine & elementary20.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.1%Level 3 (A levels)18.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)38.9%Apprenticeship6%Other (incl. vocational)2.1%
Home ownership84.1%
Among the least-deprived 24% 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
63
Chester-le-Street 3.1 mi
South Hylton 3.1 mi
Pallion 4.5 mi
J64 A1(M) 1.9 mi
J64 A1(M) 2.2 mi
J63 A1(M) 2.2 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
35
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £203,500 10

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

Nearby places

Shiney Row and Penshaw 61 1.2 mi away ⇄
Bournmoor 51 1.6 mi away ⇄
Washington 62 1.7 mi away ⇄
Fence Houses 56 2.3 mi away ⇄
Birtley 52 2.9 mi away ⇄
Houghton-le-Spring 53 2.9 mi away ⇄
Great Lumley 60 3.0 mi away ⇄
Chester-le-Street 62 3.0 mi away ⇄
Springwell 70 3.3 mi away ⇄
Pelton and Ouston 56 3.7 mi away ⇄
Urpeth 55 3.9 mi away ⇄
East Rainton 57 3.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Penshaw a nice place to live?

Penshaw is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Penshaw is 57/100, 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 Penshaw?

Penshaw has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 46/100. There were 146 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Penshaw?

Among the top-rated schools in Penshaw are Barnwell Academy, Fatfield Academy and New Penshaw Academy, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 5 rated schools in Penshaw in total.

What are house prices like in Penshaw?

The current median house price in Penshaw is £203,500, around 29% below the England and Wales average.

Penshaw in context

See the best places to live in Tyne and Wear, ranked

Postcode districts in Penshaw

DH4 53 ⇄

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