Town Pop. 21,218

Living in Peterlee: Liveability Score 48/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Peterlee is 48/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 67/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 20/100 versus a median of 88/100.

Among the 16 scored places sharing the DH6 postcode district, Peterlee ranks 3rd. Against the wider DH6 district average of 37/100, that is 11 points above. On transport specifically, Peterlee sits 25 points above the DH6 district figure of 42/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: DH6 postcode district.

48
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.

Peterlee scores 48 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Peterlee.
Or compare:
DH6 1AA DH6 2AA DH6 3AA DH6 4AA DH6 5AA DH6 SR8

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
20
176.5 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 1,402 crimes
↑ 98% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 655 crimes
↑ 103% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 516 crimes
↑ 257% above national average
Shoplifting 375 crimes
↑ 127% above national average
Public order 218 crimes
↑ 58% above national average
other 578 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Shopping Area 291 crimes
  2. 2 Malvern Close 92 crimes
  3. 3 Medway Close 85 crimes

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

Environment
60
Air Quality NO₂ 6.6 · PM2.5 5.5 · PM10 10 µg/m³
76
Green Space 21
Parks Ample 7
Sports Pitches Ample 16
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 4
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 9

Services

Schools
66
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 18 in area · 26 within 4km
2Outstanding15Good1Ungraded
  • Horden Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • The Academy at Shotton HallSecondary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Acre Rigg AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Acre Rigg Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Cotsford Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Dene AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Dene House Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Easington AcademySecondary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Endeavour Academy DurhamAlternative provision · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Howletch Lane Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good

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
50
A&E departmentsUniversity Hospital of North Durham8.7 mi
Sunderland Primary care Trust11 mi
South Tyneside District Hospital13.8 mi
Hospital waitsCounty Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.8%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.1%
1 GP surgery in area 6 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,572 patients per GP
3dentists6pharmacies

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
58
Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 447 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
21
Employment rate49.7%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed49.7%Unemployed3.7%Retired23.3%Student4.9%Other inactive18.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial26.9%Skilled & technical32.7%Routine & elementary40.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications24.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.6%Level 3 (A levels)18.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)20.4%Apprenticeship6%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership57.7%
Among the most-deprived 22% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
39
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 Yorkshire Water
Average bill regional £437/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
67
Horden 1.7 mi
Seaham 5.5 mi
Hartlepool 7.6 mi
J61 A1(M) 7 mi
J61 A1(M) 7.3 mi
J62 A1(M) 7.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
42
Pubs & Bars Adequate 4
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 11
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 9
Retail Shopping Ample 82
Takeaways Adequate 10
Fitness Ample 7

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £104,475 88
Detached £278,750 18
Semi-detached £117,000 34
Terraced £81,500 34
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£72k £141k £212k £282k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Horden 52 1.4 mi away ⇄
Shotton Colliery 37 1.6 mi away ⇄
Easington (County Durham) 37 1.8 mi away ⇄
Wingate 36 2.3 mi away ⇄
Blackhall Colliery 40 2.7 mi away ⇄
Wheatley Hill 38 3.0 mi away ⇄
Haswell 30 3.1 mi away ⇄
South Hetton 39 3.6 mi away ⇄
Thornley 40 3.6 mi away ⇄
Trimdon Colliery 33 3.7 mi away ⇄
Blackhall Rocks 31 4.1 mi away ⇄
Murton (County Durham) 42 4.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Peterlee a nice place to live?

Peterlee has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Peterlee is 48/100, 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 Peterlee?

Crime levels in Peterlee are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 20/100. There were 3,744 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Peterlee?

Among the top-rated schools in Peterlee are Horden Nursery School and The Academy at Shotton Hall, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 18 rated schools in Peterlee in total.

What are house prices like in Peterlee?

The current median house price in Peterlee is £104,475, around 63% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £278,750, semi-detached £117,000, terraced £81,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 3%. There were 88 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Peterlee in context

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

Postcode districts in Peterlee

DH6 37 ⇄
SR8 48 ⇄

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