Town Pop. 9,825

Living in Shildon: Liveability Score 45/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Shildon is 45/100, built from 9 categories. Transport is where Shildon most outperforms the national norm: 65/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 14/100 versus a median of 88/100.

The DL4 district averages 40/100, putting Shildon 5 points above its own postcode area. Also scoring 80 or better: broadband (91). On the national picture that lands Shildon in the middle half of all the places we score. For the surrounding area, see DL4 postcode district.

45
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.

Shildon scores 45 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Shildon.
Or compare:
DL4 1AA DL4 2AA DL4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
14
190.7 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 599 crimes
↑ 83% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 400 crimes
↑ 168% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 273 crimes
↑ 309% above national average
Burglary 122 crimes
↑ 254% above national average
Shoplifting 107 crimes
↑ 40% above national average
other 373 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 138 crimes
  2. 2 Dent Street 47 crimes
  3. 3 Firtree 45 crimes

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

Environment
60
Air Quality NO₂ 5.1 · PM2.5 5.3 · PM10 9 µg/m³
78
Green Space 17
Parks Adequate 4
Sports Pitches Ample 8
Allotments Adequate 2
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
49
4 schools in area · 22 within 4km
1Outstanding3Good
  • Thornhill Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Prince Bishops Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St John's Church of England Aided Primary School, ShildonPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Timothy Hackworth Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
43
A&E departmentsDarlington Memorial Hospital6.5 mi
University Hospital of North Durham10.5 mi
The James Cook University Hospital17.3 mi
Hospital waitsSouth Tyneside And Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)8 wks
Treated within 18 weeks76.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs77.7%
1 GP surgery in area 4 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity3,218 patients per GP
1dentist4pharmacies

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
91
Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
97.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
97.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.5%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 273 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
14
Employment rate48.8%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed48.8%Unemployed4%Retired24.7%Student3.7%Other inactive18.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial22.6%Skilled & technical31.7%Routine & elementary45.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications26.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.1%Level 3 (A levels)18.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)18.7%Apprenticeship8.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership53.9%
Among the most-deprived 12% 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 D
Water Northumbrian Water
Average bill regional £435/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
65
Shildon 0.3 mi
Newton Aycliffe 2.4 mi
Bishop Auckland 2.4 mi
J59 A1(M) 4.5 mi
J59 A1(M) 4.6 mi
J58 A1(M) 5.3 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
34
Pubs & Bars Adequate 5
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 6
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 10
Retail Shopping Adequate 7
Takeaways Ample 14
Fitness Adequate 2

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £75,000 72
Semi-detached £93,250 16
Terraced £67,000 47
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£57k £114k £173k £230k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Eldon Lane and Coundon Grange 43 1.2 mi away ⇄
Bishop Auckland 50 2.2 mi away ⇄
School Aycliffe 38 2.3 mi away ⇄
Coundon and Leeholme 40 2.4 mi away ⇄
Heighington 43 2.5 mi away ⇄
Newton Aycliffe 46 2.8 mi away ⇄
West Auckland 39 3.1 mi away ⇄
Kirk Merrington 51 3.7 mi away ⇄
Chilton (County Durham) 36 4.0 mi away ⇄
Witton Park 47 4.3 mi away ⇄
Toft Hill and High Etherley 48 4.5 mi away ⇄
Evenwood 40 4.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Shildon a nice place to live?

Shildon has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Shildon is 45/100, 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 Shildon?

Crime levels in Shildon are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 14/100. There were 1,874 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Shildon?

Among the top-rated schools in Shildon are Thornhill Primary School, Prince Bishops Community Primary School and St John's Church of England Aided Primary School, Shildon, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Shildon in total.

What are house prices like in Shildon?

The current median house price in Shildon is £75,000, around 74% below the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £93,250, terraced £67,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 19%. There were 72 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Shildon in context

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

Postcode districts in Shildon

DL4 40 ⇄

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