Town Pop. 13,372

Living in Spennymoor: Liveability Score 46/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Spennymoor comes out at 46/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Transport is where Spennymoor most outperforms the national norm: 57/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 26/100 versus a median of 88/100.

That makes it the 4th highest-scoring of the 16 places in the DH6 postcode district. Against the wider DH6 district average of 37/100, that is 9 points above. On transport specifically, Spennymoor sits 15 points above the DH6 district figure of 42/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: DH6 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.

Spennymoor scores 46 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Spennymoor.
Or compare:
DH6 1AA DH6 2AA DH6 3AA DH6 4AA DH6 5AA DH6 DL16 DL17

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
26
156.8 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 702 crimes
↑ 58% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 473 crimes
↑ 133% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 255 crimes
↑ 181% above national average
Public order 153 crimes
↑ 75% above national average
Shoplifting 139 crimes
↑ 33% above national average
other 375 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 144 crimes
  2. 2 Durham Service Area 93 crimes
  3. 3 Cheapside 87 crimes

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

Environment
59
Air Quality NO₂ 5.7 · PM2.5 5.5 · PM10 9.8 µg/m³
77
Green Space 16
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches Ample 11
Allotments Ample 10
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 17

Services

Schools
54
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 11 in area · 17 within 4km
1Outstanding8Good1Requires Improvement1Ungraded
  • The Oaks Secondary SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • King Street Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Middlestone Moor AcademyPrimary · inspected 2020
    Good
  • North Park Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Rosa Street Primary and Nursery AcademyPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Springmoor Grange SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Charles' Catholic Primary School, TudhoePrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Tudhoe Moor Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Whitworth Park AcademySecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • The Meadows AcademySpecial · inspected 2023
    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
42
A&E departmentsUniversity Hospital of North Durham4.7 mi
Darlington Memorial Hospital10.9 mi
Queen Elizabeth Hospital15.1 mi
Hospital waitsCounty Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.8%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.1%
2 GP surgeries in area 3 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,823 patients per GP
2dentists4pharmacies

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
70
Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
95.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
95.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.4%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 456 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
38
Employment rate53.3%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed53.3%Unemployed2.6%Retired28%Student3.5%Other inactive12.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial31.6%Skilled & technical32%Routine & elementary36.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.1%Level 3 (A levels)19.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)26.2%Apprenticeship6.7%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership64.7%
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
57
Bishop Auckland 4.4 mi
Shildon 5.4 mi
Durham 5.5 mi
J61 A1(M) 3.5 mi
J61 A1(M) 4 mi
J60 A1(M) 4.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
41
Pubs & Bars Ample 19
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 12
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 15
Retail Shopping Ample 73
Takeaways Ample 24
Fitness Ample 8

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £139,972 142
Detached £240,000 37
Semi-detached £136,475 44
Terraced £103,500 58
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£81k £136k £193k £248k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Kirk Merrington 51 1.7 mi away ⇄
Croxdale 26 2.0 mi away ⇄
Ferryhill 42 2.2 mi away ⇄
Byers Green 43 2.2 mi away ⇄
Coundon and Leeholme 40 2.9 mi away ⇄
Chilton (County Durham) 36 3.0 mi away ⇄
Cornforth 46 3.3 mi away ⇄
Willington (County Durham) 43 3.6 mi away ⇄
Brandon (County Durham) 43 3.6 mi away ⇄
Bowburn 41 3.7 mi away ⇄
Coxhoe 46 3.9 mi away ⇄
Eldon Lane and Coundon Grange 43 4.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Spennymoor a nice place to live?

Spennymoor has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Spennymoor 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 Spennymoor?

Crime levels in Spennymoor are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 26/100. There were 2,097 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Spennymoor?

Among the top-rated schools in Spennymoor are The Oaks Secondary School, King Street Primary School and Middlestone Moor Academy, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 11 rated schools in Spennymoor in total.

What are house prices like in Spennymoor?

The current median house price in Spennymoor is £139,972, around 51% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £240,000, semi-detached £136,475, terraced £103,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 3%. There were 142 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Spennymoor in context

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

Postcode districts in Spennymoor

DH6 37 ⇄
DL16 46 ⇄
DL17 36 ⇄

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