City Pop. 164,008

Living in Sunderland: Liveability Score 63/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Sunderland comes out at 63/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is transport: 87/100 against a national town median of 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 25/100 against a town median of 88/100.

On transport specifically, Sunderland sits 9 points below the SR1 district figure of 96/100. That sits 13 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Healthcare (81) and broadband (81) sit at 80/100 or above. Wider context for the surrounding area: SR1 postcode district.

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.

Sunderland scores 63 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Sunderland.

Or compare:

SR1 1AE SR1 2AD SR1 3AA SR1 SR2 SR3 SR4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

123.5 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 6,772 crimes

↑ 24% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 3,337 crimes

↑ 34% above national average

Shoplifting 2,285 crimes

↑ 78% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 1,883 crimes

↑ 69% above national average

Public order 1,481 crimes

↑ 38% above national average

other 4,504 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Parking Area 558 crimes
2 Shopping Area 484 crimes
3 Supermarket 397 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 9.8 · PM2.5 6 · PM10 10 µg/m³

Green Space 33

Parks Ample 37

Sports Pitches Ample 109

Allotments Ample 22

Golf Courses Ample 3

Tennis Courts Ample 17

Bowling Greens Ample 20

Playgrounds Ample 53

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 72 in area

7Outstanding56Good1Requires Improvement8Ungraded

Bexhill AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
Outstanding
Fulwell Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
Outstanding
Harry Watts AcademySpecial · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Hylton Red House Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2022
Outstanding
Mill Hill Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Pennywell Early Years CentreNursery · inspected 2025
Outstanding
Sunningdale SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Academy 360Secondary · inspected 2022
Good
Barbara Priestman AcademySpecial · inspected 2024
Good
Barnes Infant AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare

A&E departmentsSunderland Primary care Trustin area

South Tyneside District Hospital2.6 mi

Queen Elizabeth Hospital4.1 mi

Hospital waitsSouth Tyneside And Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi

Routine referral (median)8 wks

Treated within 18 weeks76.6%

A&E seen within 4 hrs77.7%

24 GP surgeries in area best 'Outstanding'

GP capacity1,746 patients per GP

24dentists39pharmacies

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

Full fibre (FTTP)71.6%

available across Sunderland

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

95.3%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

95.4%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.1%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 3,944 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate51%

Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed51%Unemployed4.1%Retired24%Student5.2%Other inactive15.7%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial29.9%Skilled & technical32.4%Routine & elementary37.6%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications23.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.3%Level 3 (A levels)16.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)25%Apprenticeship7.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%

Home ownership56.2%

Among the most-deprived 29% of areas in England

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

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 Yorkshire Water

Average bill regional £437/yr

Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Millfield 0.6 mi

University 0.7 mi

Park Lane 1 mi

J2 A194(M) 5.3 mi

J3 A194(M) 5.3 mi

J2 A194(M) 5.4 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 110

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 107

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 86

Retail Shopping Ample 429

Takeaways Ample 95

Fitness Ample 23

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£143,250	828
Detached	£270,000	99
Semi-detached	£155,000	330
Terraced	£130,000	327
Flat / Maisonette	£70,250	72

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Sunderland a nice place to live?

Sunderland is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Sunderland is 63/100, 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 Sunderland?

Crime levels in Sunderland are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 25/100. There were 20,262 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Sunderland?

Among the top-rated schools in Sunderland are Bexhill Academy, Fulwell Junior School and Harry Watts Academy, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 72 rated schools in Sunderland in total.

What are house prices like in Sunderland?

The current median house price in Sunderland is £143,250, around 50% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £270,000, semi-detached £155,000, terraced £130,000, flat £70,250. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 2%. There were 828 sales recorded in the past 12 months.