Town Pop. 1,398

Living in Toft Hill and High Etherley: Liveability Score 48/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Toft Hill and High Etherley is 48/100, built from 9 categories. Broadband is where Toft Hill and High Etherley most outperforms the national norm: 95/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. Economic health falls furthest short: 50/100 where the typical UK town reaches 67/100.

Among the 8 scored places sharing the DL14 postcode district, Toft Hill and High Etherley ranks 2nd. Its broadband score runs 41 points above the DL14 district's 54/100. Safety (81) also clears 80/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the DL14 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.

Toft Hill and High Etherley scores 48 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Toft Hill and High Etherley.
Or compare:
DL14 0AA DL14 4BB DL14 6AA DL14 7AB DL14 8AA DL14 9AA DL14

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
81
145.2 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 59 crimes
↑ 27% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 44 crimes
↑ 107% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 30 crimes
↑ 216% above national average
Burglary 17 crimes
↑ 249% above national average
Vehicle crime 16 crimes
↑ 138% above national average
other 37 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Etherley Bank 24 crimes
  2. 2 Main Street 16 crimes
  3. 3 New Road 12 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 3.7 · PM2.5 5.1 · PM10 8.6 µg/m³
80
Green Space 8
Parks None
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 2

Services

Schools
28
2 schools in area · 11 within 4km
1Good1Ungraded
  • St Chad's Catholic Primary School, Witton ParkPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Toft Hill Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    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
12
A&E departmentsDarlington Memorial Hospital10.7 mi
University Hospital of North Durham10.7 mi
Queen Elizabeth Hospital20.5 mi
Hospital waitsNorth Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks70.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs86.2%
Nearest GP surgeryEvenwood Medical Practice2.1 mi
GP capacity3,087 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
95
Full fibre (FTTP)82.9%
available across County Durham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
95.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
95.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 49 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
50
Employment rate56.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.1%Unemployed1.9%Retired29.1%Student2.8%Other inactive10.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial35.1%Skilled & technical34.6%Routine & elementary30.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications20.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.2%Level 3 (A levels)19.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.8%Apprenticeship7.1%Other (incl. vocational)2.2%
Home ownership79.5%
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
50
Bishop Auckland 2.9 mi
Shildon 4.8 mi
Newton Aycliffe 6.9 mi
J59 A1(M) 8.8 mi
J59 A1(M) 8.9 mi
J58 A1(M) 9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
21
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
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 £136,500 16
Terraced £122,500 10
5-year monthly trend
All Terraced
£79k £121k £164k £206k 2022 2023 2024 2025

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

Nearby places

Witton Park 47 1.2 mi away ⇄
West Auckland 39 1.8 mi away ⇄
Witton-le-Wear 35 2.1 mi away ⇄
Evenwood 40 2.1 mi away ⇄
Bishop Auckland 50 2.6 mi away ⇄
Hunwick 42 3.1 mi away ⇄
Hamsterley 33 3.3 mi away ⇄
Cockfield 47 3.5 mi away ⇄
Eldon Lane and Coundon Grange 43 4.0 mi away ⇄
Crook 41 4.3 mi away ⇄
Shildon 45 4.5 mi away ⇄
Willington (County Durham) 43 4.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Toft Hill and High Etherley a nice place to live?

Toft Hill and High Etherley has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Toft Hill and High Etherley 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 Toft Hill and High Etherley?

Toft Hill and High Etherley is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 81/100. There were 203 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Toft Hill and High Etherley?

Among the top-rated schools in Toft Hill and High Etherley is St Chad's Catholic Primary School, Witton Park, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Toft Hill and High Etherley in total.

What are house prices like in Toft Hill and High Etherley?

The current median house price in Toft Hill and High Etherley is £136,500, around 52% below the England and Wales average. By property type: terraced £122,500. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 25%.

Toft Hill and High Etherley in context

See the best places to live in County Durham, ranked

Postcode districts in Toft Hill and High Etherley

DL14 44 ⇄

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