Town Pop. 15,005

Living in Whickham: Liveability Score 62/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Whickham scores 62/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 77/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Safety falls furthest short: 41/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

No other settlement in the NE16 postcode district scores higher. Whickham leads all 5. Against the wider NE16 district average of 53/100, that is 9 points above. On transport specifically, Whickham sits 9 points above the NE16 district figure of 68/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: NE16 postcode district.

62
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.

Whickham scores 62 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Whickham.
Or compare:
NE16 3AA NE16 4AB NE16 5AA NE16 6AA NE16 9AF NE16

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
41
120.9 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 468 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Shoplifting 399 crimes
↑ 241% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 254 crimes
↑ 11% above national average
Public order 160 crimes
↑ 65% above national average
Other theft 121 crimes
↑ 31% above national average
other 412 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Shopping Area 266 crimes
  2. 2 Theme/Adventure Park 126 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 112 crimes

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

Environment
73
Air Quality NO₂ 8.1 · PM2.5 5.6 · PM10 8.6 µg/m³
76
Green Space 69
Parks Ample 9
Sports Pitches Ample 16
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 7

Services

Schools
69
10 schools in area · 33 within 4km
1Outstanding9Good
  • Front Street Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Clover Hill Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Dunston Hill Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Fellside Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Kingsmeadow Community SchoolSecondary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • St Mary's Catholic Primary School, WhickhamPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Swalwell Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Washingwell Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Whickham Parochial Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Whickham SchoolSecondary · inspected 2025
    Good

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

Healthcare
56
A&E departmentsRoyal Victoria Infirmary2.6 mi
Queen Elizabeth Hospital3.3 mi
Sunderland Primary care Trust8.6 mi
Hospital waitsThe Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks72.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs78.5%
1 GP surgery in area 10 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,976 patients per GP
2dentists3pharmacies

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
87
Full fibre (FTTP)73.3%
available across Gateshead
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
95.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
95.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 418 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
61
Employment rate52.5%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed52.5%Unemployed2.8%Retired32.7%Student3.2%Other inactive8.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial41.9%Skilled & technical32.1%Routine & elementary25.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.9%Level 3 (A levels)16.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)32.5%Apprenticeship7.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership74.3%
Among the least-deprived 33% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
31
Council tax Gateshead · 2026-27
A £1,811
B £2,112
C £2,414
D £2,716
E £3,320
F £3,923
G £4,527
H £5,432
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
77
MetroCentre 1.3 mi
Dunston 1.7 mi
Blaydon 2 mi
J65 A1(M) 5.2 mi
J1 A194(M) 5.7 mi
J65 A1(M) 5.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
66
Pubs & Bars Ample 13
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 13
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 11
Retail Shopping Ample 66
Takeaways Ample 15
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £195,000 101
Detached £385,000 21
Semi-detached £190,000 29
Terraced £177,500 40
Flat / Maisonette £96,000 11
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£84k £199k £318k £434k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Sunniside 42 1.3 mi away ⇄
Blaydon 57 1.5 mi away ⇄
Rowlands Gill 53 3.2 mi away ⇄
Burnopfield 53 3.4 mi away ⇄
Newburn 49 3.5 mi away ⇄
Ryton 57 3.5 mi away ⇄
Gateshead 66 3.6 mi away ⇄
Kibblesworth 36 3.7 mi away ⇄
Hobson 52 3.7 mi away ⇄
Newcastle upon Tyne 66 3.8 mi away ⇄
High Spen 48 4.1 mi away ⇄
Beamish 42 4.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Whickham a nice place to live?

Whickham is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Whickham is 62/100, 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 Whickham?

Whickham has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 41/100. There were 1,814 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Whickham?

Among the top-rated schools in Whickham are Front Street Community Primary School, Clover Hill Community Primary School and Dunston Hill Community Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 10 rated schools in Whickham in total.

What are house prices like in Whickham?

The current median house price in Whickham is £195,000, around 32% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £385,000, semi-detached £190,000, terraced £177,500, flat £96,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 8%. There were 101 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Whickham in context

See where Whickham ranks among the best places to live in Tyne and Wear

Postcode districts in Whickham

NE16 53 ⇄

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