AREA DECISION REPORT
County Durham area decision report
Balanced shortlist area
Median affordability sits at 4.3x in 2025, which reads as accessible. Gigabit availability is 66.3% with median download at Unavailable. 4G strong coverage reaches 98.7% and 5G reaches 13.4% in the current area summary. Nearby planning activity is quiet in the current area radius. 3 featured postcodes are ready for deeper due-diligence follow-up.
Live across price, affordability, connectivity, planning, and postcode follow-up | Sold prices through 30 Jun 2026 · Affordability year 2025 · Broadband source year 2024 · Mobile source year 2025
- Median sold price, last 5 years £119,950Based on 51,248 sales · Latest sale in data: 30 Jun 2026
- Affordability AccessibleMedian ratio 4.3x in 2025
- Gigabit availability 66.3%Ofcom source year 2024
- 4G strong coverage 98.7%Area-level mobile source year 2025
- Nearby planning QuietCurrent applications plus recent decisions linked to the area radius
Area summary
Use this summary to decide whether this shortlist survives, then move into postcode-level due diligence where the evidence looks strongest.
Affordability and price
Accessible at 4.3xMedian house-price-to-earnings ratio is 4.3x in 2025, with a median house price of £143,000 and residence earnings of £33,436.
Broadband
Gigabit 66.3%Gigabit availability is 66.3%, with median download at Unavailable and below-USO share at 0.2%.
Mobile
4G 98.7% · 5G 13.4%4G strong-coverage share is 98.7%, with 5G at 13.4% in the current area-level summary.
Planning watch
No nearby matchesNo nearby planning rows matched County Durham in the current live coverage yet.
Schools
19 nearby school rows19 nearby school rows matched postcode area DH3 2EG for County Durham. Use the schools flow to compare them in more detail.
Transport
5,574 mapped stopsCounty Durham currently links 5,574 mapped transport stops, including 5,543 local bus or tram access points and 31 rail or metro stops. Where NaPTAN status is present, 4,819 stops are marked active and 755 inactive. Top localities include Chester-le-Street (169), Durham (167), Peterlee (158).
Local business
Score 100/100County Durham currently links 2,644 mapped local businesses across 8 tracked categories. Top amenity groups include 896 food and drink, 452 grocery, 421 nightlife. The current amenity availability signal scores 100/100.
Jobs
3,214 online job adverts observedCounty Durham local authority · May 2026. Same geography one year earlier: 3,761 online job adverts observed in May 2025.
Postcode follow-up
3 featured postcodes3 featured postcodes are ready for deeper due-diligence follow-up under County Durham.
Crime
Latest month 5,664County Durham recorded 5,664 crimes in Jun 2026. Rolling twelve month context shows 63,416, with a 7.4% rise against the prior twelve months and violence and sexual offences as the top recorded type. Durham Constabulary contributes the largest matched force share in the latest month.
Local business
This area-level OSM snapshot shows the amenity mix currently mapped around County Durham, so you can judge everyday convenience before you spend more time on postcode-level checks.
Amenity availability
Convenience score 100/100
Basis: nearest matching geography. Area local-business counts use postcode tags first and nearest-postcode fallback when the OSM record has no usable postcode tag.
Amenity group
Food and drink
896 mapped places currently map into this amenity group, led by fast food (473), cafe (250), restaurant (173).
Amenity group
Grocery
452 mapped places currently map into this amenity group, led by convenience (282), supermarket (82), butcher (40).
Amenity group
Nightlife
421 mapped places currently map into this amenity group, led by pub (367), bar (54).
Amenity group
Personal services
357 mapped places currently map into this amenity group, led by hairdresser (263), beauty (94).
Compare against another area
Keep at least one alternative area in view while you weigh cost, connectivity, planning pressure, and postcode follow-up coverage.
Featured area
Birmingham
Birmingham has 63,331 recorded sales with a median sold price of £220,400.
Open area researchFeatured area
Leeds
Leeds has 60,832 recorded sales with a median sold price of £225,000.
Open area researchFeatured area
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire has 59,996 recorded sales with a median sold price of £260,000.
Open area researchPostcodes worth checking next
These are the best current postcode follow-up routes from the live area brief, so use them to move from early shortlist thinking into deeper due diligence.
Featured postcode
DH3 2EG
DH3 2EG has 92 recorded sales with a median sold price of £279,995.
Open postcode researchFeatured postcode
DH7 9BZ
DH7 9BZ has 82 recorded sales with a median sold price of £250,750.
Open postcode researchFeatured postcode
DL14 9FH
DL14 9FH has 78 recorded sales with a median sold price of £157,498.
Open postcode researchSchool comparison
Compare nearby schools
Open side-by-side school comparison for County Durham before you shortlist homes.
Open school comparisonRecommended tool
Check sold prices
Use the sold price comparator to pressure-test what local sales mean for your budget.
Open sold price comparatorRecommended tool
Check affordability
Use the affordability checker to see whether County Durham still fits your income and deposit.
Open affordability checkerRecommended tool
Check planning nearby
Open planning watch for a faster view of live nearby applications and recent decisions.
Open planning watchRecommended guide
Read area guides
Open move guides that help you compare neighbourhoods, trade-offs, and local risks.
Browse area guidesRecommended guide
Use area planners and templates
Open planners and templates like the area comparison sheet, school visit checklist, and before you move checklist while you narrow your shortlist.
Open planners and templatesFollow up action
Ask vetted agents
We can route your enquiry to vetted partner estate agents covering County Durham.
Next step