Blackhall
County Durham 039 · 4 sub-areas · 6,084 residents
County Durham 039 is a predominantly residential part of County Durham, home to around 6,100 people. Rents here are among the lowest you'll find anywhere in England — a typical two-bedroom lets for about £563 a month, well under half the UK national median. The neighbourhood skews noticeably older than County Durham as a whole, with owner-occupation the dominant tenure.
Blackhall is a settled residential pocket of County Durham. The bigger gravitational centre is Leeds, around 118 minutes away by direct train, but most days don't require leaving — local life is what people are here for. The population skews older, with a long-settled feel and a high share of retirees.
Overview
What's it like to live in Blackhall?
Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; Recorded crime is higher than the national norm — common for built-up urban areas, but worth weighing if you're looking for a quieter base; Transport links are limited — a car or e-bike is a practical assumption for most regular trips; rents are below the national norm, with a typical home letting at around £632 a month; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 4 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Blackhall in County Durham
Living in Blackhall
County Durham 039 sits within County Durham in the North East of England, and the numbers tell a clear story: this is an affordable, settled, largely owner-occupied community a long way from the pressures of the UK's big-city rental markets. The median monthly rent across all property types is around £632 — significantly below what you'd pay almost anywhere in the South East, and comfortably below most other northern cities too. If you're coming from a major urban centre, the contrast in cost of living will be immediately noticeable.
The housing stock is dominated by owners rather than renters. Nearly two in three households own their home outright or with a mortgage, while private and social renting each account for roughly one in five. That tenure mix shapes the feel of the area — this isn't a transient, high-turnover neighbourhood. Most people here are settled, and the community reflects that stability.
The age profile is one of the more distinctive features of County Durham 039. Around a quarter of residents are 65 or over, and nearly a quarter more are aged 50 to 64 — meaning roughly half the population is over 50. That's notably older than the county average. Families with children are present but not dominant, with couples with children making up just under one in eight households. Single-person households, at nearly two in five, are the single most common household type.
For practical day-to-day life, nearly seven in ten residents drive to work — public transport use is low, at under 4% of commuters. Working from home accounts for more than one in six residents, a significant share. Greenspace is accessible, with the nearest within roughly 400 metres for most residents. See the streets and sub-areas below for more detail on the neighbourhood's pockets and variation.
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Frequently asked
- Is County Durham 039 a nice place to live?
- It depends what you're looking for. It's a settled, quiet, affordable neighbourhood — owner-occupied, older in age profile, and well below the national average on rent. Crime is higher than the national rate, and school quality within catchment distance is below average, so those are real trade-offs. For people who value affordability and stability over urban energy, it works well.
- What is the rent in County Durham 039?
- A one-bedroom typically costs around £444 a month, a two-bedroom around £563, and a three-bedroom around £673. These are well below the UK national median for equivalent properties. Rents rose roughly 6.5% over the past year, so prices are moving, but the absolute level remains very affordable by English standards.
- Is County Durham 039 safe?
- The recorded crime rate is around 133 incidents per 1,000 residents a year — noticeably above the UK national average of roughly 80 per 1,000. The neighbourhood falls in the second-lowest deprivation decile nationally, which correlates with higher crime in many English areas. It's worth checking street-level data for the specific part of the neighbourhood you're considering.
- What's the commute from County Durham 039 to the nearest city centre?
- Most residents drive — nearly 69% commute by car. Public transport use is very low, under 4%. The nearest mainline rail station is about 2.5 km away (roughly 30 minutes on foot). Long-distance rail journeys to Manchester take around 178 minutes and to London around 212 minutes by public transport.
- Who lives in County Durham 039?
- Mostly older, settled residents — around half the population is over 50, and a quarter are 65 or older. Owner-occupation is the dominant tenure at 62.5%. Single-person households are the most common type at nearly 39%. It's a low-diversity, largely UK-born community with a below-average share of degree-level qualifications.
- What schools are near County Durham 039?
- There are 23 schools within typical catchment distance. Around 38% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, which is well below the national share of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is approximately 3.5 km away. Families should research individual schools and check current Ofsted ratings before committing to the area.
- How affordable is buying a home in County Durham 039?
- Very affordable by English standards. The median house price is around £114,000, and it takes roughly 1.9 years of savings to build a deposit at a typical local salary — one of the shortest deposit timelines in the country. Rent takes up about 32% of typical take-home pay, which is manageable compared to many English cities.