Ashington (Northumberland) vs Backworth

Which is better to live in? Distance: 9.6 miles apart.

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The verdict

Property in Ashington (northumberland) is about 37% cheaper on average. Ashington (northumberland) has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Backworth edges ahead on school quality.

Avg House Price

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Ashington (Northumberland)

£174,887

Backworth

£278,446

Crime Rate

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Ashington (Northumberland)

71.4

Backworth

81.9

Top-Two School Inspection Bands

Ashington (Northumberland)

85.7%

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Backworth

100.0%

Avg Download Speed

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Ashington (Northumberland)

477.7

Backworth

445.7

EPC Rating

Ashington (Northumberland)

70.9

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Backworth

Median Income

Ashington (Northumberland)

£29,915

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Backworth

£30,205

House Prices (2025)

Most affordable in North East

The average house price in Ashington (northumberland) is £174,887, which is 37% less than Backworth at £278,446. The most affordable entry point in Ashington (northumberland) is a flat at £58,688, while in Backworth it is a terraced at £121,738.

Average Price by Property Type (2025)

Biggest gap: flat homes are 57% pricier in Backworth (£135,000 vs £58,688).

Price Trend (11 Years)

Over the last 9 years, Backworth prices grew faster — 31% vs 20%.

Crime & Safety

Safest in North East

With 71.4 offences per 1,000 people, Ashington (northumberland) is the safer of the two – 15% lower than Backworth's 81.9 per 1,000. The most common crime category in Ashington (northumberland) is violent-crime, while in Backworth it is violent-crime.

Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)

Both towns share the same top crime category: violent crime.

Schools & Education

Best for schools in North East

Backworth has 100% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 85.7% in Ashington (northumberland). Ashington (northumberland) has 8 schools in total, while Backworth has 1.

Ashington (Northumberland) School Inspection Breakdown

85.7% of 8 schools (6 primary, 2 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.

Backworth School Inspection Breakdown

100% of 1 school (1 primary) sit in the top two inspection bands.

Metric	Ashington (Northumberland)	Backworth
Total Schools	8	1
Primary	6	1
Secondary	2	0
% Top two bands	85.7%	100%

Broadband & Connectivity

Ashington (northumberland) offers faster average downloads at 477.7 Mbps, compared to 445.7 Mbps in Backworth. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 98.6% of premises in Ashington (northumberland) and 96.4% in Backworth. Gigabit availability stands at 94.8% in Ashington (northumberland) and 87.2% in Backworth.

Ashington (northumberland) is the faster of the two by 7% on average download speed (478 vs 446 Mbps).

Energy Efficiency & Running Costs

Homes in Backworth are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 72 (band C) versus 70.9 (band C) in Ashington (northumberland). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,377 in Ashington (northumberland) and £1,236 in Backworth. 65.6% of homes in Ashington (northumberland) have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 68.8% in Backworth.

Backworth has more energy-efficient housing — 68.8% reach band C or above, vs 65.6% in the other.

Demographics & Economy

Median household income is £30,204.5 in Backworth and £29,915 in Ashington (northumberland). The median age is 47.9 in Ashington (northumberland) and 46.2 in Backworth. Employment rates stand at 52.4% in Ashington (northumberland) and 54.5% in Backworth. Owner-occupancy is 65.2% in Ashington (northumberland) versus 64.5% in Backworth.

Indicator	Ashington (Northumberland)	Backworth
Population	28,279	4,483
Median Age	47.9	46.2
Median Household Income	£29,915	£30,204.5
Employment Rate	52.4%	54.5%
Owner Occupied	65.2%	64.5%
Degree-Level Qualified	30.7%	31.8%

Location

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Common questions

Frequently asked questions

How far apart are Ashington (northumberland) and Backworth?

Ashington (northumberland) and Backworth are approximately 9.6 miles apart as the crow flies.

Which is cheaper to buy a house in, Ashington (northumberland) or Backworth?

Ashington (northumberland) is cheaper, with an average house price of £174,887.

Is Ashington (northumberland) or Backworth safer?

Ashington (northumberland) has the lower crime rate at 71.4 per 1,000 residents.

Which has better schools, Ashington (northumberland) or Backworth?

Backworth has the higher share of schools in the top two inspection bands at 100%.

Which has faster broadband, Ashington (northumberland) or Backworth?

Ashington (northumberland) has faster average broadband at 477.7 Mbps.

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