Darlington vs Northallerton
Which is better to live in? Distance: 14.0 miles apart.
The verdict
Overall, Darlington offers lower property prices by roughly 37%. Northallerton has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Darlington edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Darlington
£182,726
Northallerton
£291,449
Crime Rate
Darlington
90.9
Northallerton
47.4
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Darlington
92.6%
Northallerton
83.3%
Avg Download Speed
Darlington
452.8
Northallerton
306.5
EPC Rating
Darlington
71.4
Northallerton
70.3
Median Income
Darlington
£27,988
Northallerton
£29,895
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in North EastThe average house price in Darlington is £182,726, which is 37% less than Northallerton at £291,449. The most affordable entry point in Darlington is a flat at £109,070, while in Northallerton it is a flat at £128,466.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: terraced homes are 42% pricier in Northallerton (£210,073 vs £122,880).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Northallerton prices grew faster — 36% vs -10%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in North EastWith 47.4 offences per 1,000 people, Northallerton is the safer of the two – 92% lower than Darlington's 90.9 per 1,000. The most common crime category in Darlington is violent-crime, while in Northallerton 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 EastDarlington has 92.6% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 83.3% in Northallerton. Darlington has 31 schools in total, while Northallerton has 6.
Darlington School Inspection Breakdown
92.6% of 31 schools (24 primary, 7 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Northallerton School Inspection Breakdown
83.3% of 6 schools (5 primary, 1 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Darlington | Northallerton |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 31 | 6 |
| Primary | 24 | 5 |
| Secondary | 7 | 1 |
| % Top two bands | 92.6% | 83.3% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Darlington offers faster average downloads at 452.8 Mbps, compared to 306.5 Mbps in Northallerton. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 95.8% of premises in Darlington and 86.6% in Northallerton. Gigabit availability stands at 89% in Darlington and 56.1% in Northallerton.
Darlington is the faster of the two by 48% on average download speed (453 vs 307 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Darlington are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 71.4 (band C) versus 70.3 (band C) in Northallerton. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,197 in Darlington and £1,432 in Northallerton. 65.6% of homes in Darlington have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 59.5% in Northallerton.
Darlington has more energy-efficient housing — 65.6% reach band C or above, vs 59.5% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £29,895 in Northallerton and £27,988 in Darlington. The median age is 44.5 in Darlington and 48.1 in Northallerton. Employment rates stand at 53.6% in Darlington and 56.9% in Northallerton. Owner-occupancy is 62.6% in Darlington versus 68.4% in Northallerton.
| Indicator | Darlington | Northallerton |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 93,058 | 13,314 |
| Median Age | 44.5 | 48.1 |
| Median Household Income | £27,988 | £29,895 |
| Employment Rate | 53.6% | 56.9% |
| Owner Occupied | 62.6% | 68.4% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 27.9% | 34.2% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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