Town comparison
Darlington vs Romanby
Which is better to live in? 14.4 miles apart — compared on house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more.
The verdict
Overall, Darlington offers lower property prices by roughly 24%. Romanby has the lower crime rate of the two.
Avg House Price
Darlington
£182,726
Romanby
£241,583
Crime Rate
Darlington
90.9
Romanby
47.3
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Darlington
92.6%
Romanby
N/A
Avg Download Speed
Darlington
452.8
Romanby
306.5
EPC Rating
Darlington
71.4
Romanby
70.3
Median Income
Darlington
£27,988
Romanby
£29,895
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in North EastBuyers will find Darlington more wallet-friendly, where the average price is £182,726 versus £241,583 in Romanby. The most affordable entry point in Darlington is a flat at £109,070, while in Romanby it is a flat at £162,000.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: flat homes are 33% pricier in Romanby (£162,000 vs £109,070).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Romanby prices grew faster — 5% vs -10%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in North EastWith 47.3 offences per 1,000 people, Romanby 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 Romanby 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 EastSchool quality data is not fully available for both Darlington and Romanby. Darlington has 31 schools and Romanby has 1 schools.
Darlington School Inspection Breakdown
92.6% of 31 schools (24 primary, 7 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Romanby School Inspection Breakdown
| Metric | Darlington | Romanby |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 31 | 1 |
| Primary | 24 | 1 |
| Secondary | 7 | 0 |
| % Top two bands | 92.6% | N/A |
Broadband & Connectivity
Internet users in Darlington enjoy 452.8 Mbps on average, while Romanby lags behind at 306.5 Mbps. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 95.8% of premises in Darlington and 86.6% in Romanby. Gigabit availability stands at 89% in Darlington and 56.1% in Romanby.
Darlington is the faster of the two by 48% on average download speed (453 vs 307 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
The average EPC rating in Darlington is band C (score 71.4), ahead of Romanby's band C (score 70.3). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,197 in Darlington and £1,432 in Romanby. 65.6% of homes in Darlington have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 59.5% in Romanby.
Darlington has more energy-efficient housing — 65.6% reach band C or above, vs 59.5% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Darlington has a population of 93,058 while Romanby has 3,825. Median household income is £29,895 in Romanby and £27,988 in Darlington. The median age is 44.5 in Darlington and 48.1 in Romanby. Employment rates stand at 53.6% in Darlington and 56.9% in Romanby.
| Indicator | Darlington | Romanby |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 93,058 | 3,825 |
| 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
How far apart are Darlington and Romanby?
Which is cheaper to buy a house in, Darlington or Romanby?
Is Darlington or Romanby safer?
Which has better schools, Darlington or Romanby?
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