"Housing provides the base from which people live their lives, connecting them to work, education, services and their communities. The affordability of housing, alongside the stability, quality and size of homes, is crucial in itself, but also, if unaffordable, can drag occupants into poverty... At worst, households facing unaffordable housing costs can experience destitution, homelessness or rough sleeping." — JRF poverty report 2023.

This is the Housing spotlight page for County Durham.

Key indicators

The following analysis reflects the experience across the population of County Durham.

Housing tenure mix

Long term trends

The long term trends looks at data from the previous censuses, to show the change in tenure mix.

Social rented
Private rented
Owner occupied
Other
Tenure mix (%)010020406080Census year20212011200119911981In 1981, 88758% of tenure was in the social rented sector.In 1991, 67425% of tenure was in the social rented sector.In 2001, 106890% of tenure was in the social rented sector.In 2011, 45004% of tenure was in the social rented sector.In 2021, 46858% of tenure was in the social rented sector.In 1981, 4841% of tenure was in the private rented sector.In 1991, 10044% of tenure was in the private rented sector.In 2001, 27551% of tenure was in the private rented sector.In 2011, 28142% of tenure was in the private rented sector.In 2021, 40198% of tenure was in the private rented sector.In 1981, 81292% of tenure was owner occupied.In 1991, 120025% of tenure was owner occupied.In 2001, 340626% of tenure was owner occupied.In 2011, 147347% of tenure was owner occupied.In 2021, 146821% of tenure was owner occupied.In 1981, 9112% of tenure was of another type.In 1991, 0% of tenure was of another type.In 2001, 7902% of tenure was of another type.In 2011, 3310% of tenure was of another type.In 2021, 887% of tenure was of another type.

Shorter term estimates

This data is based on subnational estimates of dwellings by tenure. The data for owner occupation is broken down further by owned outright and owned with a morgage or loan.

Social rented
Private rented
Owned outright
Owned with mortgage or loan
Tenure mix (%)010020406080Year2021202020192018201720162015201420132012Social rented 2012: 20.43%Social rented 2013: 20.37%Social rented 2014: 20.29%Social rented 2015: 20.32%Social rented 2016: 20.04%Social rented 2017: 19.85%Social rented 2018: 19.74%Social rented 2019: 19.72%Social rented 2020: 19.63%Social rented 2021: 19.63%Private rented 2012: 14.99%Private rented 2013: 15.61%Private rented 2014: 16.08%Private rented 2015: 16.53%Private rented 2016: 16.71%Private rented 2017: 16.47%Private rented 2018: 16.23%Private rented 2019: 15.91%Private rented 2020: 15.86%Private rented 2021: 16.01%Owned outright 2012: 31.29%Owned outright 2013: 31.30%Owned outright 2014: 31.62%Owned outright 2015: 32.09%Owned outright 2016: 32.66%Owned outright 2017: 33.37%Owned outright 2018: 33.86%Owned outright 2019: 34.11%Owned outright 2020: 35.77%Owned outright 2021: 37.38%Owned with mortgage or loan 2012: 33.28%Owned with mortgage or loan 2013: 32.73%Owned with mortgage or loan 2014: 32.02%Owned with mortgage or loan 2015: 31.06%Owned with mortgage or loan 2016: 30.59%Owned with mortgage or loan 2017: 30.31%Owned with mortgage or loan 2018: 30.17%Owned with mortgage or loan 2019: 30.26%Owned with mortgage or loan 2020: 28.74%Owned with mortgage or loan 2021: 26.99%

Local Housing Allowance shortfall

What's on this chart?

LHA used to be benchmarked to the the 30th percentile of rental prices but has been frozen in cash terms since April 2020. As a result LHA now lags the rental prices in some areas.

Difference between 30th percentile rental and LHA (£)-50010050Size of propertyThree bedroomTwo bedroomOne bedroomSingle room£68 for Single room rentals.£-31 for One bedroom rentals.£-11 for Two bedroom rentals.£-18 for Three bedroom rentals.

Median house prices

What's on this chart?

This chart shows median house prices over time in County Durham.

Dataset

House Prices
County Durham
Year1017776000000121777600000014177760000001617776000000817776000000Median House Prices (£)0150k150k200k250k300k350k50kCounty Durham 1995-12-01: 39000County Durham 1996-03-01: 39500County Durham 1996-06-01: 39950County Durham 1996-09-01: 40000County Durham 1996-12-01: 40000County Durham 1997-03-01: 40000County Durham 1997-06-01: 41500County Durham 1997-09-01: 42000County Durham 1997-12-01: 43000County Durham 1998-03-01: 43000County Durham 1998-06-01: 43000County Durham 1998-09-01: 43000County Durham 1998-12-01: 43000County Durham 1999-03-01: 44000County Durham 1999-06-01: 44500County Durham 1999-09-01: 45500County Durham 1999-12-01: 47000County Durham 2000-03-01: 47000County Durham 2000-06-01: 48000County Durham 2000-09-01: 48000County Durham 2000-12-01: 48000County Durham 2001-03-01: 47000County Durham 2001-06-01: 47000County Durham 2001-09-01: 47500County Durham 2001-12-01: 48000County Durham 2002-03-01: 48500County Durham 2002-06-01: 49950County Durham 2002-09-01: 50000County Durham 2002-12-01: 52000County Durham 2003-03-01: 54000County Durham 2003-06-01: 55950County Durham 2003-09-01: 59950County Durham 2003-12-01: 64750County Durham 2004-03-01: 68000County Durham 2004-06-01: 74950County Durham 2004-09-01: 80000County Durham 2004-12-01: 85000County Durham 2005-03-01: 89950County Durham 2005-06-01: 91000County Durham 2005-09-01: 94050County Durham 2005-12-01: 96995County Durham 2006-03-01: 99000County Durham 2006-06-01: 103000County Durham 2006-09-01: 105000County Durham 2006-12-01: 106995County Durham 2007-03-01: 107000County Durham 2007-06-01: 107000County Durham 2007-09-01: 107500County Durham 2007-12-01: 109000County Durham 2008-03-01: 109000County Durham 2008-06-01: 109950County Durham 2008-09-01: 110000County Durham 2008-12-01: 105000County Durham 2009-03-01: 105000County Durham 2009-06-01: 105000County Durham 2009-09-01: 102000County Durham 2009-12-01: 105000County Durham 2010-03-01: 107995County Durham 2010-06-01: 110000County Durham 2010-09-01: 110000County Durham 2010-12-01: 107995County Durham 2011-03-01: 105445County Durham 2011-06-01: 103000County Durham 2011-09-01: 100000County Durham 2011-12-01: 100000County Durham 2012-03-01: 100000County Durham 2012-06-01: 100000County Durham 2012-09-01: 100000County Durham 2012-12-01: 100000County Durham 2013-03-01: 103000County Durham 2013-06-01: 104950County Durham 2013-09-01: 105000County Durham 2013-12-01: 105000County Durham 2014-03-01: 105000County Durham 2014-06-01: 109000County Durham 2014-09-01: 110000County Durham 2014-12-01: 110000County Durham 2015-03-01: 110000County Durham 2015-06-01: 110000County Durham 2015-09-01: 110000County Durham 2015-12-01: 110000County Durham 2016-03-01: 110000County Durham 2016-06-01: 110000County Durham 2016-09-01: 111000County Durham 2016-12-01: 112000County Durham 2017-03-01: 113000County Durham 2017-06-01: 114000County Durham 2017-09-01: 114000County Durham 2017-12-01: 114950County Durham 2018-03-01: 115000County Durham 2018-06-01: 115000County Durham 2018-09-01: 116995County Durham 2018-12-01: 118000County Durham 2019-03-01: 119000County Durham 2019-06-01: 120000County Durham 2019-09-01: 120995County Durham 2019-12-01: 120000County Durham 2020-03-01: 122000County Durham 2020-06-01: 120000County Durham 2020-09-01: 120000County Durham 2020-12-01: 125000County Durham 2021-03-01: 127497.5County Durham 2021-06-01: 132997.5County Durham 2021-09-01: 133000County Durham 2021-12-01: 130000County Durham 2022-03-01: 127500County Durham 2022-06-01: 125000County Durham 2022-09-01: 125000County Durham 2022-12-01: 125000County Durham 2023-03-01: 125000

Current median rental prices by type of property

What's on this chart?

This chart shows current median rental prices by type of property in County Durham.

Dataset

County Durham
01200400800totalstudioroombed4plusbed3bed2bed1County Durham bed1: 423County Durham bed2: 483County Durham bed3: 571County Durham bed4plus: 901County Durham room: 462County Durham studio: 457County Durham total: 543

Tenure type and poverty rates

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the poverty rates by type of tenure in County Durham, both before and after housing costs. The threshold for low income poverty is households below 60% of median net household income in latest prices.

Dataset

HBAI by type of tenure

No data available at this level.

Poverty rates by tenure type (AHC)

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the poverty rates by type of tenure in County Durham. The threshold for low income poverty is households below 60% of median net household income (after housing costs) in latest prices.

Dataset

HBAI by type of tenure

Things to add: Current and historic tenure mix - drawing on census data - Social housing sales - RTB - completions of new homes relative to existing stock

No data available at this level.

Lower quartile rent to lower quartile earnings ratio

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the ratio of lower quartile rent for a 2 bedroom property to lower quartile earnings across different areas in County Durham. A higher value means the average person spends a larger proportion of their earnings on rent.

Dataset

No data available at this level.

Demographic breakdown

People living in households below average income by age category

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the the poverty rates by by age category in County Durham. The threshold for low income poverty is households below 60% of median net household income (after housing costs) in latest prices.

Dataset

HBAI by age category

No data available at this level.

Council tax support

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the number of people claiming council tax support in County Durham.

Dataset

Council Tax Support
Working-age
Pensioners
Year14593824000001509382400000155938240000016093824000001659382400000Number of people010000200003000040000Working-age 2023-06-30: 33516Working-age 2023-03-31: 33641Working-age 2022-12-31: 33369Working-age 2022-09-30: 33771Working-age 2022-06-30: 33915Working-age 2022-03-31: 30951Working-age 2021-12-31: 31345Working-age 2021-09-30: 32168Working-age 2021-06-30: 32563Working-age 2021-03-31: 32851Working-age 2020-12-31: 33101Working-age 2020-09-30: 33451Working-age 2020-06-30: 34291Working-age 2020-03-31: 32334Working-age 2019-12-31: 32242Working-age 2019-09-30: 32394Working-age 2019-06-30: 32570Working-age 2019-03-31: 32737Working-age 2018-12-31: 32983Working-age 2018-09-30: 32971Working-age 2018-06-30: 32938Working-age 2018-03-31: 32781Working-age 2017-12-31: 32535Working-age 2017-09-30: 33089Working-age 2017-06-30: 32864Working-age 2017-03-31: 32927Working-age 2016-12-31: 32788Working-age 2016-09-30: 32988Working-age 2016-06-30: 33803Working-age 2016-03-31: 33803Pensioners 2023-06-30: 20566Pensioners 2023-03-31: 20555Pensioners 2022-12-31: 20606Pensioners 2022-09-30: 20820Pensioners 2022-06-30: 20827Pensioners 2022-03-31: 23932Pensioners 2021-12-31: 24132Pensioners 2021-09-30: 24188Pensioners 2021-06-30: 24407Pensioners 2021-03-31: 24248Pensioners 2020-12-31: 24362Pensioners 2020-09-30: 24504Pensioners 2020-06-30: 24746Pensioners 2020-03-31: 24633Pensioners 2019-12-31: 24528Pensioners 2019-09-30: 24712Pensioners 2019-06-30: 24899Pensioners 2019-03-31: 24607Pensioners 2018-12-31: 24916Pensioners 2018-09-30: 25003Pensioners 2018-06-30: 25188Pensioners 2018-03-31: 24938Pensioners 2017-12-31: 25173Pensioners 2017-09-30: 25639Pensioners 2017-06-30: 25929Pensioners 2017-03-31: 25798Pensioners 2016-12-31: 26219Pensioners 2016-09-30: 26555Pensioners 2016-06-30: 27097Pensioners 2016-03-31: 27097