The best places to live in County Durham

If you are considering a move to County Durham but aren't sure which area is right for you, then this guide should help!

West Rainton

West Rainton is perfect for people looking to live somewhere close enough to a big city to enjoy all its benefits while still being residential and charming enough to raise a family.

Living in West Rainton also means that Durham’s Railway Station (which offers direct services to Newcastle, London, Glasgow, Derby, and Bristol) is also only a 15-minute drive away.

While all these big city amenities are only a short drive away, what makes West Rainton one of the best places to live in County Durham is that you still get to enjoy the charm of small town living too.

Take Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve for one, which is simply beautiful and provides the right sort of calming environment for a long stroll.

West Rainton is also filled with activities, such as the Moorhouse Adventure Centre, which offers the visitor thrilling challenge after thrilling challenge, with activities including abseiling, archery, climbing, and even raft building!

There are places for kids to run around too, like Adventure Valley, which features mini golf, a petting zoo and an indoor/outdoor kid’s gym.

The town gets the day-to-day things right too with plenty of shops and restaurants to choose from and a regular and reliable bus service that, aside from taking you around West Rainton, also offers services to East Rainton, Sunderland, Houghton-le-Spring, and Durham City Centre.

Computer Generated, Indicative Streetscene, New Build Homes

Burnopfield

A town of just four and a half thousand people, Burnopfield is a quiet village with great transport links.

The prominence of spaces like the Burnopfield Conservation area (26.5 hectares of beautiful woodland) are symbolic of what this place has become in modern times; a beautiful and calming place to live.

That is not to say that Burnopfield has completely foregone its history... far from it!

For over a hundred years, Burnopfield has been known as one of the country's great cricket towns and little has changed in all that time.

Indeed, in the neighbouring village of Lintz, you can find the Lintz Cricket Club, a club formed in 1906 where three senior teams and five junior teams currently train and play.

While Burnopfield is one of the best places to live in County Durham if you’re after a quieter and more residential area, you also benefit from living only seven and a half miles away from Newcastle, with its many museums, galleries, restaurants, and nightclubs.

And to make matters easier, the local Go North East Bus Service offer several regular routes to and from Newcastle whenever you fancy a visit.

Chester-Le-Street

Switching from the quiet town of Burnopfield to somewhere with a reputation for being something of a Northern commercial hub – let's talk about Chester-Le-Street.

Chester-Le-Street is a popular town, in part thanks to its proximity to the second largest shopping centre in the UK, the Metrocentre, which features a whole number of exciting restaurants, alongside plenty of family friendly activities, including a bowling alley and adventure golf course.

Another huge positive for this vibrant town, is that it's one of the safest places to live in County Durham, making it ideal for young families.

Its proximity to the A1 also makes for easy and short car trips to the likes of Durham and Newcastle, filled with great amenities, including an international airport and a railway station with direct services to major British cities like Manchester, Leeds and London.

Famous British monuments, like the Angel of the North, are also only a short drive away, making Chester-Le-Street a well-located place to make your home.

Chilton

Chilton is probably one of the best places to live in County Durham if you’re into your sports. With a 24/7 basketball court that’s lit all-night and famous for its top-of-the-line football grounds, keen athletes will find their dream home here.

If you’re not a natural athlete though, don’t worry as not every activity in Chilton requires athletic ability. It also offers its residents lighter, more relaxed activities like roller-skating, bowling, and karaoke at the popular Planet Leisure.

Chilton is perfectly situated between Durham, with its iconic medieval castle and cathedral, and Bishop Auckland, a neighbouring market town that’s home to the historic St Peter's Chapel.

Being so well-situated means that Chilton residents are surrounded by cultural landmarks, making it perfect for anyone with an interest in British history.

The best places to live in County Durham

West Rainton

Burnopfield

Chester-Le-Street

Chilton

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