Average salary in County Durham
The median full-time salary for jobs in County Durham is £32,945 (ONS, 2025). After tax and National Insurance at 2026/27 rates that is about £2,270 a month.
Where County Durham ranks
County Durham ranks joint 309th of 348 council areas for median pay for jobs based there, in the bottom quarter, and 9th of 12 in North East. Its average rent ranks 310th of 316, close to where its pay ranks. At the median, what is left after rent and Band D council tax (£1,401 a month) ranks joint 69th of 316, in the top quarter.
| Measure | Figure | Rank, all areas | Rank in North East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, jobs based here | £32,945 | joint 309th of 348 | 9th of 12 |
| Median pay, residents | £33,436 | 326th of 348 | 10th of 12 |
| Take-home a month at the median | £2,270 | joint 309th of 348 | 9th of 12 |
| Average rent a month | £650 | 310th of 316 | 10th of 12 |
| Band D council tax a year | £2,622.15 | 23rd of 348 | 2nd of 12 |
| Left a month after rent and Band D | £1,401 | joint 69th of 316 | 8th of 12 |
1st is the highest. Ranks compare the 348 council areas on this site. How to read these figures.
Areas with the nearest medians to County Durham: Bolton (£33,008), Carmarthenshire (£32,982), Denbighshire (£32,981), High Peak (£32,945), Tamworth (£32,773) and Gwynedd (£32,697). UK occupations with a median close to the County Durham median of £32,945: printers (£33,019), managers and proprietors in forestry, fishing and related services (£33,011), national government administrative occupations (£33,000) and road transport drivers n.e.c. (£32,892).
Pay range for full-time jobs in County Durham
ONS change on the previous year: the median for jobs in County Durham rose 4.9%, more than the 4.3% rise in the UK median for all full-time jobs. For North East as a whole it was a rise of 4.2%.
| Point in the pay range | Gross a year | Gross a month | Take-home a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £23,251 | £1,938 | £20,260 | £1,688 |
| 25th percentile | £27,003 | £2,250 | £22,962 | £1,913 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £32,945 | £2,745 | £27,240 | £2,270 |
| 75th percentile | £45,061 | £3,755 | £35,964 | £2,997 |
| 90th percentile | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Take-home at England and Wales rates. Not published means ONS did not publish that figure because the estimate is not reliable enough. ONS rates the median for jobs in County Durham as precise: its sampling error (coefficient of variation) is 3.5%.
People who work in County Durham and people who live there
The median for people who live in County Durham is £33,436, which is £491 (1.5%) higher than the £32,945 median for jobs based there. The two figures are close. Among all areas, the residents' median ranks 326th of 348 and the jobs median joint 309th of 348. ONS change on the previous year for residents: a rise of 3.3%.
The jobs figure counts jobs based in County Durham, wherever the worker lives; the residents' figure counts people living in County Durham, wherever they work. ONS rates the residents' median for County Durham as precise: its sampling error (coefficient of variation) is 3.7%.
Rent and council tax at the median salary
On the median salary for jobs in County Durham (£32,945), the average rent of £650 takes 28.6% of take-home pay; on the 25th percentile salary (£27,003) it takes 34.0%. For the average rent to be 30% of take-home pay, the rule of thumb in our rent affordability calculator, you would need a salary of at least £31,223 a year. More than half of full-time jobs based in County Durham pay more than that.
| Property | Average rent a month | Rent as a share of take-home | Left after rent and Band D council tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| All properties | £650 | 28.6% | £1,401 |
| 1 bedroom | £456 | 20.1% | £1,595 |
| 2 bedrooms | £579 | 25.5% | £1,472 |
Band D is £219 a month. This is the average Band D for the council area, including parish precepts, so the exact bill depends on your parish. Rents are ONS figures for August 2026 and may be revised.
County Durham and other areas in North East
Among these 7 areas, County Durham has the 4th highest median and the 4th highest amount left after rent and Band D council tax. Medians run from £31,604 in South Tyneside to £36,599 in Stockton-on-Tees.
| Area | Median salary | Average rent a month | Left after rent and Band D a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-on-Tees | £36,599 | £735 | £1,538 |
| Darlington | £33,840 | £689 | £1,427 |
| Gateshead | £33,670 | £804 | £1,284 |
| County Durham | £32,945 | £650 | £1,401 |
| Hartlepool | £32,302 | £558 | £1,460 |
| Sunderland | £32,015 | £707 | £1,324 |
| South Tyneside | £31,604 | £743 | £1,244 |
The areas either side of County Durham in the alphabetical list for North East, highest median first. Each figure is at that area's own median. See all 12 in the North East table.
How County Durham compares with North East and the UK
The median for jobs in County Durham is £1,458 (4.2%) lower than the North East median, £6,353 (16.2%) lower than the England median and £6,094 (15.6%) lower than the UK median of £39,039.
| Area | Median, jobs there | Median, residents | Take-home a month (England and Wales rates) | Average rent, August 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Durham | £32,945 | £33,436 | £2,270 | £650 |
| North East | £34,403 | £34,833 | £2,357 | £788 |
| England | £39,298 | £39,243 | £2,651 | £1,459 |
| United Kingdom | £39,039 | £39,039 | £2,636 | £1,400 |
Related pages
Every area in the North East table, salary by job, the take home pay calculator, rent affordability calculator and cost of living calculator.
How this is worked out
Pay: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), 2025 provisional. Take-home: 2026/27 England and Wales rates, tax code 1257L, no pension or student loan. How to read these figures.
Sources
- ASHE Table 7: earnings by place of work, local authority, 2025 provisional (ONS)
- ASHE Table 8: earnings by place of residence, local authority, 2025 provisional (ONS)
- Price Index of Private Rents, UK: monthly price statistics, released 16 September 2026 (ONS)
- Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027 (MHCLG, GOV.UK)
- Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances (GOV.UK)
- National Insurance: how much you pay (GOV.UK)
Figures checked on 12 October 2026. ONS plans to publish its next ASHE figures on 22 October 2026. Read how we calculate or tell us about a mistake.
Frequently asked questions
There is no official definition of a good salary. ONS figures for full-time jobs in County Durham (2025) show how pay is spread: one in ten jobs pay less than £23,251, a quarter pay less than £27,003, half pay less than £32,945 and a quarter pay more than £45,061. On the median, take-home pay is about £2,270 a month at 2026/27 rates.
County Durham ranks joint 309th of 348 council areas for median pay for jobs based there, in the bottom quarter, and 9th of 12 in North East. Its median of £32,945 is £6,094 (15.6%) lower than the UK median of £39,039.
The ONS average monthly private rent in County Durham was £650 in August 2026: £456 for one bedroom and £579 for two bedrooms. That is 28.6% of take-home pay on the median salary for jobs there. The figure is provisional and may be revised.
Band D council tax in County Durham is £2,622.15 for 2026/27, about £219 a month, which ranks 23rd of 348 council areas and 2nd of 12 in North East. Your own bill depends on your property's band and any discounts.