Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02004323

South Murton & South Hetton

South Murton & South Hetton is a Census neighbourhood of about 7,383 residents in County Durham. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for County Durham
7,383

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,364

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

718.8

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

66.8%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

23.2%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

22.1%

Adults with a degree or above

ONS Census 2021 · qualifications

Neighbourhoods most like this one

Closest matches elsewhere in England and Wales, across 14 Census themes. Similarity is statistical, not a recommendation, and says nothing about how anywhere feels to live in.

Rishton, Hyndburn6,656 residents · 64.2% owned · 22.8% no carWesthoughton West, Bolton8,465 residents · 59.4% owned · 24.8% no carAshington West & South, Northumberland12,429 residents · 67.3% owned · 21.8% no carThrockley & Newburn, Newcastle upon Tyne10,746 residents · 58.6% owned · 29.1% no carLeigh South East, Wigan7,386 residents · 63.3% owned · 23.8% no carElsecar, Barnsley8,452 residents · 62.2% owned · 22.2% no car

Most similar within County Durham

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Pelton & Perkinsville, County Durham7,120 residents · 59.7% owned · 25.3% no carChilton, County Durham7,323 residents · 59.9% owned · 25.3% no carDelves Lane & Leadgate, County Durham9,004 residents · 65.8% owned · 23.9% no carStanley North & East, County Durham8,191 residents · 62.1% owned · 25.5% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in South Murton & South Hetton

People, households and homes at the stated Census geography. These describe the 2021 population, not the occupants of a particular home.

Tenure

Owned66.8%
2,246 households
Private rented20%
672 households
Social rented13%
438 households
Shared ownership0.1%
5 households
Lives rent free0.1%
3 households
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached41.6%
1,398 households
Terraced39.9%
1,341 households
Detached14.5%
489 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement3%
101 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.4%
14 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.4%
12 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.1%
4 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
3 households
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household43.5%
1,465 households
2 cars or vans in household25.2%
848 households
No cars or vans in household23.2%
782 households
3 or more cars or vans in household8%
269 households
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms44.1%
1,484 households
2 bedrooms35.6%
1,199 households
4 or more bedrooms13.9%
468 households
1 bedroom6.3%
213 households
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household62.8%
2,112 households
One-person household34%
1,142 households
Other household types3.2%
109 households
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household34.9%
1,175 households
1 person in household33.9%
1,142 households
3 people in household16.4%
552 households
4 people in household11.1%
373 households
5 people in household2.8%
94 households
6 people in household0.6%
19 households
7 people in household0.2%
7 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
2 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1516.5%
1,220 residents
15–2916.5%
1,221 residents
30–4419.2%
1,421 residents
45–6429.3%
2,163 residents
65 and over18.4%
1,360 residents
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White97.9%
7,224 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh1.2%
90 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups0.5%
35 residents
Other ethnic group0.3%
22 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.1%
11 residents
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

No qualifications23.6%
1,438 residents aged 16 and over
Level 4 qualifications or above22.1%
1,344 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications18.6%
1,133 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.9%
967 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications10.5%
638 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship7%
425 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.4%
144 residents aged 16 and over
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)57.3%
3,488 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive41.2%
2,510 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.5%
89 residents aged 16 and over
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations16.5%
1,004 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations16%
972 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations15.1%
917 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations13.1%
797 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed12%
731 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations9%
548 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations7.2%
437 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers6.4%
389 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students4.8%
294 residents aged 16 and over
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health41.4%
3,053 residents
Good health35.9%
2,648 residents
Fair health15.6%
1,154 residents
Bad health5.4%
400 residents
Very bad health1.7%
128 residents
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act77.2%
5,697 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act22.8%
1,686 residents
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension44.2%
1,487 households
Household is deprived in one dimension33.5%
1,126 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions17.2%
578 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions4.9%
165 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.2%
6 households
South Murton & South Hetton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Each percentage uses its Census table’s own total. Rounding and source categories can affect totals. ONS Census data · OGL v3.0.

How the similarity is worked out

Alike on the Census, which is not the same as alike to live in.

Every neighbourhood is described by its shares across the Census themes above — tenure, housing, cars, household make-up, age, ethnic group, qualifications, work, health and deprivation — each theme weighted equally, which is the approach ONS takes in its own Output Area Classification. The neighbourhoods listed are the closest on those numbers, published in full rather than folded into a score. Nothing here measures schools, crime, prices or what a place is like to be in, and a close match is a statistical fact rather than a suggestion to move.

Browse every neighbourhood in County Durham

Evidence ledger

Source and date are part of the record.

Shared catalogue checked 2026-08-28: 88 candidate data layers listed. Catalogue presence is not publication approval; only separately approved public projections may be shown.