The UK has a charming little town that’s so affordable that you can buy a two-bedroom house for just under £5,000, but there’s one major drawback, and it isn’t what you expect
A small town in the UK, celebrated as one of Britain’s most affordable places to purchase a home, might offer an intriguing history and superb transport links – but there’s something potential buyers might be unwillingly faced with.
Characterised as “a quaint and quiet town edged with comforting green spaces”, the North East town of Shildon offers two-bedroom houses for a mere £5,000, or even less, with a recent freehold property listed for auction starting at just £1,000. This provides a ray of hope for first-time home buyers, particularly following the Government’s announcement of a 4.9% annual price increase on house prices earlier this year.
This has propelled the average property value in the UK to a staggering £269,000 – and in many areas, it’s significantly higher. But while the properties are cheap, locals could be faced with alarming levels of crime.
Despite its prime location, bargain homes, railway heritage and lush green spaces, there’s one drawback: Shildon has a crime rate that’s “80% higher than England, Wales and Northern Ireland”, according to recent crime data, reports the Mirror.
However, locals aren’t necessarily put off by this, and suggest that the town has “good spots and bad spots, as does everywhere else”.
The town, located 13 miles from the city of Durham, is a popular choice for young families who might not otherwise have had the chance to step onto the property ladder. Shildon’s position close to the city makes it ideal for commuters, boasting superb transport links including up to 26 daily trains to Durham – and this charming English town holds the distinction of being the world’s first railway settlement.
Currently, appealing red-brick terraced homes are on offer for considerably less than the national average – with Zoopla presently listing numerous bargain buys ranging from £30,000 to £70,000.
There’s also a two-bedroom terraced house for sale on Princes Street with an opening price of merely £1,000, advertised by On The Market with an auction planned for this December. Data from CrimeRate, last updated on November 7, 2025, ranks Shildon as “the third most dangerous small town in Durham”, and amongst the “top 10 most dangerous overall out of Durham’s 169 towns, villages, and cities”, based on these figures.
CrimeRate reported that the “overall crime rate in Shildon in 2025 was 131 crimes per 1,000 people”. CrimeRate added: “This compares poorly to Durham’s overall crime rate, coming in 46% higher than the Durham rate of 89 per 1,000 daytime population.
“For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Shildon is among the top 20 most dangerous small towns, and the 137th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.” Crime statistics show that as of 2025, Shildon’s crime rate stands “49% higher than the (rest of the) North East and 80% higher than the England, Wales and Northern Ireland overall figure”.
Nevertheless, Shildon Town Council is working hard to transform the area into an appealing place to call home, with property website Zoopla also singing the town’s praises. Zoopla describes Shildon as a “quaint and quiet British town edged with comforting green spaces”.
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