Living and working in the North East

With its stunning coastlines, beautiful countryside, thriving cities and quaint market towns, the North East is an exciting and rewarding place to live and work.

Whether you like exploring the great outdoors, you love soaking up contemporary culture, or you’re in your element when you’re shopping and dining out, the North East has a lot for you to enjoy.

And with a lower cost of living compared to other parts of the UK, and some of the lowest house prices in the country, your money goes a lot further in the North East – meaning you can really make the most out of life.

Schools

The North East offers a wide choice of excellent schools, both state and independent, with many consistently performing above the national average.

Find out more about our region’s schools:

The North East also has five top universities – Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside, as well as numerous further education colleges.

Housing

With the lowest average house price of all English regions, at £163,000 in September 2023 compared to the national average of £291,000, homes in the North East are among the most affordable in the country.

This means you can get a lot more for your money, which is especially good for those trying to get on the housing ladder or those looking to relocate to benefit from a better quality of living.

If you’re planning to rent, there’s also a good range of rental accommodation available at affordable prices below the national average.

Where to live

Whether you’re looking for an apartment among the hustle and bustle of a big city, or you’re after a more traditional Victorian terrace in a quieter village setting, you can find it here.

Quality of life

The North East is rich in stunning scenery, contemporary culture and historical sites, and offers the very best in sports and entertainment.

With a lower cost of living compared to other parts of the UK, living in the region gives you greater opportunity to live life to the full and do what you enjoy most.

And there’s plenty on offer.

The outdoors

With its dramatic and varied landscapes, when you live in the North East, you’re never far away from your next outdoor adventure.

Our coastline is home to some of the country’s best beaches. From the rugged, picturesque beaches of Northumberland to the golden, family-friendly beaches of South Shields, they offer a huge variety of activities for all ages. For activity lovers there’s canoeing, kayaking and surfing to try, or for thrill seekers a trip to Ocean Beach Pleasure Park makes the perfect day out.

Inland you can take a walk in the peaceful moors of the Durham Dales, discovering winding rivers and hidden villages. Or a trip to Northumberland National Park and one of Europe’s greatest monuments, Hadrian’s Wall, is one of the region’s highlights.

Events

From music festivals to sporting events, there’s always a lot going on in the region.

Every year, over 40,000 people take part in the Great North Run. Now one of the world’s largest running events, the race sees participants run 13.1 miles from Tyne Bridge to the South Shields coast, amid roaring cheers from the crowds.

And festival season is never a quiet affair. From Newcastle’s This is Tomorrow festival, to The Hardwick Live festival in County Durham, you’ll find numerous music events taking place across the region.

Shopping

If you’re after a spot of retail therapy, you’re spoilt for choice. For a full day out, The Metrocentre in Gateshead, one of the largest shopping centres in Europe, boasts over 330 shops, a cinema complex and a food hall. You’ll also find a wide range of shops in Newcastle’s Eldon Square and The Bridges shopping centre in Sunderland.

Or if you prefer something a bit more low key, head to the market towns of Alnwick or Stanhope where you can take your time exploring the many independent boutiques and antique shops.

Sport

We’re a region with a proud sporting tradition, and we’re passionate about supporting sport – whether it’s professional or at grassroots level.

With Newcastle United and Sunderland Football Club flying the flag for football, the Newcastle Falcons leading the charge in the region’s rugby and Durham Cricket batting for the North East, there’s a lot for sports-loving spectators to enjoy.

And there are also lots of opportunities to get involved yourself. Home to some stunning golf courses and benefitting from a wide variety of well-established sports clubs across the region, the North East is a great place to get out and get active.

Art & Culture

With over 70 castles in the North East, the region is steeped in medieval history.

In Northumberland, you’ll find the spectacular Bamburgh Castle which spans nine acres above the region’s coastline, providing magnificent views for visitors. Or for film lovers, a trip to Alnwick Castle is a must, having featured in a number of classic films, including Harry Potter and Downton Abbey.

With Newcastle’s popular Laing Gallery and County Durham’s world famous Beamish open air museum, amongst many others, the region is also home to a wide variety of galleries, museums and National Trust stately homes – so you’re never short of a spot of culture.

The outdoors

With its dramatic and varied landscapes, when you live in the North East, you’re never far away from your next outdoor adventure.

Events

From music festivals to sporting events, there’s always a lot going on in the region.

Shopping

Or if you prefer something a bit more low key, head to the market towns of Alnwick or Stanhope where you can take your time exploring the many independent boutiques and antique shops.

Sport

We’re a region with a proud sporting tradition, and we’re passionate about supporting sport – whether it’s professional or at grassroots level.

Art & Culture

With over 70 castles in the North East, the region is steeped in medieval history.

Travel and transport

The North East is well connected by an extensive road and rail network, which makes it easy to get out and about in the region. You can travel between most major towns and cities in under an hour, and the region has some of the lowest commuting times in the country.

The North East is also set to benefit from a multibillion-pound government investment to further improve transport links over the next ten years.

Roads

The North East has some of the least congested roads in the country, meaning a lot less time is spent sitting in traffic. Within the region, major roads link the main towns and cities, with the Tyne Tunnel and bridges across the Tyne and Wear making access quicker and more convenient.

Outside the North East, the A1 connects the region with London and Edinburgh, and other cities, such as Birmingham and Manchester, are very accessible by road.

Rail

Train stations in Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham connect the region to London, with direct trains getting you there in under three hours. There are also frequent services to other major cities around the UK.

Within the region, our towns and cities are well-served by the rail network, and there are some impressive train rides to take. Whether you’re on a high-speed train zipping past the Northumberland countryside, or taking it slow by the coast, there are some stunning railway journeys in our region.

Find out more about rail travel in the North East

Plane

Newcastle International Airport provides a first-class service offering flights to over 80 worldwide destinations, including daily flights to Dubai, Amsterdam and Paris.

For UK travel, the airport services up to five flights a day to Heathrow and a frequent service to Aberdeen airport.

Find out more about Newcastle International Airport

Bus

With a well-developed bus network, everywhere in the region is accessible by bus. Whether you’re travelling through Newcastle or you’re exploring the Northumberland countryside, you’ll be able to find a bus service to get you there.

Find out more about bus services in the North East

Metro

The award-winning Tyne and Wear Nexus Metro system has 60 stations across the region. Serving Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland, a train runs every 12 minutes, making the metro a quick and easy way to get around the region.

Find out more about the Metro