// CITY_ASSESSMENT
How smart is Durham?
Durham, United Kingdom, scores 58.1% against the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework in 2026 — ranked #120 of 386 cities assessed, with every finding traceable to a public source.
Smart score
58.1%
Rank
#120 / 386
Criteria present
40 / 86
Evidence coverage
70.9%
Durham's smart city score by area
6 present · 2 partial · 2 absent · 5 not assessed
6 present · 2 partial · 1 absent · 3 not assessed
6 present · 4 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed
3 present · 5 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed
7 present · 2 partial · 1 absent · 3 not assessed
6 present · 2 partial · 0 absent
6 present · 4 partial · 1 absent · 3 not assessed
Where Durham is strong
- ▸Food Security & Urban Agriculture
- ▸Digital Government Services
- ▸Innovation & Economic Development
- ▸Air Quality & Monitoring
- ▸Green Space & Biodiversity
Where the gaps are
- ▸Governance & Smart-City Operating Model
- ▸Climate Action & Emissions
- ▸Open Data & Transparency
- ▸Solid Waste & Circular Economy
- ▸Health & Digital Health
Evidence highlights
Open Data & Transparency · Official open data portal
Data related to Durham County Council is available on data.gov.uk, which is identified as the 'National Data Library' and serves as a government-run open data portal for the UK.
https://data.gov.uk/search?q=durham+county+councilPublic Transport & Real-Time Information · Public transport network
Go North East operates a bus network in North East England, with several routes serving Durham, including connections to Chester-le-Street, Stanley, Consett, and Sunderland.
https://bustimes.org/operators/go-north-eastPublic Transport & Real-Time Information · Open schedule data (GTFS)
The Bus Open Data Service provides bus timetable, vehicle location, and fares data for every local bus service in England, allowing users to view and download open data published by operators, which would include services in Durham.
https://data.bus-data.dft.gov.uk/Smart Traffic & Electric Vehicles · EV charging network
Durham County Council has installed charging points for electric vehicles across the county, with plans for more in the coming years, and new developments will also include EV charging points.
https://www.durham.gov.uk/electricvehiclesAbout this assessment
Durham was assessed against the 86 criteria of the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework on 2026-07-10 by AI agents gathering evidence from official public sources. Each criterion is marked present, partial or absent, and every finding links to where it was found. Scores refresh continuously as cities publish new evidence.