Darlington

Darlington
Town
Blackwellgate, Post House Wynd, the Market Hall, St Cuthbert's Church and Skerne Bridge
Darlington Location within County Durham
Area	19.73 km2 (7.62 sq mi)
Population	107,800
• Density	4,680.81/km2 (12,123.25/sq mi) (Town)
OS grid reference	NZ289147
• London	219 mi (352 km) south
Unitary authority	Darlington
Ceremonial county	County Durham
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Areas of the town	List Blackwell Branksome Cockerton Faverdale Firthmoor Hummersknott Mowden Skerne Park The Denes West Park
Post town	DARLINGTON
Postcode district	DL1, DL2, DL3
Dialling code	01325
Police	Durham
Fire	County Durham and Darlington
Ambulance	North East
UK Parliament	Darlington
Website	www.darlington.gov.uk
List of places UK England County Durham 54°31′37″N 1°33′09″W / 54.5270°N 1.5526°W / 54.5270; -1.5526

Darlington is a market and industrial town in County Durham, England. It is the main administrative centre of the unitary authority Borough of Darlington. The borough is a constituent member of the devolved Tees Valley area.^[1]

The River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, flows through the town. It is sited near to the Yorkshire Dales National Park, being 11 miles (18 km) from the park boundary near the town of Richmond. Darlington had a population of 107,800 in the 2021 Census,^[2] which classes it as a "large town".^[3]

In the 19th century, establishment of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (the world's first permanent steam locomotive-powered passenger railway) led to the town having an industrial and manufacturing economy.