It is located in the Craghead valley on the opposite side to Stanley and has 1,564 inhabitants, as measured in the 2011 census.

Burnhope is a village of contrasts, being home to many of the area's poorest and richest people (among them, children's author Terry Deary).

In 2003 two wind turbines were erected in a field between the village and nearby Craghead, creating a new landmark to accompany the transmission mast.

The school was run in 1921 by William Jacques Warwick, with his wife Emmeline teaching in the Infants Department.

Two miles south-east are the ruins of Langley Hall, a 16th-century fortified manor house.