Town Pop. 12,467

Living in Blandford Forum: Liveability Score 55/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Blandford Forum is 55/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 51/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Furthest below the national norm is bills, at 25/100 against a town median of 47/100.

No other settlement in the DT11 postcode district scores higher. Blandford Forum leads all 16. The DT11 district averages 46/100, putting Blandford Forum 9 points above its own postcode area. On healthcare specifically, Blandford Forum sits 23 points above the DT11 district figure of 28/100. For the surrounding area, see DT11 postcode district.

55
OUT OF 100
Average
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Blandford Forum scores 55 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Blandford Forum.
Or compare:
DT11 0AA DT11 1DY DT11 7AA DT11 8AA DT11 9AA DT11

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
83
65 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 308 crimes
↓ 26% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 176 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 73 crimes
↓ 13% below national average
Shoplifting 63 crimes
↓ 35% below national average
Other theft 45 crimes
↓ 42% below national average
other 145 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 99 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 80 crimes
  3. 3 Red Lion Yard 19 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment
69
Air Quality NO₂ 5.2 · PM2.5 5.7 · PM10 9.9 µg/m³
77
Green Space 50
Parks Adequate 4
Sports Pitches Ample 22
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 10

Services

Schools
36
5 schools in area · 8 within 4km
5Good
  • Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Milldown CofE AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • The Blandford SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • The Forum CentreAlternative provision · inspected 2025
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
51
A&E departmentsPoole General Hospital11.5 mi
Royal Bournemouth Hospital15.9 mi
Salisbury District Hospital19.8 mi
Hospital waitsDorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs61.2%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity1,727 patients per GP
5dentists2pharmacies

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband
85
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
92.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
92.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 332 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
51
Employment rate56.4%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.4%Unemployed2%Retired27.5%Student4.5%Other inactive9.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial36.5%Skilled & technical34.1%Routine & elementary29.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.2%Level 3 (A levels)17.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.2%Apprenticeship6.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.9%
Home ownership64%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
25
Council tax Dorset · 2026-27
A £1,843
B £2,151
C £2,458
D £2,765
E £3,379
F £3,994
G £4,608
H £5,530
Energy South West England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Wessex Water
Average bill regional £581/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
33
Holton Heath 10.9 mi
Hamworthy 11.2 mi
Wareham 11.7 mi
J1 M27 25.1 mi
J1 M27 25.6 mi
J2 M27 27.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
43
Pubs & Bars Adequate 8
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 12
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 10
Retail Shopping Ample 77
Takeaways Ample 12
Fitness Ample 8

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House Prices

Current median sale prices · last 12 months · England & Wales only

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £281,500 98
Detached £411,250 26
Semi-detached £320,000 19
Terraced £249,000 39
Flat / Maisonette £129,000 14
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£109k £232k £359k £483k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (OGL v3.0)

Nearby places

Bryanston 46 1.1 mi away ⇄
Charlton Marshall 43 1.9 mi away ⇄
Pimperne 44 1.9 mi away ⇄
Ash (Dorset) 0 2.1 mi away ⇄
Durweston 35 2.1 mi away ⇄
Stourpaine 41 2.4 mi away ⇄
Spetisbury 40 3.0 mi away ⇄
Winterborne Stickland 41 3.6 mi away ⇄
Tarrant Monkton 0 3.7 mi away ⇄
Shroton 45 4.1 mi away ⇄
Shillingstone 40 4.7 mi away ⇄
Iwerne Minster 43 5.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Blandford Forum a nice place to live?

Blandford Forum is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Blandford Forum is 55/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Blandford Forum?

Blandford Forum is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 83/100. There were 810 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Blandford Forum?

Among the top-rated schools in Blandford Forum are Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School, Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School and Milldown CofE Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 5 rated schools in Blandford Forum in total.

What are house prices like in Blandford Forum?

The current median house price in Blandford Forum is £281,500, in line with the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £411,250, semi-detached £320,000, terraced £249,000, flat £129,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 7%. There were 98 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Blandford Forum in context

See where Blandford Forum ranks among the best places to live in Dorset

Postcode districts in Blandford Forum

DT11 46 ⇄

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