Town Pop. 349

Living in Cranborne: Liveability Score 44/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Cranborne is 44/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, broadband stands out most: 90/100 where the typical UK town scores 60/100. Furthest below the national norm is bills, at 20/100 against a town median of 47/100.

Cranborne places 11th of 15 in the BH21 postcode district. The BH21 district averages 50/100, putting Cranborne 6 points below its own postcode area. On broadband specifically, Cranborne sits 41 points above the BH21 district figure of 49/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the BH21 postcode district.

44
OUT OF 100
Below Avg
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.

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
223.5 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Violence and sexual offences 22 crimes
↑ 89% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 15 crimes
↑ 532% above national average
Burglary 13 crimes
↑ 963% above national average
Vehicle crime 10 crimes
↑ 498% above national average
Other theft 8 crimes
↑ 269% above national average
other 10 crimes
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  1. 1 Park/Open Space 7 crimes
  2. 2 Batterley Drove 6 crimes
  3. 3 Alms Walk 5 crimes

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

Environment
78
Air Quality NO₂ 4.2 · PM2.5 5.5 · PM10 9.4 µg/m³
78
Green Space 78
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
9
2 schools in area · 3 within 4km
1Good1Ungraded
  • Cranborne Church of England First SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Cranborne Middle SchoolSecondary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

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

Healthcare
22
A&E departmentsSalisbury District Hospital10.2 mi
Royal Bournemouth Hospital12.4 mi
Poole General Hospital13.7 mi
Hospital waitsHampshire And Isle Of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust5.6 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks70%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.3%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,774 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

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
90
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
96.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 19 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
62
Employment rate58.8%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Employed58.8%Unemployed1.9%Retired27%Student3%Other inactive9.2%
Professional & managerial37.8%Skilled & technical41.7%Routine & elementary20.5%
No qualifications16.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.5%Level 3 (A levels)19.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)31.6%Apprenticeship5.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership56.2%
Among the most-deprived 40% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
20
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 E
Water Wessex Water
Average bill regional £581/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
4
Salisbury 11.6 mi
Tisbury 12 mi
Branksome 13.3 mi
J1 M27 14.3 mi
J1 M27 14.7 mi
J2 M27 16.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
6
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Some 2
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Cranborne in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Frequently asked questions

Is Cranborne a nice place to live?

Cranborne has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Cranborne is 44/100, placing it among a below-average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Cranborne?

Cranborne is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 78 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Cranborne?

Among the top-rated schools in Cranborne is Cranborne Church of England First School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Cranborne in total.

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