Town Pop. 10,370

Living in Dawlish: Liveability Score 40/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Dawlish is 40/100, built from 9 categories. Lifestyle is where Dawlish most outperforms the national norm: 37/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 59/100 versus a median of 88/100.

Dawlish places 2nd of 3 in the EX7 postcode district. That sits 10 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the middle half of the towns and villages we score. Below 30/100: schools (27) and bills (28). Wider context for the surrounding area: EX7 postcode district.

40
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.

Dawlish scores 40 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Dawlish.
Or compare:
EX7 0AA EX7 7AX EX7 9AA EX7

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
59
85.9 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 377 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 129 crimes
↓ 18% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 93 crimes
↑ 32% above national average
Shoplifting 81 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 58 crimes
↓ 14% below national average
other 153 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Supermarket 90 crimes
  2. 2 Queen Street 37 crimes
  3. 3 Church Street 33 crimes

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

Environment
59
Air Quality NO₂ 4 · PM2.5 5.2 · PM10 9.5 µg/m³
79
Green Space 12
Parks Ample 10
Sports Pitches Ample 9
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 10

Services

Schools
27
4 schools in area · 6 within 4km
3Good1Ungraded
  • Dawlish CollegeSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Gatehouse Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Orchard Manor SchoolSpecial · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Westcliff Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    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
30
A&E departmentsTorbay Hospital6.9 mi
Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford)8 mi
Derriford Hospital29.8 mi
Hospital waitsTorbay And South Devon NHS Foundation Trust0.5 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.4%
A&E seen within 4 hrs66.2%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,583 patients per GP
3dentists2pharmacies

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
34
Full fibre (FTTP)75.8%
available across Teignbridge
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
59.8%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
59.8%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 372 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
43
Employment rate48.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed48.1%Unemployed2.3%Retired36.7%Student2.4%Other inactive10.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial35.1%Skilled & technical35.7%Routine & elementary29.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.6%Level 3 (A levels)16.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.6%Apprenticeship7.2%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%
Home ownership67.1%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
28
Council tax Teignbridge · 2026-27
A £1,762
B £2,056
C £2,349
D £2,643
E £3,230
F £3,818
G £4,405
H £5,286
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 D
Water South West Water
Average bill regional £600/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
32
Dawlish 0.4 mi
Dawlish Warren 1.4 mi
Teignmouth 2.8 mi
J31 M5 6.8 mi
J31 M5 7 mi
J30 M5 8.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
37
Pubs & Bars Ample 11
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 15
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 8
Retail Shopping Adequate 8
Takeaways Adequate 7
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £260,000 93
Detached £380,000 26
Semi-detached £290,000 17
Terraced £240,000 36
Flat / Maisonette £135,000 14
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£127k £231k £338k £441k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Dawlish Warren 35 1.2 mi away ⇄
Holcombe (Teignbridge) 50 1.5 mi away ⇄
Cockwood 38 2.2 mi away ⇄
Teignmouth 47 2.6 mi away ⇄
Starcross 45 2.9 mi away ⇄
Kenton 40 3.7 mi away ⇄
Shaldon 41 3.8 mi away ⇄
Bishopsteignton 45 4.0 mi away ⇄
Exmouth 62 4.4 mi away ⇄
Lympstone 53 4.7 mi away ⇄
Stokeinteignhead 38 5.1 mi away ⇄
Exton (East Devon) 48 5.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Dawlish a nice place to live?

Dawlish has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Dawlish is 40/100, 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 Dawlish?

Dawlish has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 59/100. There were 891 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Dawlish?

Among the top-rated schools in Dawlish are Dawlish College, Gatehouse Primary Academy and Orchard Manor School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Dawlish in total.

What are house prices like in Dawlish?

The current median house price in Dawlish is £260,000, around 9% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £380,000, semi-detached £290,000, terraced £240,000, flat £135,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 7%. There were 93 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Dawlish in context

See the best places to live in Devon, ranked

Postcode districts in Dawlish

EX7 41 ⇄

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