Town Pop. 18,413

Living in Dorchester (Dorset): Liveability Score 58/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Dorchester (Dorset) is 58/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 78/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Safety falls furthest short: 57/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That is 8 points above the national benchmark of 50, the top 10% of all UK towns and villages. For the surrounding area, see DT1 postcode district.

58
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.

Dorchester (Dorset) scores 58 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Dorchester (Dorset).
Or compare:
DT1 1AA DT1 2AB DT1 3AA DT1 9DL DT1 DT2

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
57
77.1 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 453 crimes
↓ 26% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 350 crimes
↑ 25% above national average
Shoplifting 207 crimes
↑ 44% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 86 crimes
↓ 31% below national average
Other theft 82 crimes
↓ 27% below national average
other 242 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 75 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 66 crimes
  3. 3 Little Britain 56 crimes

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

Environment
73
Air Quality NO₂ 6.3 · PM2.5 5.5 · PM10 9.4 µg/m³
77
Green Space 63
Parks Ample 21
Sports Pitches Ample 30
Allotments Ample 4
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 6
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 21

Services

Schools
39
9 schools in area · 10 within 4km
6Good1Requires Improvement1Inadequate1Ungraded
  • Damers First SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Dorchester Learning CentreAlternative provision · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Dorset Studio SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Mary's Catholic First School, DorchesterPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • St Osmund's Church of England Middle SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • The Prince of Wales SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Dorchester Middle SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Requires Improvement
  • Manor Park Church of England First SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Inadequate
  • The Thomas Hardye 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
78
A&E departmentsYeovil Hospital17.3 mi
Poole General Hospital19.1 mi
Royal Bournemouth Hospital25.8 mi
Hospital waitsDorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs61.2%
5 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity2,505 patients per GP
12dentists6pharmacies

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
76
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
89.1%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
89.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.6%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 666 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
53
Employment rate54.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54.1%Unemployed2.3%Retired31.3%Student3.1%Other inactive9.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial42.4%Skilled & technical31.8%Routine & elementary25.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.4%Level 3 (A levels)16.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)36.5%Apprenticeship6.1%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership64.3%
Among the least-deprived 37% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
30
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
37
Dorchester West 0 mi
Dorchester South 0.3 mi
Upwey 4.4 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
72
Pubs & Bars Ample 16
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 47
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 13
Retail Shopping Ample 176
Takeaways Ample 13
Fitness Ample 7

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £297,725 202
Detached £525,000 31
Semi-detached £355,000 31
Terraced £299,975 74
Flat / Maisonette £187,500 66
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£173k £337k £506k £670k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Charminster 41 1.8 mi away ⇄
Stinsford, Lower Bockhampton and Kingston Maurward 47 1.9 mi away ⇄
Winterborne St Martin 36 2.6 mi away ⇄
Charlton Down 42 2.9 mi away ⇄
West Knighton 42 3.3 mi away ⇄
Broadmayne 41 3.3 mi away ⇄
Piddlehinton 37 4.6 mi away ⇄
Crossways 36 4.9 mi away ⇄
Puddletown 37 5.0 mi away ⇄
Osmington 35 5.0 mi away ⇄
Owermoigne 32 5.9 mi away ⇄
Portesham 40 6.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Dorchester (Dorset) a nice place to live?

Dorchester (Dorset) is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Dorchester (Dorset) is 58/100, 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 Dorchester (Dorset)?

Dorchester (Dorset) has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 57/100. There were 1,420 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Dorchester (Dorset)?

Among the top-rated schools in Dorchester (Dorset) are Damers First School, Dorchester Learning Centre and Dorset Studio School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 9 rated schools in Dorchester (Dorset) in total.

What are house prices like in Dorchester (Dorset)?

The current median house price in Dorchester (Dorset) is £297,725, in line with the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £525,000, semi-detached £355,000, terraced £299,975, flat £187,500. There were 202 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Dorchester (Dorset) in context

See where Dorchester (Dorset) ranks among the best places to live in Dorset

Postcode districts in Dorchester (Dorset)

DT1 58 ⇄
DT2 36 ⇄

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