Town Pop. 1,100

Living in Dorchester (South Oxfordshire): Liveability Score 46/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Dorchester (South Oxfordshire) comes out at 46/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. That makes it the 5th highest-scoring of the 12 places in the OX10 postcode district. Its broadband score runs 22 points above the OX10 district's 47/100.

Safety (89) sits at 80/100 or above. Schools (13), lifestyle (20), healthcare (25) and transport (28) all fall below 30/100. On the national picture that lands Dorchester (South Oxfordshire) in the middle half of all the places we score. For the surrounding area, see OX10 postcode district.

46
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
89
142.7 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Violence and sexual offences 67 crimes
↑ 83% above national average
Public order 16 crimes
↑ 123% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 15 crimes
↓ 11% below national average
Shoplifting 13 crimes
↑ 51% above national average
Other theft 12 crimes
↑ 76% above national average
other 34 crimes
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  1. 1 Evenlode Drive 28 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 25 crimes
  3. 3 Colwell Road 8 crimes

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

Environment
59
Air Quality NO₂ 6.963 · PM2.5 6.496 · PM10 10.12 µg/m³
73
Green Space 25
Parks Adequate 4
Sports Pitches None
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
13
1 school in area · 6 within 4km
1Ungraded
  • Dorchester St Birinus Church of England SchoolPrimary · 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
25
A&E departmentsJohn Radcliffe Hospital8 mi
Royal Berkshire Hospital15.8 mi
Stoke Mandeville Hospital18.6 mi
Hospital waitsBerkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust4.4 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks100%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99%
Nearest GP surgeryBerinsfield Health Centre1.3 mi
GP capacity1,301 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
69
Full fibre (FTTP)68%
available across South Oxfordshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
83.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
83.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 41 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
67
Employment rate55.7%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Employed55.7%Unemployed2.3%Retired29.8%Student3.1%Other inactive9%
Professional & managerial46.2%Skilled & technical31.6%Routine & elementary22.2%
No qualifications15.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.6%Level 3 (A levels)13.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)41.1%Apprenticeship5%Other (incl. vocational)2.1%
Home ownership70%
Among the least-deprived 36% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
33
Council tax South Oxfordshire · 2026-27
A £1,732
B £2,021
C £2,309
D £2,598
E £3,175
F £3,753
G £4,330
H £5,196
Energy Southern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Thames Water
Average bill regional £489/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
28
Culham 3.1 mi
Appleford 3.3 mi
Didcot Parkway 4 mi
J8A M40 7.1 mi
J8 M40 7.1 mi
J7 M40 7.3 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
20
Pubs & Bars Adequate 3
Restaurants & Cafes Some 3
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 4

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Dorchester (South Oxfordshire) 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 Dorchester (South Oxfordshire) a nice place to live?

Dorchester (South Oxfordshire) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Dorchester (South Oxfordshire) is 46/100, 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 Dorchester (South Oxfordshire)?

Dorchester (South Oxfordshire) is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 89/100. There were 157 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

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