Town Pop. 17,087

Living in Dorking: Liveability Score 60/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Dorking comes out at 60/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 67/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 56/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Dorking places 2nd of 4 in the RH3 postcode district. The RH3 district averages 55/100, putting Dorking 5 points above its own postcode area. On healthcare specifically, Dorking sits 17 points above the RH3 district figure of 50/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: RH3 postcode district.

60
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.

Dorking scores 60 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Dorking.
Or compare:
RH3 7AA RH3 RH4 RH5

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
56
91.2 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 514 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 273 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 164 crimes
↑ 48% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 116 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Shoplifting 111 crimes
↓ 17% below national average
other 381 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 90 crimes
  2. 2 Shopping Area 74 crimes
  3. 3 South Terrace 50 crimes

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

Environment
78
Air Quality NO₂ 8.9 · PM2.5 7.1 · PM10 10.8 µg/m³
70
Green Space 95
Parks Ample 8
Sports Pitches Ample 25
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Ample 15
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 23

Services

Schools
42
10 schools in area · 11 within 4km
1Outstanding5Good4Ungraded
  • Dorking Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2021
    Outstanding
  • Powell Corderoy Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • St John's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • The Ashcombe SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Martin's CofE Primary SchoolPrimary
    Ungraded
  • Surrey Hills All Saints Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded
  • The Priory Church of England SchoolSecondary
    Ungraded
  • Unified AcademySpecial · 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
67
A&E departmentsEpsom General Hospital5.7 mi
East Surrey Hospital6.4 mi
St. Helier Hospital10.9 mi
Hospital waitsSurrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks67%
A&E seen within 4 hrs54.9%
2 GP surgeries in area 3 within 4km best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity1,255 patients per GP
8dentists5pharmacies

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
68
Full fibre (FTTP)60.6%
available across Mole Valley
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
90.1%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
90.1%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.5%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 536 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
73
Employment rate61.4%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed61.4%Unemployed2.5%Retired23.4%Student3.9%Other inactive8.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial49.1%Skilled & technical33.4%Routine & elementary17.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.5%Level 3 (A levels)14.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)44%Apprenticeship4.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership66.9%
Among the least-deprived 25% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
34
Council tax Mole Valley · 2026-27
A £1,680
B £1,960
C £2,240
D £2,520
E £3,080
F £3,640
G £4,200
H £5,040
Energy South East England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Southern Water
Average bill regional £683/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
52
Dorking West 0.7 mi
Dorking Deepdene 0.7 mi
Dorking 0.9 mi
J9 M25 5 mi
J8 M25 5.8 mi
J9 M25 6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
69
Pubs & Bars Ample 18
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 45
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 12
Retail Shopping Ample 172
Takeaways Ample 13
Fitness Ample 30

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £459,500 118
Detached £925,000 17
Semi-detached £590,000 30
Terraced £440,000 41
Flat / Maisonette £292,500 30
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£227k £512k £806k £1.1m 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Westcott (Mole Valley) 49 1.7 mi away ⇄
Westhumble 42 1.7 mi away ⇄
Brockham 56 1.8 mi away ⇄
Box Hill 35 2.5 mi away ⇄
Mickleham 45 2.7 mi away ⇄
Buckland (Mole Valley) 47 3.0 mi away ⇄
Leigh (Mole Valley) 49 3.6 mi away ⇄
Abinger Common 47 3.7 mi away ⇄
Beare Green 44 3.8 mi away ⇄
Parkgate (Mole Valley) 48 3.8 mi away ⇄
Skimmington 0 3.9 mi away ⇄
Great Bookham and Fetcham 59 4.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Dorking a nice place to live?

Dorking is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Dorking is 60/100, 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 Dorking?

Dorking has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 56/100. There were 1,559 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Dorking?

Among the top-rated schools in Dorking are Dorking Nursery School, Powell Corderoy Primary School and St John's Church of England Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 10 rated schools in Dorking in total.

What are house prices like in Dorking?

The current median house price in Dorking is £459,500, around 61% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £925,000, semi-detached £590,000, terraced £440,000, flat £292,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 19%. There were 118 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Dorking in context

See where Dorking ranks among the best places to live in Surrey

Postcode districts in Dorking

RH3 55 ⇄
RH4 58 ⇄
RH5 46 ⇄

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