Town Pop. 36,217

Living in Dover: Liveability Score 53/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Dover is 53/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 72/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Safety falls furthest short: 20/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

No other settlement in the CT15 postcode district scores higher. Dover leads all 9. The CT15 district averages 42/100, putting Dover 11 points above its own postcode area. On healthcare specifically, Dover sits 39 points above the CT15 district figure of 33/100. For the surrounding area, see CT15 postcode district.

53
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.

Dover scores 53 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Dover.
Or compare:
CT15 4AA CT15 5AA CT15 6AA CT15 7AA CT15 CT16 CT17

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
20
167.9 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 2,359 crimes
↑ 95% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 1,211 crimes
↑ 120% above national average
Shoplifting 542 crimes
↑ 92% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 528 crimes
↑ 115% above national average
Other theft 310 crimes
↑ 39% above national average
other 1,130 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 230 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 194 crimes
  3. 3 Shopping Area 177 crimes

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

Environment
66
Air Quality NO₂ 7.8 · PM2.5 6.6 · PM10 10.4 µg/m³
73
Green Space 49
Parks Ample 10
Sports Pitches Ample 12
Allotments Ample 7
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 4
Bowling Greens Adequate 3
Playgrounds Ample 15

Services

Schools
67
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 21 in area · 22 within 4km
1Outstanding15Good2Requires Improvement3Ungraded
  • Green Park Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Aycliffe Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Barton Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Charlton Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Dover Grammar School for BoysSecondary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Duke of York's Royal Military SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Elms SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Guston Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Priory Fields SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Shatterlocks Infant and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good

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
72
A&E departmentsWIlliam Harvey Hospital14.9 mi
William Harvey Hospital15 mi
Estuary View Medical Centre16.6 mi
Hospital waitsKent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)5 wks
Treated within 18 weeks99.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.1%
5 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity2,766 patients per GP
7dentists7pharmacies

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
56
Full fibre (FTTP)73.1%
available across Dover
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
85.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
85.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 842 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
31
Employment rate55.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.1%Unemployed4.2%Retired21.3%Student4.2%Other inactive15.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial29.6%Skilled & technical33.6%Routine & elementary36.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.6%Level 3 (A levels)18.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)22.1%Apprenticeship5.9%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%
Home ownership54.5%
Among the most-deprived 29% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
39
Council tax Dover · 2026-27
A £1,641
B £1,915
C £2,188
D £2,462
E £3,009
F £3,556
G £4,103
H £4,924
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
65
Dover Priory 0.6 mi
Kearsney 1.6 mi
Martin Mill 3.4 mi
J13 M20 6.4 mi
J13 M20 6.9 mi
J12 M20 7.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
44
Pubs & Bars Ample 27
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 38
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 15
Retail Shopping Ample 38
Takeaways Ample 14
Fitness Ample 6

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £214,000 222
Detached £392,250 26
Semi-detached £285,000 57
Terraced £195,000 111
Flat / Maisonette £155,000 28
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£128k £243k £362k £477k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Guston 47 1.4 mi away ⇄
Whitfield (Dover) 48 1.7 mi away ⇄
Alkham 37 3.2 mi away ⇄
Lydden 47 3.3 mi away ⇄
St Margaret's at Cliffe 33 3.7 mi away ⇄
Capel-le-Ferne 52 4.2 mi away ⇄
Sibertswold 37 4.7 mi away ⇄
East Studdal 36 4.7 mi away ⇄
Eythorne 40 4.9 mi away ⇄
Kingsdown 53 5.7 mi away ⇄
Hawkinge 53 6.0 mi away ⇄
Densole 48 6.1 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Dover a nice place to live?

Dover is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Dover is 53/100, 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 Dover?

Crime levels in Dover are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 20/100. There were 6,080 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Dover?

Among the top-rated schools in Dover are Green Park Community Primary School, Aycliffe Community Primary School and Barton Junior School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 21 rated schools in Dover in total.

What are house prices like in Dover?

The current median house price in Dover is £214,000, around 25% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £392,250, semi-detached £285,000, terraced £195,000, flat £155,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 5%. There were 222 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Dover in context

See where Dover ranks among the best places to live in Kent

Postcode districts in Dover

CT15 42 ⇄
CT16 50 ⇄
CT17 53 ⇄

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