Town Pop. 11,067

Living in Ferndown: Liveability Score 55/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Ferndown scores 55/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 54/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. Furthest below the national norm is bills, at 25/100 against a town median of 47/100.

That makes it the 2nd highest-scoring of the 15 places in the BH21 postcode district. The BH21 district averages 50/100, putting Ferndown 5 points above its own postcode area. Its healthcare score runs 23 points above the BH21 district's 31/100. For the surrounding area, see BH21 postcode district.

55
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.

Ferndown scores 55 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Ferndown.
Or compare:
BH21 1AA BH21 2AA BH21 3AA BH21 4AA BH21 5AA BH21 6FA BH21 7AA BH21 8AB BH21 BH22

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
90
61.4 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Anti-social behaviour 217 crimes
↑ 29% above national average
Violence and sexual offences 199 crimes
↓ 46% below national average
Other theft 58 crimes
↓ 16% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 50 crimes
↓ 34% below national average
Shoplifting 41 crimes
↓ 53% below national average
other 115 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Petrol Station 65 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 58 crimes
  3. 3 Princes Road 37 crimes

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

Environment
64
Air Quality NO₂ 7.1 · PM2.5 6 · PM10 9.2 µg/m³
75
Green Space 38
Parks Ample 5
Sports Pitches Ample 7
Allotments None
Golf Courses Ample 3
Tennis Courts Ample 9
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 4

Services

Schools
37
6 schools in area · 13 within 4km
6Good
  • Ferndown First SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Ferndown Middle SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Ferndown Upper SchoolSecondary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Oakhurst Community First SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Parley First SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • West Moors Middle SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
54
A&E departmentsRoyal Bournemouth Hospital3.9 mi
Poole General Hospital5.5 mi
Salisbury District Hospital16.5 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks67.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs67.7%
2 GP surgeries in area 5 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,500 patients per GP
5dentists5pharmacies

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
42
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
75.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
75.8%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
96.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 346 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
69
Employment rate42.4%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed42.4%Unemployed1.4%Retired46.9%Student1.9%Other inactive7.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial40.2%Skilled & technical37%Routine & elementary22.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications18.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.5%Level 3 (A levels)15.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)27.7%Apprenticeship8.3%Other (incl. vocational)4%
Home ownership83%
Among the least-deprived 24% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
25
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 D
Water Wessex Water
Average bill regional £581/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
44
Branksome 5.4 mi
Bournemouth 5.5 mi
Pokesdown 5.9 mi
J1 M27 15.4 mi
J1 M27 16.1 mi
J2 M27 18.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
40
Pubs & Bars Adequate 3
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 11
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 6
Retail Shopping Ample 71
Takeaways Ample 14
Fitness Ample 8

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £395,000 139
Detached £495,000 81
Semi-detached £314,000 12
Flat / Maisonette £205,000 37
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Flat
£187k £315k £448k £576k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

West Moors 54 1.4 mi away ⇄
Longham 44 1.4 mi away ⇄
West Parley 55 1.5 mi away ⇄
Merritown 42 2.9 mi away ⇄
Broom Hill 0 2.9 mi away ⇄
Bearwood 63 2.9 mi away ⇄
Wimborne Minster 52 3.0 mi away ⇄
Merley 54 3.3 mi away ⇄
Matchams 0 3.3 mi away ⇄
Three Legged Cross 42 3.3 mi away ⇄
Holt (Dorset) 46 3.4 mi away ⇄
Ashley Heath 42 3.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Ferndown a nice place to live?

Ferndown is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Ferndown is 55/100, 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 Ferndown?

Ferndown is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 90/100. There were 680 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Ferndown?

Among the top-rated schools in Ferndown are Ferndown First School, Ferndown Middle School and Ferndown Upper School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 6 rated schools in Ferndown in total.

What are house prices like in Ferndown?

The current median house price in Ferndown is £395,000, around 39% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £495,000, semi-detached £314,000, flat £205,000. There were 139 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Ferndown in context

See where Ferndown ranks among the best places to live in Dorset

Postcode districts in Ferndown

BH21 50 ⇄
BH22 55 ⇄

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