Town Pop. 511

Living in Holton Heath: Liveability Score 38/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Holton Heath scores 38/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 23/100 versus a median of 60/100. Holton Heath places 4th of 5 in the BH16 postcode district.

It scores 6 points below the BH16 postcode district as a whole, which averages 44/100. That is 12 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom quarter of all UK towns and villages. Lifestyle (13), schools (22) and bills (25) all fall below 30/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: BH16 postcode district.

38
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.

Holton Heath scores 38 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Holton Heath.
Or compare:
BH16 5AA BH16 6AB BH16 BH20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
55
182 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Anti-social behaviour 33 crimes
↑ 325% above national average
Violence and sexual offences 24 crimes
↑ 41% above national average
Other theft 9 crimes
↑ 184% above national average
Burglary 9 crimes
↑ 403% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 7 crimes
↑ 101% above national average
other 11 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Fir Avenue 36 crimes
  2. 2 Wareham Road 19 crimes
  3. 3 Warren Way 5 crimes

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

Environment
76
Air Quality NO₂ 6.2 · PM2.5 5.3 · PM10 8.3 µg/m³
78
Green Space 72
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
22
1 school in area · 6 within 4km
1Good
  • Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary · 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
31
A&E departmentsPoole General Hospital3.6 mi
Royal Bournemouth Hospital10.4 mi
Salisbury District Hospital25.5 mi
Hospital waitsDorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust2.5 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs61.2%
Nearest GP surgerySandford Surgery1 mi
GP capacity1,000 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
23
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
44.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
44.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 9 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
53
Employment rate48.8%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed48.8%Unemployed1.8%Retired39%Student2.6%Other inactive7.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial40.3%Skilled & technical35%Routine & elementary24.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications22.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.4%Level 3 (A levels)15.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.4%Apprenticeship7.1%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%
Home ownership81.9%
Around the England average for deprivation
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
31
Holton Heath 0.5 mi
Wareham 2.3 mi
Hamworthy 2.7 mi
J1 M27 25.4 mi
J1 M27 26 mi
J2 M27 28.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
13
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness Adequate 4

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Holton Heath 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

Sandford (Dorset) 47 1.2 mi away ⇄
Post Green 40 1.8 mi away ⇄
Wareham 48 2.5 mi away ⇄
Upton (Dorset) 52 2.5 mi away ⇄
Lytchett Matravers 38 2.7 mi away ⇄
Ridge 41 2.9 mi away ⇄
Beacon Hill 0 3.3 mi away ⇄
Stoborough 38 3.4 mi away ⇄
Corfe Mullen 55 4.5 mi away ⇄
Poole 67 5.3 mi away ⇄
Sturminster Marshall 36 5.4 mi away ⇄
Corfe Castle 37 5.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Holton Heath a nice place to live?

Holton Heath has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Holton Heath is 38/100, 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 Holton Heath?

Holton Heath has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 55/100. There were 93 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Holton Heath?

Among the top-rated schools in Holton Heath is Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Holton Heath in total.

Holton Heath in context

See the best places to live in Dorset, ranked

Postcode districts in Holton Heath

BH16 44 ⇄
BH20 40 ⇄

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