Town Pop. 509

Living in Merritown: Liveability Score 42/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Merritown is 42/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, broadband stands out most: 99/100 where the typical UK town scores 60/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 43/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That places it last of the 5 scored places in the BH23 postcode district. It scores 19 points below the BH23 postcode district as a whole, which averages 61/100. Its broadband score runs 41 points above the BH23 district's 58/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: BH23 postcode district.

42
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.

Merritown scores 42 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Merritown.
Or compare:
BH23 1AB BH23 2AA BH23 3AA BH23 4AB BH23 5AA BH23 6AA BH23 7AA BH23 8AA BH23

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
43
341.8 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 54 crimes
↑ 219% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 35 crimes
↑ 353% above national average
Other theft 21 crimes
↑ 566% above national average
Vehicle crime 19 crimes
↑ 677% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 16 crimes
↑ 362% above national average
other 29 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 21 crimes
  2. 2 Avon Causeway 18 crimes
  3. 3 Lone Pines Close 18 crimes

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

Environment
67
Air Quality NO₂ 7.4 · PM2.5 5.6 · PM10 9 µg/m³
76
Green Space 45
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
16
1 school in area · 12 within 4km
1Good
  • Portfield SchoolSpecial · inspected 2024
    Good

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

Healthcare
26
A&E departmentsRoyal Bournemouth Hospital1.6 mi
Poole General Hospital6.3 mi
Salisbury District Hospital17.8 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust2.1 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66%
A&E seen within 4 hrs72.5%
Nearest GP surgeryJames Fisher Medical Centre1.5 mi
GP capacity1,922 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
99
Full fibre (FTTP)79.4%
available across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
100%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
100%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 6 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
56
Employment rate45.9%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed45.9%Unemployed2%Retired41.4%Student2.8%Other inactive7.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial41.6%Skilled & technical38.5%Routine & elementary19.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.5%Level 3 (A levels)15.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.2%Apprenticeship7.7%Other (incl. vocational)3.8%
Home ownership79.5%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
46
Council tax Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole · 2026-27
A £1,624
B £1,895
C £2,165
D £2,436
E £2,977
F £3,519
G £4,060
H £4,872
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 F
Water Wessex Water
Average bill regional £581/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
27
Pokesdown 3.6 mi
Christchurch 3.9 mi
Bournemouth 3.9 mi
J1 M27 14.3 mi
J1 M27 14.9 mi
J2 M27 17.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
24
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes Some 3
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 3
Takeaways None
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Merritown 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

Matchams 0 1.9 mi away ⇄
West Parley 55 1.9 mi away ⇄
Ferndown 55 2.9 mi away ⇄
Longham 44 2.9 mi away ⇄
Bournemouth 67 3.0 mi away ⇄
Sopley 47 3.0 mi away ⇄
West Moors 54 3.2 mi away ⇄
Ashley Heath 42 3.5 mi away ⇄
Bearwood 63 4.2 mi away ⇄
Bransgore 47 4.6 mi away ⇄
Christchurch (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) 63 4.8 mi away ⇄
Three Legged Cross 42 4.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Merritown a nice place to live?

Merritown has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Merritown is 42/100, 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 Merritown?

Merritown has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 43/100. There were 174 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Merritown?

Among the top-rated schools in Merritown is Portfield School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Merritown in total.

Merritown in context

See the best places to live in Dorset, ranked

Postcode districts in Merritown

BH23 61 ⇄

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