Town Pop. 826

Living in Motcombe: Liveability Score 42/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Motcombe is 42/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, economic health stands out most: 87/100 where the typical UK town scores 67/100. Furthest below the national norm is bills, at 25/100 against a town median of 47/100.

No other settlement in the SP7 postcode district scores higher. Motcombe leads all 6. Against the wider SP7 district average of 37/100, that is 5 points above. On economic health specifically, Motcombe sits 17 points above the SP7 district figure of 70/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: SP7 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.

Motcombe scores 42 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Motcombe.
Or compare:
SP7 0AA SP7 7AH SP7 8AA SP7 9AB SP7

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
89
31.5 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 8 crimes
↓ 71% below national average
Burglary 6 crimes
↑ 109% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 4 crimes
↓ 29% below national average
Vehicle crime 3 crimes
↓ 25% below national average
Other theft 3 crimes
↓ 42% below national average
other 2 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Frog Lane 5 crimes
  2. 2 Elm Close 3 crimes
  3. 3 Sherborne Causeway 3 crimes

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

Environment
66
Air Quality NO₂ 3.8 · PM2.5 5.6 · PM10 9.3 µg/m³
79
Green Space 37
Parks None
Sports Pitches Adequate 4
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
26
1 school in area · 7 within 4km
1Good
  • Motcombe CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

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

Healthcare
5
A&E departmentsSalisbury District Hospital18.2 mi
Yeovil Hospital18.6 mi
Poole General Hospital22.9 mi
Hospital waitsOxleas NHS Foundation Trust3.1 mi
Routine referral (median)13 wks
Treated within 18 weeks55.7%
Nearest GP surgeryGillingham Medical Practice2.3 mi
GP capacity2,822 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
64
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
91.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
91.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
95.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 32 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
87
Employment rate58.7%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed58.7%Unemployed1.2%Retired31.1%Student2.2%Other inactive6.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial40.7%Skilled & technical41.5%Routine & elementary17.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications11%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.5%Level 3 (A levels)19.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)38.6%Apprenticeship5.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.1%
Home ownership80.4%
Among the least-deprived 20% 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 Southern 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
4
Gillingham 2.4 mi
Tisbury 6.5 mi
Templecombe 8.9 mi
J1 M27 28.2 mi
J1 M27 28.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
17
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Ample 6

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Motcombe 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

Shaftesbury 37 1.7 mi away ⇄
Gillingham (Dorset) 45 2.7 mi away ⇄
Higher Coombe 0 2.7 mi away ⇄
Stour Row 41 3.0 mi away ⇄
East Stour 40 3.2 mi away ⇄
Donhead St Mary 42 3.5 mi away ⇄
Milton on Stour 43 3.6 mi away ⇄
East Knoyle 42 3.7 mi away ⇄
West Stour 40 4.2 mi away ⇄
Mere (Wiltshire) 36 4.8 mi away ⇄
Fontmell Magna 36 5.3 mi away ⇄
Kington Magna 40 5.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Motcombe a nice place to live?

Motcombe has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Motcombe 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 Motcombe?

Motcombe is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 89/100. There were 19,781 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Motcombe?

Among the top-rated schools in Motcombe is Motcombe CofE Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Motcombe in total.

Motcombe in context

See the best places to live in Dorset, ranked

Postcode districts in Motcombe

SP7 37 ⇄

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