Town Pop. 202

Living in Ridge: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Ridge is 41/100, built from 9 categories. Environment is where Ridge most outperforms the national norm: 79/100 against a median of 64/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is bills: 25/100 versus a median of 47/100.

Among the 11 scored places sharing the BH20 postcode district, Ridge ranks 3rd. Its environment score runs 12 points above the BH20 district's 67/100. That is 9 points below the national benchmark of 50, the middle half of all UK towns and villages. For the surrounding area, see BH20 postcode district.

41
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.

Ridge scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Ridge.
Or compare:
BH20 4AA BH20 5AA BH20 6AA BH20 7AA BH20 9BY BH20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
341.6 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Other theft 19 crimes
↑ 1418% above national average
Violence and sexual offences 15 crimes
↑ 123% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 13 crimes
↑ 324% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 6 crimes
↑ 337% above national average
Burglary 5 crimes
↑ 609% above national average
other 11 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 15 crimes
  2. 2 Furzebrook Road 6 crimes
  3. 3 The Drove 6 crimes

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

Environment
79
Air Quality NO₂ 4.2 · PM2.5 5.3 · PM10 8.2 µg/m³
80
Green Space 78
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
6
1 school in area · 4 within 4km
1Good
  • Stoborough Church of England 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
7
A&E departmentsPoole General Hospital5.8 mi
Royal Bournemouth Hospital12.6 mi
Salisbury District Hospital28.5 mi
Hospital waitsDorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust1 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs61.2%
Nearest GP surgeryWareham Surgery1.2 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
59
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
92.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
92.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
92.5%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 8 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
79
Employment rate51.4%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed51.4%Unemployed2.2%Retired36.4%Student3.1%Other inactive6.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.2%Skilled & technical37.1%Routine & elementary19.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.3%Level 3 (A levels)15.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)39.1%Apprenticeship5.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership78.1%
Among the least-deprived 32% 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
11
Wareham 1.4 mi
Holton Heath 2.5 mi
Hamworthy 4.7 mi
J1 M27 27.5 mi
J1 M27 28.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
10
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Ridge 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

Stoborough 38 0.7 mi away ⇄
Wareham 48 1.3 mi away ⇄
Sandford (Dorset) 47 2.0 mi away ⇄
Holton Heath 38 2.9 mi away ⇄
Corfe Castle 37 3.4 mi away ⇄
Post Green 40 4.6 mi away ⇄
Harman's Cross 41 4.9 mi away ⇄
Upton (Dorset) 52 5.0 mi away ⇄
Lytchett Matravers 38 5.5 mi away ⇄
Worth Matravers 39 6.1 mi away ⇄
Beacon Hill 0 6.1 mi away ⇄
Langton Matravers 41 6.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Ridge a nice place to live?

Ridge has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Ridge is 41/100, 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 Ridge?

Ridge is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 69 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Ridge?

Among the top-rated schools in Ridge is Stoborough Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Ridge in total.

Ridge in context

See the best places to live in Dorset, ranked

Postcode districts in Ridge

BH20 40 ⇄

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