Town Pop. 1,717

Living in Sandford (Dorset): Liveability Score 47/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Sandford (Dorset) comes out at 47/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 38/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Bills falls furthest short: 25/100 where the typical UK town reaches 47/100.

That makes it the 2nd highest-scoring of the 11 places in the BH20 postcode district. The BH20 district averages 40/100, putting Sandford (Dorset) 7 points above its own postcode area. Its healthcare score runs 10 points above the BH20 district's 28/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: BH20 postcode district.

47
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.

Sandford (Dorset) scores 47 but individual postcodes tell the full story

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

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
75
89.7 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 46 crimes
↑ 76% above national average
Violence and sexual offences 43 crimes
↓ 25% below national average
Other theft 12 crimes
↑ 13% above national average
Burglary 12 crimes
↑ 100% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 11 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 30 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Fir Avenue 36 crimes
  2. 2 Wareham Road 19 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 16 crimes

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

Environment
74
Air Quality NO₂ 4.943 · PM2.5 5.386 · PM10 8.448 µg/m³
79
Green Space 63
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches Ample 5
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
21
1 school in area · 5 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
38
A&E departmentsPoole General Hospital5.2 mi
Royal Bournemouth Hospital12.1 mi
Salisbury District Hospital26.7 mi
Hospital waitsDorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust1.3 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs61.2%
1 GP surgery in area 2 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,000 patients per GP
0dentists1pharmacy

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
74
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
89.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
89.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.6%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 46 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
53
Employment rate53.2%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed53.2%Unemployed2.2%Retired34.1%Student2.6%Other inactive8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial37.4%Skilled & technical35.2%Routine & elementary27.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.9%Level 3 (A levels)15.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.8%Apprenticeship7.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%
Home ownership75.5%
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
32
Holton Heath 1 mi
Wareham 1.2 mi
Hamworthy 3.8 mi
J1 M27 26.5 mi
J1 M27 27.2 mi
J2 M27 29.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
16
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 2

Places like Sandford (Dorset) Pro

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £426,000 16
5-year monthly trend
All Detached
£395k £449k £503k £557k 2022 2023 2024 2025

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

Nearby places

Holton Heath 38 1.2 mi away ⇄
Wareham 48 1.3 mi away ⇄
Ridge 41 2.0 mi away ⇄
Stoborough 38 2.4 mi away ⇄
Post Green 40 2.9 mi away ⇄
Lytchett Matravers 38 3.6 mi away ⇄
Upton (Dorset) 52 3.7 mi away ⇄
Beacon Hill 0 4.3 mi away ⇄
Corfe Castle 37 5.4 mi away ⇄
Corfe Mullen 55 5.7 mi away ⇄
Bere Regis 41 6.1 mi away ⇄
Wool 37 6.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Sandford (Dorset) a nice place to live?

Sandford (Dorset) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Sandford (Dorset) is 47/100, 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 Sandford (Dorset)?

Sandford (Dorset) is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 75/100. There were 154 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Sandford (Dorset)?

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

What are house prices like in Sandford (Dorset)?

The current median house price in Sandford (Dorset) is £426,000, around 49% above the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 7%.

Sandford (Dorset) in context

See the best places to live in Dorset, ranked

Postcode districts in Sandford (Dorset)

BH20 40 ⇄

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