Town Pop. 7,406

Living in Sherborne: Liveability Score 51/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Sherborne is 51/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 52/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. Bills falls furthest short: 25/100 where the typical UK town reaches 47/100.

Sherborne places 2nd of 13 in the DT9 postcode district. Against the wider DT9 district average of 42/100, that is 9 points above. On healthcare specifically, Sherborne sits 23 points above the DT9 district figure of 29/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the DT9 postcode district.

51
OUT OF 100
Average
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.

Sherborne scores 51 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Sherborne.
Or compare:
DT9 3AA DT9 4AA DT9 5AA DT9 6AA DT9 9BR DT9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
79
70.2 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 175 crimes
↓ 29% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 152 crimes
↑ 35% above national average
Shoplifting 58 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 36 crimes
↓ 28% below national average
Other theft 31 crimes
↓ 32% below national average
other 68 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Cheap Street 54 crimes
  2. 2 Durrant Close 39 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 24 crimes

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

Environment
67
Air Quality NO₂ 4.9 · PM2.5 5.7 · PM10 10.5 µg/m³
77
Green Space 46
Parks Ample 5
Sports Pitches Ample 11
Allotments Ample 5
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 5
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 10

Services

Schools
35
4 schools in area
4Good
  • Harbour Vale SchoolAlternative provision · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Sherborne Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2026
    Good
  • The Gryphon SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
Healthcare
52
A&E departmentsYeovil Hospital4.1 mi
Musgrove Park Hospital25.8 mi
Poole General Hospital28 mi
Hospital waitsDorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs61.2%
2 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,361 patients per GP
3dentists3pharmacies

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
67
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
85.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
85.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.6%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 329 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
51
Employment rate47.5%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed47.5%Unemployed2.4%Retired36.6%Student5%Other inactive8.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial40.7%Skilled & technical33.6%Routine & elementary25.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.5%Level 3 (A levels)15.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)35%Apprenticeship5.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%
Home ownership57.9%
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
18
Sherborne 0.5 mi
Thornford 3.7 mi
Yeovil Pen Mill 4.1 mi
J24 M5 23.2 mi
J24 M5 23.2 mi
J25 M5 24.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
40
Pubs & Bars Ample 10
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 12
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 6
Retail Shopping Ample 26
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £328,750 98
Detached £615,000 28
Semi-detached £325,000 19
Terraced £272,250 40
Flat / Maisonette £172,500 11
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£141k £317k £498k £674k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Nether Compton 49 2.2 mi away ⇄
Longburton 38 2.4 mi away ⇄
Leweston 0 2.8 mi away ⇄
Milborne Port 43 2.8 mi away ⇄
Trent 48 2.8 mi away ⇄
Thornford 28 2.9 mi away ⇄
Bradford Abbas 36 3.3 mi away ⇄
Bishop's Caundle 57 4.3 mi away ⇄
Marston Magna 43 4.3 mi away ⇄
Charlton Horethorne 40 4.4 mi away ⇄
Yetminster 38 4.5 mi away ⇄
Barwick and Stoford 39 4.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Sherborne a nice place to live?

Sherborne is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Sherborne is 51/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Sherborne?

Sherborne is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 79/100. There were 520 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Sherborne?

Among the top-rated schools in Sherborne are Harbour Vale School, Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School and Sherborne Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Sherborne in total.

What are house prices like in Sherborne?

The current median house price in Sherborne is £328,750, around 15% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £615,000, semi-detached £325,000, terraced £272,250, flat £172,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 11%. There were 98 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Sherborne in context

See where Sherborne ranks among the best places to live in Dorset

Postcode districts in Sherborne

DT9 42 ⇄

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