Town Pop. 501

Living in Sopley: Liveability Score 47/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Sopley scores 47/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 41/100 versus a median of 60/100. Among the 5 scored places sharing the BH23 postcode district, Sopley ranks 2nd.

Against the wider BH23 district average of 61/100, that is 14 points below. On transport specifically, Sopley sits 23 points below the BH23 district figure of 55/100. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (93). For the surrounding area, see BH23 postcode district.

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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.

Sopley scores 47 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Sopley.

Or compare:

BH23 1AB BH23 2AA BH23 3AA BH23 4AB BH23 5AA BH23 6AA BH23 7AA BH23 8AA BH23

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

191.6 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3

Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months

Violence and sexual offences 42 crimes

↑ 152% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 16 crimes

↑ 110% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 9 crimes

↑ 165% above national average

Public order 9 crimes

↑ 177% above national average

Burglary 8 crimes

↑ 357% above national average

other 12 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Avon View Road 9 crimes
2 Charles'S Lane 7 crimes
3 Salisbury Road 7 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 6.066 · PM2.5 5.498 · PM10 8.271 µg/m³

Green Space 52

Parks None

Sports Pitches None

Allotments None

Golf Courses Some 1

Tennis Courts None

Bowling Greens None

Playgrounds None

Services

Schools

1 school in area · 10 within 4km

1Requires Improvement

Burton Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Requires Improvement

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

Healthcare

A&E departmentsRoyal Bournemouth Hospital2.4 mi

Poole General Hospital9.1 mi

Hythe Hospital17.1 mi

Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust1.8 mi

Routine referral (median)11 wks

Treated within 18 weeks67.5%

A&E seen within 4 hrs67.7%

Nearest GP surgeryTwin Oaks Medical Centre1.9 mi

GP capacity1,720 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

Full fibre (FTTP)71.8%

available across New Forest

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

68.4%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

68.4%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

100%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 17 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate52.1%

Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed52.1%Unemployed1.4%Retired34%Student4.2%Other inactive8.3%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial44.2%Skilled & technical36.1%Routine & elementary19.8%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications16.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.1%Level 3 (A levels)19.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)33.4%Apprenticeship6.5%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%

Home ownership72.1%

Around the England average for deprivation

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

Council tax New Forest · 2026-27

A £1,613

B £1,882

C £2,151

D £2,420

E £2,958

F £3,496

G £4,033

H £4,840

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

Christchurch 2.2 mi

Hinton Admiral 3 mi

Pokesdown 3.5 mi

J1 M27 13 mi

J1 M27 13.6 mi

J2 M27 16 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Some 2

Restaurants & Cafes None

Supermarkets & Convenience None

Retail Shopping Some 2

Takeaways None

Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Sopley 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.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sopley a nice place to live?

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

Sopley is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 93/100. There were 96 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Sopley in context

See the best places to live in Hampshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Sopley

BH23 61 ⇄

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