Town Pop. 1,265

Living in Sturminster Marshall: Liveability Score 36/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Sturminster Marshall scores 36/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Bills falls furthest short: 25/100 where the typical UK town reaches 47/100. That places it last of the 15 scored places in the BH21 postcode district.

Against the wider BH21 district average of 50/100, that is 14 points below. That is 14 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom quarter of all UK towns and villages. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (91). Wider context for the surrounding area: BH21 postcode district.

36
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.

Sturminster Marshall scores 36 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Sturminster Marshall.
Or compare:
BH21 1AA BH21 2AA BH21 3AA BH21 4AA BH21 5AA BH21 6FA BH21 7AA BH21 8AB BH21

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
91
87.7 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 45 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 20 crimes
↑ 132% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 18 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Burglary 9 crimes
↑ 103% above national average
Other theft 8 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 11 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 The Broads 17 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 13 crimes
  3. 3 Dullar Lane 11 crimes

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

Environment
59
Air Quality NO₂ 4.7 · PM2.5 5.4 · PM10 9 µg/m³
78
Green Space 16
Parks None
Sports Pitches Adequate 4
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
3
1 school in area
1Ungraded
  • Sturminster Marshall First SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsPoole General Hospital6.4 mi
Royal Bournemouth Hospital11.2 mi
Salisbury District Hospital20.7 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust3.5 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks67.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs67.7%
Nearest GP surgeryWalford Mill Medical Centre3.8 mi
GP capacity1,520 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
49
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
77.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
77.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 39 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
72
Employment rate57.9%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.9%Unemployed2.1%Retired29.3%Student3.4%Other inactive7.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial41.8%Skilled & technical37.7%Routine & elementary20.5%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.9%Level 3 (A levels)18.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)32%Apprenticeship8%Other (incl. vocational)1.7%
Home ownership63%
Among the least-deprived 39% 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
12
Hamworthy 5.5 mi
Holton Heath 5.9 mi
Poole 6.7 mi
J1 M27 22.6 mi
J1 M27 23.2 mi
J2 M27 25.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
10
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Sturminster Marshall 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

Beacon Hill 0 2.5 mi away ⇄
Lytchett Matravers 38 2.8 mi away ⇄
Spetisbury 40 2.8 mi away ⇄
Corfe Mullen 55 3.1 mi away ⇄
Stone (Dorset) 37 3.2 mi away ⇄
Charlton Marshall 43 4.0 mi away ⇄
Post Green 40 4.0 mi away ⇄
Furzehill 50 4.3 mi away ⇄
Upton (Dorset) 52 4.6 mi away ⇄
Wimborne Minster 52 4.8 mi away ⇄
Merley 54 4.9 mi away ⇄
Holton Heath 38 5.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Sturminster Marshall a nice place to live?

Sturminster Marshall has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Sturminster Marshall is 36/100, 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 Sturminster Marshall?

Sturminster Marshall is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 91/100. There were 111 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Sturminster Marshall in context

See the best places to live in Dorset, ranked

Postcode districts in Sturminster Marshall

BH21 50 ⇄

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