Town Pop. 8,285

Living in Upton (Dorset): Liveability Score 52/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Upton (Dorset) scores 52/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is transport: 53/100 against a national town median of 21/100. Bills falls furthest short: 25/100 where the typical UK town reaches 47/100.

Upton (Dorset) places 2nd of 5 in the BH16 postcode district. The BH16 district averages 44/100, putting Upton (Dorset) 8 points above its own postcode area. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (81). The same breakdown for the wider area is on the BH16 postcode district.

52
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.

Upton (Dorset) scores 52 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Upton (Dorset).
Or compare:
BH16 5AA BH16 6AB BH16

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
81
69.2 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 228 crimes
↓ 17% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 146 crimes
↑ 16% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 46 crimes
↓ 18% below national average
Vehicle crime 43 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 33 crimes
↓ 35% below national average
other 77 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Rice Gardens 48 crimes
  2. 2 Blandford Road 29 crimes
  3. 3 Sports/Recreation Area 26 crimes

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

Environment
62
Air Quality NO₂ 7.3 · PM2.5 5.8 · PM10 9.2 µg/m³
75
Green Space 32
Parks Adequate 2
Sports Pitches Ample 6
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Adequate 5

Services

Schools
40
4 schools in area · 20 within 4km
4Good
  • Bayside AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Lytchett Minster SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Upton Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Upton Junior 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
31
A&E departmentsPoole General Hospital2 mi
Royal Bournemouth Hospital8.4 mi
Salisbury District Hospital23.3 mi
Hospital waitsSomerset NHS Foundation Trust1.5 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks65.4%
A&E seen within 4 hrs72.8%
Nearest GP surgeryThe Birchwood Practice1.4 mi
GP capacity1,513 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
63
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
85.8%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
85.8%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 200 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
52
Employment rate57.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.1%Unemployed2.7%Retired27.7%Student3%Other inactive9.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial33.5%Skilled & technical34.1%Routine & elementary32.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications18.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16%Level 3 (A levels)18.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)23.1%Apprenticeship7.8%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%
Home ownership72.5%
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
53
Hamworthy 0.9 mi
Poole 2.4 mi
Holton Heath 2.7 mi
J1 M27 22.8 mi
J1 M27 23.5 mi
J2 M27 26 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
31
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 4
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 6
Retail Shopping Adequate 6
Takeaways Adequate 5
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £319,000 62
Detached £444,000 22
Semi-detached £321,000 13
Terraced £288,500 21
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£181k £282k £386k £487k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Post Green 40 1.2 mi away ⇄
Beacon Hill 0 2.0 mi away ⇄
Corfe Mullen 55 2.4 mi away ⇄
Holton Heath 38 2.5 mi away ⇄
Lytchett Matravers 38 2.6 mi away ⇄
Poole 67 3.1 mi away ⇄
Sandford (Dorset) 47 3.7 mi away ⇄
Merley 54 4.3 mi away ⇄
Sturminster Marshall 36 4.6 mi away ⇄
Bearwood 63 4.7 mi away ⇄
Stone (Dorset) 37 4.9 mi away ⇄
Wareham 48 4.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Upton (Dorset) a nice place to live?

Upton (Dorset) is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Upton (Dorset) is 52/100, 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 Upton (Dorset)?

Upton (Dorset) is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 81/100. There were 573 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Upton (Dorset)?

Among the top-rated schools in Upton (Dorset) are Bayside Academy, Lytchett Minster School and Upton Infant School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Upton (Dorset) in total.

What are house prices like in Upton (Dorset)?

The current median house price in Upton (Dorset) is £319,000, around 12% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £444,000, semi-detached £321,000, terraced £288,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 10%. There were 62 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Upton (Dorset) in context

See where Upton (Dorset) ranks among the best places to live in Dorset

Postcode districts in Upton (Dorset)

BH16 44 ⇄

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