Town Pop. 13,177

Living in Verwood: Liveability Score 50/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Verwood comes out at 50/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Bills falls furthest short: 25/100 where the typical UK town reaches 47/100. Among the 15 scored places sharing the BH21 postcode district, Verwood ranks 7th.

Also scoring 80 or better: safety (92). Below 30/100: lifestyle (20) and healthcare (29). That puts Verwood in the middle half of the UK towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the BH21 postcode district.

50
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.

Verwood scores 50 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Verwood.
Or compare:
BH21 1AA BH21 2AA BH21 3AA BH21 4AA BH21 5AA BH21 6FA BH21 7AA BH21 8AB BH21 BH31

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
38.6 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 178 crimes
↓ 59% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 128 crimes
↓ 36% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 44 crimes
↓ 51% below national average
Shoplifting 38 crimes
↓ 63% below national average
Burglary 29 crimes
↓ 37% below national average
other 91 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 46 crimes
  2. 2 Petrol Station 44 crimes
  3. 3 Bingham Drive 21 crimes

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

Environment
65
Air Quality NO₂ 5.8 · PM2.5 5.8 · PM10 8.8 µg/m³
77
Green Space 38
Parks Ample 6
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Ample 3
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 6

Services

Schools
31
4 schools in area · 5 within 4km
3Good1Ungraded
  • Emmanuel Church of England Middle SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Hillside Community First SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Verwood Church of England First SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Trinity Church of England First SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded

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

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

Healthcare
29
A&E departmentsRoyal Bournemouth Hospital8.2 mi
Poole General Hospital10.9 mi
Salisbury District Hospital11.5 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust4.1 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks67.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs67.7%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,184 patients per GP
4dentists2pharmacies

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
65
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
89.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
89.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
96.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 281 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
75
Employment rate56.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.1%Unemployed1.9%Retired32.2%Student2.3%Other inactive7.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.4%Skilled & technical35.8%Routine & elementary20.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.8%Level 3 (A levels)19.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.9%Apprenticeship7.3%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership82.3%
Among the least-deprived 21% 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
33
Pokesdown 10.2 mi
Christchurch 10.3 mi
Bournemouth 10.3 mi
J1 M27 12.5 mi
J1 M27 13.1 mi
J2 M27 15.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
20
Pubs & Bars Adequate 3
Restaurants & Cafes Some 3
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 5
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £410,000 114
Detached £481,375 70
Semi-detached £350,000 15
Terraced £282,500 16
Flat / Maisonette £189,000 13
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£192k £304k £420k £533k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Three Legged Cross 42 1.8 mi away ⇄
Whitmore 44 1.9 mi away ⇄
Alderholt 39 3.1 mi away ⇄
Ashley Heath 42 3.5 mi away ⇄
Cranborne 44 3.6 mi away ⇄
West Moors 54 3.8 mi away ⇄
Chalbury Common 46 4.1 mi away ⇄
Ringwood 51 4.5 mi away ⇄
Gaunt's Common 0 4.5 mi away ⇄
Sandleheath 39 4.6 mi away ⇄
Holt (Dorset) 46 4.9 mi away ⇄
Broom Hill 0 5.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Verwood a nice place to live?

Verwood is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Verwood is 50/100, 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 Verwood?

Verwood is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 508 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Verwood?

Among the top-rated schools in Verwood are Emmanuel Church of England Middle School, Hillside Community First School and Verwood Church of England First School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Verwood in total.

What are house prices like in Verwood?

The current median house price in Verwood is £410,000, around 44% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £481,375, semi-detached £350,000, terraced £282,500, flat £189,000. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 2%. There were 114 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Verwood in context

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

Postcode districts in Verwood

BH21 50 ⇄
BH31 49 ⇄

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