Town Pop. 349

Living in West Knighton: Liveability Score 42/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

West Knighton scores 42/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Broadband is where West Knighton most outperforms the national norm: 98/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is bills: 25/100 versus a median of 47/100.

That makes it the 5th highest-scoring of the 22 places in the DT2 postcode district. West Knighton is a place of extremes: 98/100 for broadband against 3/100 for healthcare, a 95-point spread wider than roughly nine in ten UK towns. The DT2 district averages 36/100, putting West Knighton 6 points above its own postcode area. Wider context for the surrounding area: DT2 postcode district.

42
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.

West Knighton scores 42 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with West Knighton.
Or compare:
DT2 0AA DT2 7AA DT2 8AA DT2 9AA DT2

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
89
88.8 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 19 crimes
↑ 63% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 5 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 4 crimes
↑ 77% above national average
Burglary 1 crimes
↓ 17% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 1 crimes
↓ 57% below national average
other 1 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Stafford Close 4 crimes
  2. 2 Lytchetts Park 3 crimes
  3. 3 Bakers Paddock 3 crimes

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

Environment
59
Air Quality NO₂ 3.837 · PM2.5 5.228 · PM10 9.29 µg/m³
79
Green Space 11
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
20
1 school in area · 2 within 4km
1Good
  • Broadmayne First 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
3
A&E departmentsPoole General Hospital17.9 mi
Yeovil Hospital20.8 mi
Royal Bournemouth Hospital24.7 mi
Hospital waitsDorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust2.9 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs61.2%
Nearest GP surgeryFordington Surgery2.8 mi
GP capacity2,531 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
98
Full fibre (FTTP)70.9%
available across Dorset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
99.8%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
99.8%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 13 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
77
Employment rate51.8%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed51.8%Unemployed1.1%Retired38.2%Student2.5%Other inactive6.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial47.5%Skilled & technical34.8%Routine & elementary17.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.9%Level 3 (A levels)17.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)39.6%Apprenticeship5.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.9%
Home ownership79.8%
Among the least-deprived 34% 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
9
Dorchester South 3 mi
Moreton 3.1 mi
Dorchester West 3.3 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
8
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in West Knighton 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

Broadmayne 41 0.7 mi away ⇄
Crossways 36 2.1 mi away ⇄
Owermoigne 32 2.6 mi away ⇄
Stinsford, Lower Bockhampton and Kingston Maurward 47 2.6 mi away ⇄
Osmington 35 2.8 mi away ⇄
Dorchester (Dorset) 58 3.3 mi away ⇄
Puddletown 37 4.6 mi away ⇄
Winfrith Newburgh 34 4.8 mi away ⇄
Charminster 41 4.8 mi away ⇄
Winterborne St Martin 36 5.3 mi away ⇄
Weymouth 48 5.7 mi away ⇄
Charlton Down 42 5.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is West Knighton a nice place to live?

West Knighton has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for West Knighton is 42/100, 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 West Knighton?

West Knighton is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 89/100. There were 19,781 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in West Knighton?

Among the top-rated schools in West Knighton is Broadmayne First School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in West Knighton in total.

West Knighton in context

See the best places to live in Dorset, ranked

Postcode districts in West Knighton

DT2 36 ⇄

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