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Council area · England

Dorset: its 48 neighbourhoods compared

Typical resale prices, how affluent each neighbourhood is today and the signs of change against Dorset as a whole, from official records, as of 1 November 2026. Typical house prices run from £232,000 in Underhill & The Grove to £665,000 in St Leonards.

A&E patients seen within 4 hours

61.2%

Dorset County Hospital, the A&E nearest most of the council's residents, in September 2026 (England 61%). The NHS standard is 95%.

Category 2 calls (emergencies such as strokes and heart attacks): ambulance response

36 min 59 s

Mean, South Western Ambulance Service, Sep 2026 (England 31 min 18 s).

Fire engines at dwelling fires

9 min 26 s

Average from the call, 2025/26 (England 8 min 15 s).

Homes at high or medium flood risk

1.4%

2,675 homes from rivers and the sea in the Environment Agency's data of June 2026; 20th of 27 councils in South West.

Households in fuel poverty

9.8%

2024, England's own measure; 16th highest of 27 in South West.

Extra deaths in winter

19.9%

Average winter rise in deaths, 2014/15 to 2018/19 (England 21.4%).

Neighbourhoods in Dorset

NeighbourhoodTypical houseTypical flatAffluence todaySigns of gentrification
Alderholt & Sixpenny Handley£410,000–Middle incomeClear signs
Beaminster, Maiden Newton & Halstock£350,000–AffluentSome signs
Bere Regis & Lytchett Matravers£390,000–Middle incomeFew signs
Blandford Forum Town£305,000£140,250Below average incomeFew signs
Blandford Outer & Tarrants£395,000–AffluentMoving the other way
Bovington, Wool & Lulworth£358,500–Middle incomeMoving the other way
Bridport North£355,100£175,000Middle incomeSome signs
Bridport South & West Bay£425,000£188,750Middle incomeFew signs
Broadwey & Littlemoor£262,000£161,250Below average incomeFew signs
Burton Bradstock & Chideock£446,250–AffluentMoving the other way
Charlton Down, Cerne Abbas & Puddletown£390,000£187,500Middle incomeMoving the other way
Chickerell & Chesil Bank£325,000–Middle incomeMoving the other way
Child Okeford & Iwerne Minster£445,000–AffluentMoving the other way
Colehill£485,000–Among the most affluentMoving the other way
Corfe Castle & Langton Matravers£600,000–AffluentSome signs
Corfe Mullen£415,000£202,500AffluentFew signs
Dorchester East£345,000£142,500AffluentFew signs
Dorchester North£345,000£205,000AffluentMoving the other way
East Verwood£395,000–AffluentSome signs
Ferndown Town£470,000£217,750Middle incomeSome signs
Ferndown West & Canford Bottom£380,000–AffluentClear signs
Gillingham£267,250£119,000Below average incomeMoving the other way
Gillingham Outer, Bourton & Motcombe£352,000–AffluentSome signs
Lyme Regis, Charmouth & Marshwood Vale£545,000£286,500Middle incomeClear signs
Milborne, Winterborne & Okeford Fitzpaine£420,000–AffluentMixed signs
Owermoigne, Broadmayne & Winterbourne£370,000–AffluentMoving the other way
Parley & Hampreston£510,000£230,000Among the most affluentFew signs
Poundbury & Dorchester West£400,000£206,000Middle incomeFew signs
Preston & Lodmoor£400,000£220,000AffluentFew signs
Shaftesbury£280,000£150,000Middle incomeFew signs
Sherborne£332,500£153,000Middle incomeMoving the other way
Southwell & Weston£242,750£137,500Below average incomeMoving the other way
St Leonards£665,000–AffluentSome signs
Sturminster Marshall & Crichel£538,125–Among the most affluentMoving the other way
Sturminster Newton & Stalbridge£330,000£128,500AffluentMoving the other way
Swanage£420,000£260,000Middle incomeFew signs
Underhill & The Grove£232,000£126,250Below average incomeClear signs
Upton & Lytchett Minster£332,250£195,500Middle incomeSome signs
Wareham, Sandford & Holton Heath£390,000£198,500Middle incomeFew signs
West Moors£420,000£166,000Middle incomeSome signs
West Verwood£470,000£200,000AffluentFew signs
Westham North & Radipole£330,000£180,450Middle incomeMixed signs
Westham South£275,000£155,000Below average incomeMoving the other way
Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell£290,000£170,000Below average incomeSome signs
Weymouth West£290,000£196,500Middle incomeMoving the other way
Wimborne Minster£375,000£201,250AffluentMoving the other way
Wyke Regis£295,000–Middle incomeClear signs
Yetminster, Bradford Abbas & Longburton£405,000–AffluentMixed signs

Prices are each neighbourhood's median resale price of houses and of flats over its latest three-year window; a dash means too few sales. Affluence today and the gentrification reading are from each neighbourhood's own page, where every figure has its source. Where these readings sit among every neighbourhood: the gentrification league table.

A&E waiting times at the hospitals nearest Dorset's residents

A&ENearest toSeen within 4 hoursNationWaited over 12 hours
Dorset County Hospital152,785 residents (260 m from the nearest)61.2% in September 2026England 61%12.4%
Poole Hospital94,467 residents (4.9 km from the nearest)70.1% in September 2026England 61%5.5%
Yeovil District Hospital62,312 residents (7.3 km from the nearest)61.3% in September 2026England 61%2.4%
The Royal Bournemouth Hospital54,403 residents (6.9 km from the nearest)67% in September 2026England 61%6.2%
Salisbury District Hospital15,608 residents (16.3 km from the nearest)59.3% in September 2026England 61%3.1%
A&E patients seen within 4 hours: Dorset County Hospital against England: Dorset County Hospital 61.3% (Apr 2026) to 61.2% (Sep 2026); England 64.5% (Apr 2026) to 61% (Sep 2026).53.9%63.7%Sep 2026Aug 2026Jul 2026Jun 2026May 2026Apr 2026Dorset County Hospital61.2%England61%
Type 1 and 2 attendances (major and single-specialty A&Es) in NHS England's Emergency Care Data Set, experimental statistics published as received from hospitals. The NHS standard is 95%.
A&E patients seen within 4 hours: Poole Hospital against England: Poole Hospital 69.4% (Apr 2026) to 70.1% (Sep 2026); England 64.5% (Apr 2026) to 61% (Sep 2026).61.3%70.5%Sep 2026Aug 2026Jul 2026Jun 2026May 2026Apr 2026Poole Hospital70.1%England61%
Type 1 and 2 attendances (major and single-specialty A&Es) in NHS England's Emergency Care Data Set, experimental statistics published as received from hospitals. The NHS standard is 95%.

Each of the council's neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas) is matched to its nearest major A&E in a straight line, not by travel time or catchment. The NHS standard is 95% within 4 hours. A&E waiting times: NHS England, A&E Attendances and Emergency Admissions, Emergency Care Data Set performance (experimental statistics); Welsh Government, StatsWales, emergency department performance; Public Health Scotland, monthly A&E activity and waiting times. All Open Government Licence v3.0.

Ambulance response times

  • Ambulance service Dorset is covered by South Western Ambulance Service. Response times are published for the whole service, not by council.
  • Category 2 calls (emergencies such as strokes and heart attacks), latest 36 min 59 s (South Western Ambulance Service, Sep 2026); England 31 min 18 s; the standard is 18 minutes.
Category 2 calls (emergencies such as strokes and heart attacks): mean response in minutes: South Western Ambulance Service against England: South Western Ambulance Service 37 (Sep 2025) to 37 (Sep 2026); England 30.8 (Sep 2025) to 31.3 (Sep 2026); Standard (18 min) 18 (Sep 2025) to 18 (Sep 2026).21.541.5Sep 2026May 2026Jan 2026Sep 2025South Western Ambulance Service37England31.3Standard (18 min)18
NHS England, Ambulance Quality Indicators (AmbSYS), mean time from the call to the first ambulance arriving. The NHS Constitution standard is a mean of 18 minutes for Category 2 and 7 minutes for Category 1.
Category 1 calls (life-threatening): mean response in minutes: South Western Ambulance Service against England: South Western Ambulance Service 9.3 (Sep 2025) to 9.5 (Sep 2026); England 8 (Sep 2025) to 8 (Sep 2026); Standard (7 min) 7 (Sep 2025) to 7 (Sep 2026).6.99.8Sep 2026May 2026Jan 2026Sep 2025South Western Ambulance Service9.5England8Standard (7 min)7
NHS England, Ambulance Quality Indicators (AmbSYS). The standard is a mean of 7 minutes.

GP appointments: how soon people are seen

  • GP appointments Not available yet: the council figures job has not loaded them.

Fire and rescue response times

  • Response to dwelling fires, 2025/26 9 min 26 s on average over 770 fires; England 8 min 15 s. The service covers Dorset and its neighbours; no figure is published by council.
  • Response to all primary fires, 2025/26 11 min 13 s on average; England 9 min 25 s.
Average response to dwelling fires in minutes: Dorset's fire and rescue service against England: This fire and rescue service 8.7 (2010/11) to 9.4 (2025/26); England 7.4 (2010/11) to 8.3 (2025/26).7.19.72025/262022/232019/202016/172013/142010/11This fire and rescue service9.4England8.3
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, fire statistics table FIRE1001: the average time from the call to the first fire engine arriving at dwelling fires, each financial year (Open Government Licence v3.0). A service covers several councils; there is no national target.

Homes at risk of flooding

  • Homes at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea 2,675 (1.4% of the council's homes) in the Environment Agency's data of June 2026, with flood defences.
  • Where it ranks 20th highest share of 27 councils in South West.
Homes at high or medium flood risk from rivers and the sea, share of homes: Dorset among South West's councils: Forest of Dean 1.9%; Exeter 1.8%; Torbay 1.7%; Stroud 1.5%; Tewkesbury 1.5%; Dorset 1.4%; Wiltshire 1.3%; Bristol, City of 1.2%; Cheltenham 1.0%; Plymouth 0.9%; Bournemouth, Christchurch… 0.8%. Reference lines: South West, England.Forest of Dean1.9%Exeter1.8%Torbay1.7%Stroud1.5%Tewkesbury1.5%Dorset1.4%Wiltshire1.3%Bristol, City of1.2%Cheltenham1.0%Plymouth0.9%Bournemouth, Christchurch…0.8%EnglandSouth West
Residential properties at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea with defences, as a share of each council's homes (Valuation Office Agency, council tax stock). Shown: Dorset and the councils ranked nearest it; all 27 are listed below.
Homes at flood risk from rivers and the sea in Dorset, by band: High 20%, Medium 15%, Low 65%.20%15%65%High · 20%Medium · 15%Low · 65%
Residential properties in each band of risk with defences: high is a chance of flooding of 3.3% or more each year, medium 1% to 3.3%, low 0.1% to 1%.
All 27 councils, ranked
Homes at high or medium flood risk from rivers and the sea, share of homes: Dorset among South West's councils: Isles of Scilly 10.6%; East Devon 5.4%; North Devon 5.1%; Gloucester 4.4%; Teignbridge 4.1%; Mid Devon 3.8%; South Hams 3.8%; Cotswold 3.5%; Bath and North East Somer… 3.5%; West Devon 3.3%; Somerset 2.5%; North Somerset 2.1%; Cornwall 2.1%; Torridge 2.0%; Forest of Dean 1.9%; Exeter 1.8%; Torbay 1.7%; Stroud 1.5%; Tewkesbury 1.5%; Dorset 1.4%; Wiltshire 1.3%; Bristol, City of 1.2%; Cheltenham 1.0%; Plymouth 0.9%; Bournemouth, Christchurch… 0.8%; Swindon 0.8%; South Gloucestershire 0.4%. Reference lines: South West, England.Isles of Scilly10.6%East Devon5.4%North Devon5.1%Gloucester4.4%Teignbridge4.1%Mid Devon3.8%South Hams3.8%Cotswold3.5%Bath and North East Somer…3.5%West Devon3.3%Somerset2.5%North Somerset2.1%Cornwall2.1%Torridge2.0%Forest of Dean1.9%Exeter1.8%Torbay1.7%Stroud1.5%Tewkesbury1.5%Dorset1.4%Wiltshire1.3%Bristol, City of1.2%Cheltenham1.0%Plymouth0.9%Bournemouth, Christchurch…0.8%Swindon0.8%South Gloucestershire0.4%EnglandSouth West
Residential properties at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea with defences, as a share of each council's homes (Valuation Office Agency, council tax stock).

Rivers and sea for the property and its postcode: Environment Agency Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea, Properties and Postcodes in Areas at Risk, Open Government Licence v3.0. © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved. Some of the data in the database has been produced using data licensed from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, © NERC. © Crown Copyright and Database Rights 2025 OS AC0000807064. Homes: Valuation Office Agency, council tax stock of properties, March 2026.

Fuel poverty

  • Households in fuel poverty, 2024 9.8% (about 17,499 households); England 10.0%, South West 9.9%.
  • Where it ranks 16th highest of 27 councils in South West.
  • Measured how England's own measure, so not comparable with the other nations' figures.
Households in fuel poverty, 2024: Dorset among South West's councils: Plymouth 10.5%; Torbay 10.3%; Somerset 10.2%; Bath and North East Somer… 10.1%; Stroud 9.8%; Dorset 9.8%; East Devon 9.7%; Exeter 9.7%; Wiltshire 9.6%; Teignbridge 9.4%; Cheltenham 9.3%. Reference lines: South West, England.Plymouth10.5%Torbay10.3%Somerset10.2%Bath and North East Somer…10.1%Stroud9.8%Dorset9.8%East Devon9.7%Exeter9.7%Wiltshire9.6%Teignbridge9.4%Cheltenham9.3%South WestEngland
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Sub-regional fuel poverty statistics (official statistics in development), modelled estimates. A household is fuel poor under the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency measure when its home is rated band D or below and its income after housing and energy costs is below the poverty line. Shown: Dorset and the councils ranked nearest it; all 27 are listed below.
All 27 councils, ranked
Households in fuel poverty, 2024: Dorset among South West's councils: Isles of Scilly 17.3%; Forest of Dean 11.8%; Cotswold 11.8%; West Devon 11.5%; Mid Devon 11.3%; Torridge 11.3%; North Devon 11.2%; Cornwall 11.0%; South Hams 10.6%; Bristol, City of 10.6%; Plymouth 10.5%; Torbay 10.3%; Somerset 10.2%; Bath and North East Somer… 10.1%; Stroud 9.8%; Dorset 9.8%; East Devon 9.7%; Exeter 9.7%; Wiltshire 9.6%; Teignbridge 9.4%; Cheltenham 9.3%; Bournemouth, Christchurch… 9.1%; Gloucester 8.8%; North Somerset 8.4%; Swindon 8.1%; Tewkesbury 7.8%; South Gloucestershire 7.4%. Reference lines: South West, England.Isles of Scilly17.3%Forest of Dean11.8%Cotswold11.8%West Devon11.5%Mid Devon11.3%Torridge11.3%North Devon11.2%Cornwall11.0%South Hams10.6%Bristol, City of10.6%Plymouth10.5%Torbay10.3%Somerset10.2%Bath and North East Somer…10.1%Stroud9.8%Dorset9.8%East Devon9.7%Exeter9.7%Wiltshire9.6%Teignbridge9.4%Cheltenham9.3%Bournemouth, Christchurch…9.1%Gloucester8.8%North Somerset8.4%Swindon8.1%Tewkesbury7.8%South Gloucestershire7.4%South WestEngland
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Sub-regional fuel poverty statistics (official statistics in development), modelled estimates. A household is fuel poor under the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency measure when its home is rated band D or below and its income after housing and energy costs is below the poverty line.

Extra deaths in winter

  • Five winters before the pandemic (2014/15 to 2018/19) Deaths in winter were on average 19.9% higher than in the rest of the year here (England 21.4%); our own average of the five winters' indexes.
  • Latest winter, 2020/21 27.1% more deaths than in the rest of the year (England 35.4%), in the second winter of the pandemic.
Extra deaths in winter (winter mortality index, %): Dorset against England: Dorset 7.7 (2010/11) to 27.1 (2020/21); England 16.5 (2010/11) to 35.4 (2020/21).8.931.52020/212018/192016/172014/152012/132010/11Dorset27.1England35.4
The winter mortality index: deaths from December to March against the average of the four months before and the four after, as a percentage. One winter in a small council swings widely; a gap is a winter with no rise, which the publisher does not index. Office for National Statistics, Winter mortality in England and Wales, Table 10 (councils as they were in August 2022); © Crown copyright 2022. ONS stopped this series in 2023: 2020/21 is the last winter it gives by council.

Postcode districts in Dorset

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Neighbourhood names: House of Commons Library, MSOA Names, Open Parliament Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Health, flood, fuel poverty and winter figures: the publishers named in each section, Open Government Licence v3.0 unless stated. Figures describe the area, not any home, and are not a valuation or a prediction.