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Dorset Counts — Dorset, in numbers.Local help →
Dorset Counts

Dorset, in numbers

Average home prices reached £325,000 in Dorset.

Dorset council area. July 2026. Every figure carries its own date.

Dorset Council covers rural communities and towns including Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport and Blandford. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is a separate council. Harbour access, coastal repairs and the new waste centre are followed with their own locations, dates and delivery stages.

The short version

Average home price over time

August 1996 to July 2026

Dorset council area · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation

Reviewed figures: January 1995 to July 2026. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: £61,725 in August 1996; £325,154 in July 2026. 426.8% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Full history context

Average home prices rose from £60,000 to £325,000 between January 1995 and July 2026.

July 2025 to July 2026: £0 less per home (0.1% lower).

Cash prices, before allowing for inflation. Changes do not show affordability without local earnings and household circumstances.

Data table and workings

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Prices are in pounds at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

Whole local authority area; not a typical home listing or the budget needed by a first-time buyer.

Provisional estimates can be revised. Historical boundaries follow the exact published source code; no old-code series has been relabelled.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Average home price over time — Dorset council area: full reviewed history
Period£
January 199560,445
February 199560,445
March 199560,445
April 199560,170
May 199560,433
June 199560,352
July 199559,392
August 199559,005
September 199559,441
October 199559,634
November 199560,048
December 199559,277
January 199658,521
February 199658,563
March 199659,850
April 199660,739
May 199661,123
June 199661,327
July 199661,803
August 199661,725
September 199662,507
October 199662,870
November 199663,549
December 199662,933
January 199763,208
February 199763,682
March 199764,731
April 199766,071
May 199766,656
June 199767,568
July 199767,941
August 199769,364
September 199770,424
October 199770,964
November 199771,740
December 199772,466
January 199873,214
February 199872,597
March 199871,689
April 199872,319
May 199874,093
June 199875,816
July 199876,354
August 199877,122
September 199878,464
October 199879,885
November 199880,339
December 199880,316
January 199980,364
February 199980,285
March 199981,439
April 199981,648
May 199982,247
June 199983,264
July 199984,567
August 199986,415
September 199986,852
October 199988,883
November 199990,402
December 199992,356
January 200093,275
February 200093,598
March 200094,368
April 200096,089
May 200098,516
June 2000101,149
July 2000102,686
August 2000105,191
September 2000106,346
October 2000107,483
November 2000107,426
December 2000106,929
January 2001107,141
February 2001106,079
March 2001105,359
April 2001106,023
May 2001108,394
June 2001112,329
July 2001114,443
August 2001116,855
September 2001117,685
October 2001120,199
November 2001120,628
December 2001122,272
January 2002121,610
February 2002124,104
March 2002124,828
April 2002128,529
May 2002130,760
June 2002134,701
July 2002137,611
August 2002140,773
September 2002145,728
October 2002149,100
November 2002152,755
December 2002154,215
January 2003156,194
February 2003155,963
March 2003157,205
April 2003159,864
May 2003161,632
June 2003163,624
July 2003165,389
August 2003167,758
September 2003168,816
October 2003168,907
November 2003170,383
December 2003172,358
January 2004173,919
February 2004174,388
March 2004175,294
April 2004179,064
May 2004183,982
June 2004187,677
July 2004188,298
August 2004190,259
September 2004192,435
October 2004193,653
November 2004193,807
December 2004193,549
January 2005193,495
February 2005192,726
March 2005193,831
April 2005193,702
May 2005195,238
June 2005194,511
July 2005196,020
August 2005195,818
September 2005198,431
October 2005200,151
November 2005200,591
December 2005199,490
January 2006197,720
February 2006199,113
March 2006198,914
April 2006200,950
May 2006203,767
June 2006207,477
July 2006208,917
August 2006209,780
September 2006210,169
October 2006211,591
November 2006211,932
December 2006216,019
January 2007218,040
February 2007219,558
March 2007218,883
April 2007220,083
May 2007224,313
June 2007226,731
July 2007230,664
August 2007229,423
September 2007231,191
October 2007232,089
November 2007235,409
December 2007237,315
January 2008236,515
February 2008231,526
March 2008226,222
April 2008224,121
May 2008225,750
June 2008227,051
July 2008224,700
August 2008219,892
September 2008212,873
October 2008208,576
November 2008206,269
December 2008201,715
January 2009196,699
February 2009191,178
March 2009189,377
April 2009188,160
May 2009190,573
June 2009193,820
July 2009197,212
August 2009199,710
September 2009201,888
October 2009205,047
November 2009206,872
December 2009207,994
January 2010210,129
February 2010211,743
March 2010213,738
April 2010212,207
May 2010213,578
June 2010214,930
July 2010217,686
August 2010219,133
September 2010220,495
October 2010220,609
November 2010216,283
December 2010214,962
January 2011211,303
February 2011210,874
March 2011207,952
April 2011209,707
May 2011212,045
June 2011211,943
July 2011210,517
August 2011211,422
September 2011212,882
October 2011215,416
November 2011213,257
December 2011215,952
January 2012212,956
February 2012213,367
March 2012208,728
April 2012211,823
May 2012212,888
June 2012214,939
July 2012214,318
August 2012214,843
September 2012216,097
October 2012217,783
November 2012216,375
December 2012215,485
January 2013212,764
February 2013213,822
March 2013213,110
April 2013213,359
May 2013215,247
June 2013217,150
July 2013219,560
August 2013218,524
September 2013220,051
October 2013221,106
November 2013222,395
December 2013221,830
January 2014222,288
February 2014222,560
March 2014223,900
April 2014225,249
May 2014227,018
June 2014228,542
July 2014229,921
August 2014232,904
September 2014237,210
October 2014239,695
November 2014238,906
December 2014236,634
January 2015234,973
February 2015234,091
March 2015233,826
April 2015234,944
May 2015237,832
June 2015240,191
July 2015240,961
August 2015241,326
September 2015243,612
October 2015246,950
November 2015249,012
December 2015250,948
January 2016249,319
February 2016249,799
March 2016251,277
April 2016252,635
May 2016254,222
June 2016252,329
July 2016253,745
August 2016256,086
September 2016260,290
October 2016261,413
November 2016260,962
December 2016259,516
January 2017261,306
February 2017262,532
March 2017263,120
April 2017264,606
May 2017266,232
June 2017267,910
July 2017269,708
August 2017272,156
September 2017276,054
October 2017278,419
November 2017279,573
December 2017277,397
January 2018275,877
February 2018276,309
March 2018275,986
April 2018276,024
May 2018272,935
June 2018273,024
July 2018276,886
August 2018279,895
September 2018281,249
October 2018278,191
November 2018275,623
December 2018275,000
January 2019273,760
February 2019277,205
March 2019276,792
April 2019277,596
May 2019273,654
June 2019273,083
July 2019273,169
August 2019272,697
September 2019274,629
October 2019275,064
November 2019277,645
December 2019278,357
January 2020277,625
February 2020278,798
March 2020276,400
April 2020281,087
May 2020278,791
June 2020279,644
July 2020276,977
August 2020276,239
September 2020279,243
October 2020281,364
November 2020290,436
December 2020293,920
January 2021295,819
February 2021293,274
March 2021295,014
April 2021294,921
May 2021293,497
June 2021298,201
July 2021294,727
August 2021301,509
September 2021303,448
October 2021311,081
November 2021315,665
December 2021315,029
January 2022321,064
February 2022324,440
March 2022327,807
April 2022332,344
May 2022334,835
June 2022337,512
July 2022339,496
August 2022344,688
September 2022349,949
October 2022352,127
November 2022348,478
December 2022344,488
January 2023342,170
February 2023342,117
March 2023341,897
April 2023339,616
May 2023338,022
June 2023333,988
July 2023334,351
August 2023333,213
September 2023337,145
October 2023337,702
November 2023338,299
December 2023331,650
January 2024327,741
February 2024324,083
March 2024326,319
April 2024324,500
May 2024325,624
June 2024327,355
July 2024330,213
August 2024329,181
September 2024328,356
October 2024331,246
November 2024332,240
December 2024330,986
January 2025328,561
February 2025330,719
March 2025332,328
April 2025327,552
May 2025321,826
June 2025320,223
July 2025325,443
August 2025330,038
September 2025331,588
October 2025329,144
November 2025326,846
December 2025326,906
January 2026328,072
February 2026328,593
March 2026329,500
April 2026326,836
May 2026327,575
June 2026324,725
July 2026325,154
Source →

People living in the area

391,036

Mid-2025 · Dorset council area

Show the workings

Published mid-year estimate for the whole local authority area. This is not automatically the population of the named city settlement.

All usual residents

Source and method →

Average home price

£325,000

July 2026 · Dorset council area

Show the workings

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Shown to the nearest £1,000. Published value: £325,154.

Homes in the local authority area

Source and method →

Average monthly rent

£1,056

August 2026 · Dorset council area

Show the workings

Official local housing data feed. House prices are provisional, not seasonally adjusted; rents use the Price Index of Private Rents. Local short-term estimates are variable. Country references use only the explicitly country-coded ctry object, never the local place object.

Homes in the local authority area

Source and method →
Compare nearby places and England →

Look beneath the average

Homes rented privately

7.2% to 50.3%

Homes rented privately ranged from 7.2% in St Leonards & St Ives to 50.3% in Melcombe Regis — a gap of 43.1 percentage points.

21 March 2021 · 52 of 52 current wards with comparable figures.

A larger private-rented sector changes the mix of housing advice, enforcement and tenant support needed. It does not tell us whether individual homes are affordable or safe.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

Homes rented privately · 21 March 2021
WardShareCountPopulation or households covered
St Leonards & St Ives7.2%2503,477
West Parley8.2%1311,603
Colehill & Wimborne Minster East8.3%3053,655
West Moors & Three Legged Cross9.3%3814,114
Corfe Mullen10.3%4424,299
Ferndown South10.5%3963,780
Verwood10.8%6305,808
Stalbridge & Marnhull11.4%2682,359
Ferndown North11.7%4894,178
Blackmore Vale12%2361,973
Lyme & Charmouth12.1%3032,512
Winterborne North12.1%2251,852
Chickerell13.2%4563,443
Upwey & Broadwey13.4%2692,010
Crossways13.4%2191,636
Littlemoor & Preston13.6%6274,627
Beacon13.7%2721,990
Charminster St Mary's13.9%3132,245
Wareham14%6214,438
Lytchett Matravers & Upton14.2%7595,334
Marshwood Vale14.4%2962,062
Beaminster15.6%3182,045
Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants15.8%3021,917
Winterborne & Broadmayne16.2%3041,880
Bridport16.4%1,1767,192
Puddletown & Lower Winterborne16.4%3832,342
Dorchester East16.6%6313,802
Blandford16.7%7974,767
Dorchester Poundbury16.9%3392,003
Gillingham17%1,1836,963
Chesil Bank17.3%3191,845
Westham17.4%7354,229
Swanage17.5%7914,513
Stour & Allen Vale17.6%3511,996
Cranborne & Alderholt18.1%3722,050
Chalk Valleys18.3%3872,111
Yetminster18.3%3972,164
Wimborne Minster18.8%7333,900
Eggardon18.9%4362,312
Rodwell & Wyke18.9%1,1956,317
Shaftesbury Town19%7864,136
Dorchester West19%7994,196
Sturminster Newton19%3972,084
Sherborne West19.2%4752,477
Sherborne East19.5%4332,217
Sherborne Rural19.8%4322,186
Radipole20.2%8804,351
South East Purbeck20.4%3761,841
Portland21.1%1,2075,722
West Purbeck23%9244,022
Cranborne Chase34.2%6431,878
Melcombe Regis50.3%1,2242,434
Source and method →
What could respond to this pattern →

People reporting bad or very bad health

2.6% to 8%

People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 2.6% in Cranborne Chase to 8% in Melcombe Regis — a gap of 5.4 percentage points.

21 March 2021 · 52 of 52 current wards with comparable figures.

Residents described their own health. Differences in age matter, so this is a prompt to investigate needs, not a score for local health services.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

People reporting bad or very bad health · 21 March 2021
WardShareCountPopulation or households covered
Cranborne Chase2.6%1355,182
Colehill & Wimborne Minster East3.3%2848,676
Beacon3.3%1725,165
Stour & Allen Vale3.6%1804,963
Corfe Mullen3.8%39110,374
Sherborne Rural3.9%1914,953
West Parley3.9%1423,660
Cranborne & Alderholt3.9%1965,029
Sherborne West4.1%2425,971
Verwood4.2%57313,710
Eggardon4.2%2245,301
Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants4.3%2144,979
Chesil Bank4.3%1693,928
Shaftesbury Town4.3%3979,160
Chalk Valleys4.3%2084,788
Charminster St Mary's4.4%2255,166
Yetminster4.4%2164,911
Winterborne & Broadmayne4.4%1894,287
Beaminster4.5%1924,258
Gillingham4.6%70815,529
Lytchett Matravers & Upton4.6%58212,537
Puddletown & Lower Winterborne4.7%2565,492
St Leonards & St Ives4.7%3707,903
Blackmore Vale4.7%2114,502
Dorchester East4.7%3868,219
Marshwood Vale4.8%2184,563
West Purbeck4.9%4789,844
Wimborne Minster4.9%3998,099
Crossways5%1853,736
Upwey & Broadwey5%2264,537
Blandford5.1%52810,360
South East Purbeck5.1%2124,132
Lyme & Charmouth5.2%2625,079
Winterborne North5.2%2234,263
Stalbridge & Marnhull5.3%2745,151
Wareham5.4%5289,854
Dorchester Poundbury5.5%2244,072
Sturminster Newton5.5%2574,633
Chickerell5.6%4397,817
Littlemoor & Preston5.7%5679,865
Ferndown North5.8%5038,692
Ferndown South5.9%5198,805
Dorchester West5.9%5389,067
Radipole5.9%5809,769
Rodwell & Wyke5.9%82713,916
Sherborne East6%2654,388
Bridport6.1%89314,638
Swanage6.4%6069,426
Portland6.5%88313,559
West Moors & Three Legged Cross6.8%5998,866
Westham7.5%7089,503
Melcombe Regis8%3464,299
Source and method →
What could respond to this pattern →

People aged 65 or over

20.1% to 41.1%

People aged 65 or over ranged from 20.1% in Cranborne Chase to 41.1% in Lyme & Charmouth — a gap of 21 percentage points.

21 March 2021 · 52 of 52 current wards with comparable figures.

Age helps locate demand for accessible homes, transport and support. Being older does not itself mean someone needs care.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

People aged 65 or over · 21 March 2021
WardShareCountPopulation or households covered
Cranborne Chase20.1%1,0415,175
Westham21.5%2,0409,504
Portland22.6%3,05913,558
West Purbeck23%2,2639,844
Shaftesbury Town23.6%2,1609,162
Corfe Mullen24.3%2,51810,374
Melcombe Regis24.3%1,0444,298
Blandford24.8%2,56510,357
Cranborne & Alderholt25.1%1,2615,027
Lytchett Matravers & Upton25.7%3,21912,537
Chickerell26%2,0317,817
Dorchester East26.6%2,1898,223
Charminster St Mary's26.6%1,3755,165
Rodwell & Wyke27.1%3,77013,916
Winterborne North27.1%1,1574,262
Upwey & Broadwey27.2%1,2354,538
Stour & Allen Vale27.3%1,3554,960
Puddletown & Lower Winterborne27.4%1,5035,489
Sherborne West27.4%1,6375,972
Wimborne Minster27.6%2,2388,099
Verwood27.7%3,79513,709
Dorchester West27.8%2,5219,067
Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants28.1%1,4004,979
Gillingham28.2%4,38315,526
Colehill & Wimborne Minster East28.4%2,4648,676
Crossways29%1,0853,736
Sturminster Newton29.1%1,3504,635
Eggardon29.6%1,5655,285
Beacon29.9%1,5455,169
Blackmore Vale30.1%1,3544,502
Radipole30.1%2,9449,771
Winterborne & Broadmayne30.6%1,3134,285
Dorchester Poundbury30.7%1,2484,071
Sherborne Rural31%1,5384,954
Chalk Valleys31.3%1,4964,786
Littlemoor & Preston31.7%3,1339,868
Wareham32%3,1539,855
Ferndown South33.1%2,9168,805
Yetminster33.6%1,6524,912
Bridport34.1%4,99614,652
South East Purbeck34.4%1,4194,131
Beaminster35.1%1,4934,255
Swanage35.5%3,3509,426
Stalbridge & Marnhull36.3%1,8685,152
Marshwood Vale37.4%1,7084,566
West Parley37.5%1,3723,660
Sherborne East38.3%1,6834,389
Chesil Bank38.5%1,5163,935
St Leonards & St Ives39.3%3,1057,903
West Moors & Three Legged Cross40.8%3,6238,870
Ferndown North40.9%3,5528,689
Lyme & Charmouth41.1%2,0875,079
Source and method →
What could respond to this pattern →
Explore all 52 wards →

What could change things?

The action plan connects local evidence to proposed next steps. Announced projects and proposed responses are shown separately.

strength

Maintain Weymouth’s improved harbour routes

The North Quay scheme has added public-space improvements.

Accessible paths support everyday use as well as visitors.

Evidence

What could help →

weakness

Replace Blandford’s cramped waste facilities

The existing site has difficult access and traffic conflicts.

A replacement should improve both resident access and collection operations.

Evidence 1 · Evidence 2

What could help →

opportunity

Make waste-site planting a lasting habitat

Woodland and hedgerow planting is establishing alongside construction.

Environmental benefits depend on survival and management.

Evidence

What could help →
Read the action plan →

Local work to follow

North Quay, Weymouth

North Quay harbour improvements

Wider footways, seating and planting are renewing the harbour-side public space.

Final-stage works began June 2026 · evidence dated 2026-06-24

Responsible body: Dorset Council

What the source says: Developer negotiations and hoped-for economic benefits are separate from completed public-space works.

Progress, funding and source
Cost
Not established by the evidence checked.
Funding
Not established by the evidence checked.
Area covered
Named project location only. No official impact boundary has been matched to current wards; proximity does not establish a ward-wide benefit.

No verified ward footprint is assigned.

North Quay final-stage works →

Source checked 2026-10-17. A plan or announcement is not proof of completion.

Maintain Weymouth’s improved harbour routes →

Connect local skills to local opportunities →

How to track delivery →

West Bay, Bridport

West Bay harbour wall stabilisation

The council authorised the specification, procurement and award of essential repairs.

Repair authority approved March 2026 · evidence dated 2026-03-04

Responsible body: Dorset Council

What the source says: Options for affected council buildings need further investigation; completion is not verified.

Progress, funding and source
Cost
Not established by the evidence checked.
Funding
Not established by the evidence checked.
Area covered
Named project location only. No official impact boundary has been matched to current wards; proximity does not establish a ward-wide benefit.

No verified ward footprint is assigned.

West Bay harbour wall repair decision →

Source checked 2026-10-17. A plan or announcement is not proof of completion.

Stabilise West Bay before deciding building futures →

Target safety work where problems repeat →

How to track delivery →

South of Sunrise Business Park, Blandford

Blandford Waste Management Centre

A new recycling and waste-transfer site is being built with separate public access and habitat planting.

Construction underway; spring 2027 opening forecast · evidence dated 2026-05-20

Responsible body: Dorset Council

What the source says: The May 2026 update supersedes the December 2026 completion forecast still shown on an older project page.

Progress, funding and source
Cost
Not established by the evidence checked.
Funding
Not established by the evidence checked.
Area covered
Named project location only. No official impact boundary has been matched to current wards; proximity does not establish a ward-wide benefit.

No verified ward footprint is assigned.

Blandford construction and planting update →

Source checked 2026-10-17. A plan or announcement is not proof of completion.

Replace Blandford’s cramped waste facilities →

Make waste-site planting a lasting habitat →

How to track delivery →
All reviewed projects →

What this local evidence covers

3 reviewed plans and projects

3 have a source-dated stage; 0 have some funding evidence; 0 have some cost evidence. These counts do not prove that funding or costs are complete.

Check each project →

0 verified ward links

Project locations cannot be treated as a map of who benefits. Each record explains any verified ward association.

Read the sources and limits →
What is still missing

The reviewed local schemes are a selected evidence collection, not a complete council capital programme.

Current service capacity, incomes, waiting lists, school demand and project outcomes need additional verified local evidence before firm claims can be made.

Selected local projects, not the complete council programme. Project status is the dated source position; a planned opening date does not prove completion.

Action steps are UK Facts proposals for scrutiny and delivery, not adopted council promises or funded commitments.

Project locations do not establish ward-wide impact. Missing cost or funding means unverified, not zero.

Traceable sources and calculations support review; this is not independent AQuA Book assurance or certification.