House prices in Dorset
The median price paid for a home in Dorset was £333,000 in the 12 months to September 2026, from 5,075 sales. House prices in Dorset fell 2.5% in the year to September 2026, and are 2.5% higher than five years earlier. In the 12 months to September 2026, the median price in Dorset was 11% higher than the median for South West (£300,000). The average private rent in Dorset was £1,056 a month in August 2026, 4.9% up on a year earlier (ONS). Dorset had 5.0 crimes per 100 people recorded by the police in the 12 months to August 2026.
Where Dorset stands out
- Dorset has the 11th most home sales per person of 317 local authorities in England and Wales: 1.27 per 100 people in the 12 months to September 2026.
- Dorset has the 21st lowest crime rate of 302 local authorities in England and Wales with full figures: 5.0 crimes per 100 people in the 12 months to August 2026.
- Dorset has the 43rd lowest share of premises able to get gigabit broadband of 318 local authorities in England and Wales: 76.7%.
House prices in Dorset
The median price paid in Dorset was £333,000 in the 12 months to September 2026, from 5,075 sales, or £3,720 per square metre of floor area.
By type of home
| Type | Median price | Sales | Per m² | 1 year | 5 years | South West |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | £475,000 | 1,957 | £4,100 | 0.0% | +8.0% | £445,000 |
| Semi-detached | £330,000 | 999 | £3,818 | +0.9% | +10.0% | £305,000 |
| Terraced | £263,000 | 1,333 | £3,500 | −3.5% | +7.3% | £260,000 |
| Flats | £173,000 | 786 | £2,909 | −2.8% | −3.6% | £177,500 |
Compared with South West and England
Median price
Price per m² of floor area
| Area | Median price | 1 year | 5 years | Per m² | Per m², 1 year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorset | £333,000 | −2.5% | +2.5% | £3,720 | −1.2% |
| South West | £300,000 | −1.6% | +6.4% | £3,548 | −0.6% |
| England | £285,000 | −1.4% | +5.6% | £3,333 | −0.6% |
By floor area, homes in Dorset sold for a median £3,720 per m² in the 12 months to September 2026, 5% higher than the figure for South West (£3,548).
Dorset has the 118th highest median price of 317 local authorities in England and Wales, and the 6th highest of 26 local authorities in South West.
Its −2.5% change over the year is the 59th biggest price fall of 317 in England and Wales, and the 7th biggest fall of 26 local authorities in South West.
How many homes sell in Dorset
4,935 homes were sold in Dorset in the 12 months to September 2026, 1.27 for every 100 people living there. In the 12 months to June 2026, sales in Dorset were 0.2% up on the year before and 36.9% lower than five years earlier.
That is the 11th most sales per person of 317 local authorities in England and Wales, and the 3rd most of 26 local authorities in South West.
Home sales per 100 people: sales recorded by HM Land Registry, less those not at full market value, against ONS's population estimate.
Crime in Dorset
The police recorded 19,240 crimes in Dorset in the 12 months to August 2026, 5.0 for every 100 people living or working there. Recorded crime in Dorset fell 3.8% in the 12 months to August 2026 compared with the 12 months before, and is 11.0% lower than three years earlier.
| Kind of crime | Per 100 people |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1.98 |
| Anti-social behaviour, damage, drugs and public order | 2.25 |
| Theft and vehicle crime | 0.53 |
| Burglary and robbery | 0.21 |
Dorset has the 21st lowest crime rate of 302 local authorities in England and Wales with full figures, and the 5th lowest of 21 local authorities in South West.
The figure for South West leaves out Gloucestershire, whose police have not published every month. The figure for England leaves out Gloucestershire and Greater Manchester, whose police have not published every month.
Street crime from police.uk. People are those living there plus those coming in to work, so town and city centres aren't overstated.
Broadband and mobile in Dorset
76.7% of premises in Dorset can get gigabit broadband and 97.7% can get superfast (30 Mbit/s or more), by Ofcom's latest figures. 75.8% can get full fibre, and 0.6% get under 10 Mbit/s. Its gigabit coverage is the 43rd lowest of 318 local authorities in England and Wales.
Premises able to get gigabit broadband
81.7% of premises in Dorset get good 4G indoors from all four mobile networks (England: 91.2%).
Rents in Dorset
The average private rent in Dorset was £1,056 a month in August 2026, 4.9% up on a year earlier. Rents in Dorset are 27.2% higher than five years earlier (August 2026 against August 2021).
Dorset has the 151st highest average rent of 316 local authorities in England and Wales, and the 13th highest of 26 local authorities in South West.
Deprivation in Dorset
Dorset is the 123rd least deprived of 296 local authorities in England on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (where 1 is the most deprived).
| Part of the index | Rank of 296 (1 = most deprived) |
|---|---|
| Overall | 174th |
| Income | 193rd |
| Employment | 170th |
| Education and skills | 146th |
| Health | 204th |
| Crime | 257th |
| Barriers to housing and services | 56th |
| Living environment | 185th |
People moving in and out in Dorset
In the year ending June 2025, 20,787 people moved to Dorset from elsewhere in the UK and 16,709 moved away, a net gain of 4,078 (10.5 per 1,000 residents).
Most moved in from
- Bournemouth, Christchurch an 4,748
- Somerset 1,694
- Wiltshire 1,063
Most moved out to
- Bournemouth, Christchurch an 3,180
- Somerset 1,621
- Wiltshire 955
Moves within the UK only (ONS internal migration); people arriving from or leaving for abroad aren't counted.
Questions about Dorset
How much does a house cost in Dorset?
The median price paid for a home in Dorset was £333,000 in the 12 months to September 2026. By type: detached £475,000; semi-detached £330,000; terraced £263,000; flats £173,000.
Are house prices in Dorset going up?
In the year to September 2026, the median price in Dorset fell 2.5%, and over five years it rose 2.5%. Across South West prices fell 1.6% over the same year.
How much is rent in Dorset?
The average private rent in Dorset was £1,056 a month in August 2026. 1 bed £732; 2 bed £967; 3 bed £1,191; 4+ bed £1,684.
Is Dorset a safe place to live?
Dorset had 5.0 crimes per 100 people in the 12 months to August 2026, the 21st lowest of 302 local authorities in England and Wales with full figures. The figure for South West was 7.5. Crime varies a lot from street to street: look up a postcode on the map for its own figures.
Can you get full fibre broadband in Dorset?
75.8% of premises in Dorset can get full fibre and 76.7% can get gigabit broadband, by Ofcom's latest figures.
Nearby areas
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 40 km
- Somerset 52 km
- East Devon 57 km
- New Forest 58 km
- Bath and North East Somerset 63 km
Sources: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data, ONS (private rents, population estimates, internal migration), police.uk, MHCLG English Indices of Deprivation 2025, Ofcom Connected Nations. Figures updated November 2026. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right; Office for National Statistics and police.uk data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.