Dawlish Warren’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Dawlish Warren’s built-up area.
9% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Dawlish WarrenDevon
A village of 1,191 in Devon, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Nilfanion · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,191
Census 2021 · Teignbridge council
Median home
£315K
49 sales in 3 years
Median age
58
36% are 65+ · Devon 24%
Degree level
24%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
21%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Dawlish Warren a good place to live?
Dawlish Warren has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is walkability (A−): 21% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Its weakest is hazard risk (D−): 16% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea. The median home sold for £315,000 in the last three years, 6.1 times what households in the Teignbridge council area earn in a year.
Devon And Cornwall Police published 33 of the 36 months; rates are per year over the months published.
What makes Dawlish Warren stand out
The 3 things Dawlish Warren does most differently from other towns.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
36% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Flood risk, against UK towns
Flood risk
High or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea: more than in 97% of UK towns
Environment Agency flood maps, defences counted.
Own outright
Housing
55% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
How Dawlish Warren grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Dawlish Warren is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hazard riskD−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 10% of towns in England; secondary results beat 7% of towns in EnglandDOpen →SafetyDOpen →WalkabilityA−Open →Jobs & incomeC−Open →Cost of livingCOpen →HealthB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History2 listed buildingsDOpen →Outdoors73% live within 400 m of a park; 1% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeAOpen →Civic life2.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryCOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Dawlish Warren.
Who lives here
Dawlish Warren skews older, with 36% of residents 65 or over, more than in Devon’s towns and across England’s towns
11% are under 15, below both Devon’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). People aged 15 to 24 make up 6.9% of the town. At 58, the median resident of Dawlish Warren sits in the middle of the age range.
58median age
Dawlish WarrenDevonEngland
Ages · share of residents
36%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications25%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar13%
Degree level24%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Dawlish Warren | Devon | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.9% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 15% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 36% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 25% | 17% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 8.1% | 6.6% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 13% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 24% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Devon and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Safety
Dawlish Warren records more violent crime per resident than Devon’s towns or England’s towns, at 53.4 per 1,000 a year
Over the year to August 2026, 125 offences were reported in Dawlish Warren, along with 44 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Homes saw 10.4 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year, higher than Devon’s towns (7.5) and near England’s towns (9.4). Violence and sexual offences accounted for 57% of recorded crime.
53.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearDSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 4% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual71
Public order17
Other theft12
Shoplifting8
Damage & arson6
Burglary3
Other crime3
Vehicle crime2
Anti-social44
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
53.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
29.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
125
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
History
All 2 of Dawlish Warren’s listed buildings are Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Relative to its size, Dawlish Warren keeps 17 listed buildings per 10,000 residents. Homes from before 1919 make up nearly a tenth of the total, below both Devon’s towns (24%) and England’s towns (16%).
2listed buildingsDHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II2
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
9%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
17
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Only 34% of Dawlish Warren’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in Devon’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 27% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
3.1% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026, above both Devon’s towns (2.3%) and England’s towns (2.3%). At the census, 75% of commuters went by car. Before tax, the average household brings in £50K a year.
21%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving75%
On foot12%
Train4%
Bus3%
Bicycle2%
34%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
27%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£50K
mean household income, before tax
3.1%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
A−
Walkability: more walkable than 80% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C
More households own their home in Dawlish Warren than in Devon’s towns or across England’s towns: 76%
Social housing holds 6% of households, below Devon’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Behind the median of £315,000: 49 standard sales inside Dawlish Warren’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026. Private rents average £961 a month across the Teignbridge council area.
£315Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Dawlish Warren£315K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £470,000 | 21 |
| Semi-detached | £350,000 | 5 |
| Flat or maisonette | £140,000 | 21 |
76%
of households own their home · England 61%
18%
rent privately · England 21%
£961
average private rent a month, Teignbridge council area
£2,634
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Health
More people in Dawlish Warren live with a disability than in Devon’s towns or across England’s towns: 25%
Just over three quarters of Dawlish Warren’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, below Devon’s towns (80%) and England’s towns (82%) alike. Seeing a GP means leaving Dawlish Warren: the nearest practice is 1.7 miles away. Life expectancy here is 86.8 for women and 80.1 for men (2019–23). The nearest A&E to Dawlish Warren is Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford), 8.4 miles away.
76%good or very good healthB−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 76%Fair 17%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Dawlish Warren | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 76% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.3% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 25% | 21% | 17% |
80.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86.8
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · The census answers take no account of age, so a young town looks healthier; the Health Grade relies on age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Powderham Castle and 7 more in and around Dawlish Warren
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Dawlish Warren. Best known first.
CastlePowderham Castle4.3 km outside town, to the north
Historic house · National TrustA la Ronde4.8 km outside town, to the northeast
CastleCastle Duke (historic hill fort)5 km outside town, to the west
MuseumDawlish Museum2 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumExmouth Museum2.9 km outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionKenton Vineyard4.4 km outside town, to the northwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- Powderham Castle: raymond cocks, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- A la Ronde: Becks, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Castle Duke (historic hill fort): David Gearing, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dawlish Museum: Simon Cobb, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Exmouth Museum: Jasskurn, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dawlish Warren
14pages on Dawlish Warren
The big questions
SafetyD53.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £315K · rent £961 a monthHousing7 sold in 12 months · busiest street Devondale CourtSchoolsDHealthB−Life expectancy 80.1 (men), 86.8 (women)Work & commuteC−49% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD−15.8% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Dawlish Warren’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
DawlishStarcrossExmouthLympstoneTeignmouthExtonShaldonDawlish Warren
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawlish Warren | 1,191 | — | — | C | D | B− |
| Dawlish | 11,800 | 1.3 | C− | B− | C− | C+ |
| Starcross | 1,687 | 1.8 | — | B | B− | B− |
| Exmouth | 35,502 | 3.1 | C | C+ | C+ | B− |
| Lympstone | 1,838 | 3.7 | — | C− | A− | A |
| Teignmouth | 15,314 | 3.8 | C− | C | C | C+ |
| Exton | 1,287 | 4.5 | — | C− | A+ | A |
| Shaldon | 1,717 | 4.9 | — | D | A− | A |
Starcross, Lympstone, Exton and Shaldon have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Dawlish Warren
Does Dawlish Warren flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
Are schools in Dawlish Warren good?
GCSE results trail 93% of towns in England, and primary results trail 90% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Places are handled by Devon council.
About Dawlish Warren
Village in Devon, England
Dawlish Warren is a built-up area of 1,191 people, in the Teignbridge council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 1,191 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Teignbridge
- County
- Devon
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006821
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.