Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Some 865 people live in this village, in Dorset, South West.
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Cerne Abbas is too small for fair grades, though the figures on this page are real. Its listed buildings number 69, with 9 at Grade I. Over-65s are 43% of the population. Nearly three in five households own their home with no mortgage.
The 3 things Cerne Abbas does most differently from other towns.
Historic England lists them inside Cerne Abbas’ built-up area, along with 2 scheduled monuments.
32% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Cerne Abbas.
Aged 15 to 24: 6% of residents. Children under 15 make up 11%, lower than both Dorset’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). Ages in Cerne Abbas split evenly at 61.2: half are older, half younger. Degrees are held by 41% of adults.
56% women, 44% men
About 79 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Cerne Abbas | Dorset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 13% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 43% | 25% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.5% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 13% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 41% | 31% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dorset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Below is its only school. The town’s primary school has 77 pupils. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cerne Abbas CofE VC First SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 77 | – |
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 40% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car took 78% of commuters, higher than both Dorset’s towns (76%) and England’s towns (70%). 1.5% of people aged 16 to 64 were on unemployment benefits in 2026. Of the commuters living in Cerne Abbas, 9% work in the town itself. Before tax, the average household brings in £57K a year.
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Renting privately is how 16% of households live. 8% live in social housing, below both Dorset’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £1,056 a month across the Dorset council area.
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £740,000 | 11 |
| Semi-detached | £375,000 | 10 |
| Terraced | £312,000 | 23 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Violence came to 11.2 per 1,000 residents a year, lower than both Dorset’s towns (16.8) and England’s towns (22). 17 crimes and 4 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Cerne Abbas’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. 71% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
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.
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.
At the census, 7.8% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, higher than both Dorset’s towns (5.3%) and England’s towns (5.2%). Self-reported good health: 77% of Cerne Abbas’ residents. The nearest A&E to Cerne Abbas is Dorset County Hospital, 6.8 miles away. One GP practice serves the town; 91% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey.
| Census 2021 | Cerne Abbas | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 77% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 7.8% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 25% | 19% | 17% |
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Young towns look healthier on these answers, which aren’t adjusted for age; the Health Grade uses measures that are, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Homes built before 1919 account for 32% of the housing. Cerne Abbas’s listed buildings include the Abbey Cottage the Pitchmarket, Grade I. Of Cerne Abbas’ land, 42% lies in conservation areas, above both Dorset’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (7%). The top grade, Grade I, goes to 9 of them.
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Cerne Abbas. Best known first.
Abbey or prioryCerne Abbey100 m outside town, to the northeast
Historic houseMinterne House2.3 km outside town, to the northHistoric siteHistoric siteCerne Abbas Giant200 m outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionHenley Hillbillies & Badger Watch4.1 km outside town, to the northeastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerne Abbas | 865 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Charlton Down | 1,487 | 4 | — | C | A+ | B+ |
| Maiden Newton | 1,128 | 4.5 | — | C | A− | B |
| Charminster | 1,732 | 5.2 | — | D | A− | B+ |
| Dorchester | 21,358 | 7 | C | D | C+ | C+ |
| Puddletown | 1,193 | 7.2 | — | D | A+ | B+ |
| Milborne St Andrew | 1,090 | 8.8 | — | D | A− | A |
| Barwick and Stoford | 1,095 | 9.7 | — | A− | C | B− |
Charlton Down, Maiden Newton, Charminster, Puddletown, Milborne St Andrew and Barwick and Stoford have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
That is 32.7 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I buildings include Abbey Cottage the Pitchmarket. It also has 2 scheduled monuments.
Band D council tax in Cerne Abbas is £2,680 for 2026–27, more than in 94% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
Village in Dorset, England
Cerne Abbas is a built-up area of 865 people, in the Dorset 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
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.