Charlton Marshall’s story
12 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Charlton Marshall’s built-up area.
25% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Charlton MarshallDorset
Population 1,084: a village in Dorset, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Church of St Mary · Photo: Wulfrunian1 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,084
Census 2021 · Dorset council
Median home
£405K
67 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.9
30% are 65+ · Dorset 25%
Degree level
27%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Charlton Marshall a good place to live?
Charlton Marshall’s best grade is for health — life expectancy 83.2 for men, 86.8 for women. Add safety to its strengths — 15.7 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 7.7 home and vehicle crimes. Housing is expensive: the median home sold for £405,000, 7.7 years of area income. It is hard to get around without a car: 6% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. The rest of its grades are middling: B− for schools, B for jobs & income and B− for hazard risk.
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · commuting, Census 2021 · claimants, DWP · flood risk, Environment Agency. Below 2,500 residents there is no overall grade, so Charlton Marshall has its subject grades alone.
What makes Charlton Marshall stand out
The 3 things Charlton Marshall does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
6% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Church of St Mary; 4.5 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
30% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Charlton Marshall grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Charlton Marshall is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carD−Open →Cost of livingNear the bottom of the towns comparedDOpen →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesAOpen →SafetyLess crime than in most townsB+Open →Jobs & income2.4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsBOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 79% of towns in England; secondary results beat 27% of towns in EnglandB−Open →Hazard risk0.2% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History25% of homes built before 1919B+Open →Outdoors78% live within 400 m of a park; 50% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeCOpen →Civic life0.9 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryDOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Charlton Marshall.
Who lives here
An older town: 30% of people in Charlton Marshall are 65 or over, more than in both Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
Under-15s account for 15% of the population. 7.5% of residents are 15 to 24, below Dorset’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Half of Charlton Marshall is older than 51.9, half younger. Graduates make up 27% of adults.
51.9median age
Charlton MarshallDorsetEngland
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship9%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level27%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 91 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.
| Charlton Marshall | Dorset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.5% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 17% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 30% | 25% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 8.5% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 27% | 31% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dorset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Charlton Marshall is a driving town: 92% of commuters go by car, above Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 33% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
A household here earns £64K a year before tax, on average. 31% of commuters travelled under 5 km, below Dorset’s towns (48%) and England’s towns (45%) alike. Charlton Marshall counts 0.2 jobs per working resident.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot2%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
Train1%
31%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
33%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£64K
mean household income, before tax
2.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 4% 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 D
Private renting is less common in Charlton Marshall than in Dorset’s towns or across England’s towns: 7%
11% live in social housing, below Dorset’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. The owner-occupied share of households is 81%. Private rents average £1,056 a month across the Dorset council area.
£405Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Charlton Marshall£405K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £435,000 | 43 |
| Semi-detached | £367,500 | 12 |
| Terraced | £287,600 | 12 |
81%
of households own their home · England 61%
7%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,056
average private rent a month, Dorset council area
£2,679
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
People in Charlton Marshall live longer lives than in 94% of UK towns
At the census, 6.1% of people here described their health as bad or very bad. Charlton Marshall has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.9 miles away. Also worth knowing: a fifth of residents have a disability, about level with Dorset’s towns (19%) and above England’s towns (17%). The nearest A&E to Charlton Marshall is Poole Hospital, 10.8 miles away.
82%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Charlton Marshall | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.1% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 20% | 19% | 17% |
83.2
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 · Read these answers with age in mind: they aren’t adjusted, so younger places do better. The Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Safety
Crime per resident in Charlton Marshall is lower than in 74% of UK towns
53% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Reported offences in Charlton Marshall came to 34 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 16. For its size, Charlton Marshall records less crime per resident than 56% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people.
15.7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 56% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual18
Damage & arson5
Burglary4
Public order2
Other theft2
Vehicle crime1
Weapons1
Robbery1
Anti-social16
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.
15.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.6
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
34
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
Charlton Marshall keeps more of its old housing than Dorset’s towns or England’s towns: 25% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them. Charlton Marshall’s listed buildings include the Church of St Mary, Grade I. Of the town’s land, 22% lies in conservation areas, above Dorset’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (7%) alike. It counts 12 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 1 Grade I.
12listed buildingsB+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II11
Among them · Grade I
- Church of St Mary Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
25%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
111
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Royal Signals Museum and 3 more in and around Charlton Marshall
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Charlton Marshall. Best known first.
MuseumRoyal Signals Museum3.5 km outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionHall & Woodhouse Visitor Centre1.6 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumBlandford Town Museum1.9 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumBlandford Fashion Museum2.1 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 (1)
- Royal Signals Museum: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Charlton Marshall
14pages on Charlton Marshall
The big questions
SafetyB+15.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £405K · rent £1,056 a monthHousing13 sold in 12 months · busiest street Jubilee GreenSchoolsB−HealthALife expectancy 83.2 (men), 86.8 (women)Work & commuteB47% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Charlton Marshall’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Blandford ForumPimperneSturminster MarshallShillingstoneLytchett MatraversBere RegisChild OkefordCharlton Marshall
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlton Marshall | 1,084 | — | — | D | B+ | A |
| Blandford Forum | 11,805 | 1.8 | C | C− | C+ | B− |
| Pimperne | 2,770 | 2.9 | A− | D | A+ | A+ |
| Sturminster Marshall | 1,504 | 4 | — | D− | A− | A |
| Shillingstone | 1,165 | 6 | — | D− | B− | A− |
| Lytchett Matravers | 3,455 | 6.1 | A− | D− | A | A− |
| Bere Regis | 1,320 | 6.6 | — | D | B | A− |
| Child Okeford | 1,159 | 6.8 | — | D | A | A |
Sturminster Marshall, Shillingstone, Bere Regis and Child Okeford have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Charlton Marshall
How many listed buildings are there in Charlton Marshall?
That is 4.5 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of St Mary.
How much is council tax in Charlton Marshall?
Band D council tax in Charlton Marshall is £2,679 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.
Is Charlton Marshall expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £405,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £287,600, semi-detached houses £367,500 and detached houses £435,000.
About Charlton Marshall
Village in Dorset, England
Charlton Marshall is a built-up area of 1,084 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
- Population
- 1,084 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dorset
- County
- Dorset
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006555
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.