Charminster’s story
17 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Charminster’s built-up area.
26% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
CharminsterDorset
A village of 1,732 in Dorset, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: David Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,732
Census 2021 · Dorset council
Median home
£435K
103 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.7
28% are 65+ · Dorset 25%
Degree level
31%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Charminster a good place to live?
Charminster has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (A−): 15 violent and sexual offences and 4.8 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Its weakest is cost of living (D): median sale £435,000, 8.3 years of area income; rent £1,056 a month.
What makes Charminster stand out
The 3 things Charminster does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
48% of commuters travel under 5 km.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Parish Church of St Mary; 4 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Primary results, towns in England
Schools
Primary results trail 98%
of towns in England, on Key Stage 2 reading, writing and maths
Secondary results beat 67%. Department for Education.
How Charminster grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Charminster is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Cost of livingDOpen →SafetyA−Open →WalkabilityC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 2% of towns in England; secondary results beat 67% of towns in EnglandCOpen →HealthLife expectancy 81.6 for men, 85.4 for womenB+Open →Hazard risk1% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaCOpen →Jobs & income2.1% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryB+Open →Outdoors0% live within 400 m of a park; 56% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeDOpen →Civic life2.9 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryC+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Maiden Castle and 9 more in and around Charminster
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Charminster. Best known first.
Fort · English HeritageMaiden Castle4 km outside town, to the south
MuseumDinosaur Museum2 km outside town, to the southeast
Historic houseWolfeton House300 m outside town, to the south
MuseumDorset Museum1.8 km outside town, to the southeast
Historic house · National TrustMax Gate3.2 km outside town, to the southeast
MuseumThe Teddy Bear Museum2 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Maiden Castle: Major George Allen (1891–1940), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Dinosaur Museum: Chris Talbot, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Wolfeton House: Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dorset Museum: Cmyk at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Max Gate: Pierre Terre, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Teddy Bear Museum: Chris Talbot, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Charminster.
HousingCost of living grade D
Few households rent privately in Charminster: 6%, fewer than in Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
69% of households own their home, close to Dorset’s towns (66%) and above England’s towns (61%). The social rented sector houses nearly a quarter of households. Half of the 103 standard sales inside Charminster’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £435,000.
£435Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Charminster£435K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £509,000 | 53 |
| Semi-detached | £352,500 | 36 |
| Terraced | £271,500 | 14 |
69%
of households own their home · England 61%
6%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,056
average private rent a month, Dorset council area
£2,666
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
SchoolsC
Charminster’s schools fall behind 69% of towns in England on results
The town has one school, shown below. 44% of pupils at the one primary school within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Attainment 8 at the one secondary school within 3 km averages 47.8, and 51% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths.
CSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Mary's Church of England First School, CharminsterLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 148 | – |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Charminster records less crime per resident than 83% of UK towns
There were 4.4 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below Dorset’s towns (9.8) and England’s towns (7.8) alike. 38 crimes and 4 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Charminster’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 61% of recorded crime.
15violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 69% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual23
Damage & arson5
Vehicle crime4
Burglary2
Drugs2
Other theft1
Weapons1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social4
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
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
38
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Only 9% of commuters in Charminster go to work without a car, fewer than in Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 26% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
88% of commuters drove, above both Dorset’s towns (76%) and England’s towns (70%). Average household income comes to £57K a year before tax. Also worth knowing: there are 0.5 jobs in Charminster for each resident in work.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot4%
Bicycle3%
Bus1%
26%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£57K
mean household income, before tax
2.1%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 20% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Old homes shape Charminster: 26% were built before 1919, more than in Dorset’s towns or England’s towns
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. Charminster’s listed buildings include the Parish Church of St Mary, Grade I. Conservation areas cover 31% of the town’s land, above both Dorset’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (7%). Historic England’s list names 17 listed buildings here: 1 Grade I.
17listed buildingsB+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II16
Among them · Grade I
- Parish Church of St Mary Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
26%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
98
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
More people in Charminster live with a disability than in Dorset’s towns or across England’s towns: 21%
Men in Charminster can expect to live to 81.6, women to 85.4 (2019–23). 79% of the town’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, below both Dorset’s towns (81%) and England’s towns (82%). There is no GP practice locally: the nearest is 1.4 miles off.
79%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 79%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Charminster | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 79% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.7% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 21% | 19% | 17% |
81.6
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.4
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · A young population flatters these answers, which are not age-adjusted; the Health Grade instead uses measures that allow for age, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
Who lives here
Few people in Charminster are 15 to 24: 7.3%, fewer than in Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
17% are under 15, higher than Dorset’s towns (15%) and near England’s towns (18%). The 65-and-over age group makes up 28% of residents. Typical age in Charminster: 49.7, the median.
49.7median age
CharminsterDorsetEngland
Ages · share of residents
28%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications18%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level31%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
About 85 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.
| Charminster | Dorset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.3% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 28% | 25% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 18% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 31% | 31% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dorset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Charminster
15pages on Charminster
The big questions
SafetyA−15 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £435K · rent £1,056 a monthHousing21 sold in 12 months · busiest street Artisan DriveSchoolsC1 state schoolHealthB+Life expectancy 81.6 (men), 85.4 (women)Work & commuteB−47% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Charminster’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Charlton DownDorchesterPuddletownMaiden NewtonCrosswaysChickerellWeymouthCharminster
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charminster | 1,732 | — | — | D | A− | B+ |
| Charlton Down | 1,487 | 1.3 | — | C | A+ | B+ |
| Dorchester | 21,358 | 1.8 | C | D | C+ | C+ |
| Puddletown | 1,193 | 5.1 | — | D | A+ | B+ |
| Maiden Newton | 1,128 | 5.7 | — | C | A− | B |
| Crossways | 2,494 | 6.2 | — | C− | A− | B+ |
| Chickerell | 3,973 | 8 | C | D | B+ | B− |
| Weymouth | 55,540 | 8 | D | C− | C− | C |
Charlton Down, Puddletown, Maiden Newton and Crossways have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Charminster
How many listed buildings are there in Charminster?
That is 4 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Parish Church of St Mary.
How much is council tax in Charminster?
Band D council tax in Charminster is £2,666 for 2026–27, more than in 93% 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 Charminster expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £435,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £271,500, semi-detached houses £352,500 and detached houses £509,000.
About Charminster
Village in Dorset, England
Charminster is a built-up area of 1,732 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
- 1,732 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dorset
- County
- Dorset
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006711
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.