Charmouth’s story
35 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Charmouth’s built-up area.
26% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
CharmouthDorset
A village of 1,337 in Dorset, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Anthony Vosper · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,337
Census 2021 · Dorset council
Median home
£497K
66 sales in 3 years
Median age
61.8
46% are 65+ · Dorset 25%
Degree level
37%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
21%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Charmouth a good place to live?
Charmouth 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 cost of living (D−): median sale £497,000, 9.5 years of area income; rent £1,056 a month.
What makes Charmouth stand out
The 3 things Charmouth does most differently from other towns.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
46% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Queen's Armes Hotel; 10.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.8 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
How Charmouth grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Charmouth is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Cost of livingD−Open →WalkabilityA−Open →SafetyA−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £50,243C−Open →HealthLife expectancy 79.7 for men, 84.5 for womenB+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 40% of towns in England; secondary results beat 76% of towns in EnglandBOpen →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.
HistoryAOpen →Outdoors82% live within 400 m of a park; 63% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeAOpen →Civic life7.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 100% live within 1 km of a libraryA+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Charmouth.
Who lives here
An older town: 46% of people in Charmouth are 65 or over, more than in both Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
Children under 15 make up 10%, below Dorset’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Young adults of 15 to 24 account for 7.7% of the town. The age that splits Charmouth in two is 61.8. Graduates make up 37% of adults.
61.8median age
CharmouthDorsetEngland
Ages · share of residents
46%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level37%
Women and men · all residents
55% women, 45% men
About 83 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.
| Charmouth | Dorset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 10% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.7% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 11% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 46% | 25% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.8% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 37% | 31% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dorset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsB
Results at Charmouth’s schools beat 60% of towns in England
Its only school is listed below. Secondary results at the one secondary school within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 50, with 53% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. The town’s primary school has 71 pupils.
BSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charmouth Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 71 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade D−
Private renting is less common in Charmouth than in Dorset’s towns or across England’s towns: 13%
Owners make up 71% of households, above both Dorset’s towns (66%) and England’s towns (61%). Half of the 66 standard sales inside Charmouth’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £497,000. Council and housing-body homes hold 15% of households.
£497Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Charmouth£497K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £700,000 | 32 |
| Semi-detached | £470,000 | 13 |
| Terraced | £275,000 | 13 |
| Flat or maisonette | £243,500 | 8 |
71%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,056
average private rent a month, Dorset council area
£2,752
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
Charmouth is rich in listed buildings: 262 per 10,000 residents, more than in both Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Just over a quarter of its homes were built before 1919, above Dorset’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (16%) alike. Charmouth has 35 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 1 Grade II*.
35listed buildingsAHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II34
Among them · Grade II*
- Queen's Armes Hotel Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
26%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
262
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 33% of Charmouth’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in both Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 34% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For every resident in work, Charmouth has 0.9 jobs. The car took 77% of commuters, near Dorset’s towns (76%) and higher than England’s towns (70%). In 2026, 2.9% of 16 to 64s were claiming unemployment benefits. Work in town: a fifth of resident commuters.
21%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving77%
On foot20%
Bus1%
33%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
34%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£50K
mean household income, before tax
2.9%
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
Safety
Charmouth has less crime per resident than 78% of UK towns
Of all the crimes, 53% were violence and sexual offences. Burglary and damage came to 6.5 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Dorset’s towns (8) and England’s towns (9.4). Police figures for Charmouth’s built-up area: 34 crimes and 11 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026.
15.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 61% 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 & arson4
Other theft4
Burglary3
Vehicle crime3
Public order2
Shoplifting0
Drugs0
Anti-social11
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.
15.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.7
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.
Health
More people in Charmouth live with a disability than in Dorset’s towns or across England’s towns: 24%
Self-reported good health: 77% of Charmouth’s residents. The town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.1 miles away. The nearest A&E to Charmouth is Yeovil District Hospital, 18.4 miles away.
77%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 77%Fair 18%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Charmouth | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 77% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.2% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 24% | 19% | 17% |
79.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.5
life expectancy at birth, women
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.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre and 6 more in and around Charmouth
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Charmouth. Best known first.
MuseumCharmouth Heritage Coast Centrein town
MuseumDinosaurland Fossil Museum1.8 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumLyme Regis Museum1.8 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumTown Mill1.9 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionAttractionThe Cobb2.5 km outside town, to the southwestAquariumAquariumLyme Regis Marine Aquarium2.5 km outside town, to the southwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre: Sarah Charlesworth, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dinosaurland Fossil Museum: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lyme Regis Museum: Joadl, CC BY-SA 3.0 at, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Charmouth
14pages on Charmouth
The big questions
SafetyA−15.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingD−Median home £497K · rent £1,056 a monthHousing22 sold in 12 months · busiest street The StreetSchoolsB1 state schoolHealthB+Life expectancy 79.7 (men), 84.5 (women)Work & commuteC−61% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Charmouth’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Lyme RegisUplymeAxminsterBridportBradpoleColytonTatworthCharmouth
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charmouth | 1,337 | — | — | D− | A− | B+ |
| Lyme Regis | 3,741 | 1.7 | C | D− | B− | B+ |
| Uplyme | 1,053 | 2.4 | — | C− | A | A |
| Axminster | 6,094 | 5.1 | D | B | D | C+ |
| Bridport | 12,294 | 6.3 | C− | D | C+ | B− |
| Bradpole | 1,257 | 7.1 | — | D | A− | C+ |
| Colyton | 1,938 | 7.3 | — | C | A− | A |
| Tatworth | 2,287 | 7.6 | — | B− | A | A− |
Uplyme, Bradpole, Colyton and Tatworth have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Charmouth
How many listed buildings are there in Charmouth?
That is 10.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
How much is council tax in Charmouth?
Band D council tax in Charmouth is £2,752 for 2026–27, more than in 98% 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 Charmouth expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £497,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £243,500, terraced houses £275,000, semi-detached houses £470,000 and detached houses £700,000.
About Charmouth
Village in Dorset, England
Charmouth is a built-up area of 1,337 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
- 1,337 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dorset
- County
- Dorset
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006701
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.