Child Okeford’s story
18 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Child Okeford’s built-up area.
30% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Child OkefordDorset
42% of residents are 65 or over. 1,159 people live in this village in Dorset, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Clive Perrin · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,159
Census 2021 · Dorset council
Median home
£410K
45 sales in 3 years
Median age
60.3
42% are 65+ · Dorset 25%
Degree level
41%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Child Okeford a good place to live?
Child Okeford’s strongest is safety: 12.9 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 2.9 home and vehicle crimes. Homes sell for a median £410,000, about 7.8 years of what households in the Dorset council area earn. School results trail most towns (D−): primary results beat 2% of towns in England. Natural hazards weigh less here than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes, ONS · flood risk, Environment Agency. Child Okeford has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Child Okeford stand out
The 3 things Child Okeford 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%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Church of St Nicholas; 6.4 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
42% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Child Okeford grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Child Okeford is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 2% of towns in EnglandD−Open →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →SafetyNear the top of the towns comparedAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →HealthLife expectancy 80.7 for men, 86.6 for womenAOpen →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carC−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £54,928B−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History30% of homes built before 1919A−Open →Outdoors45% live within 400 m of a park; 42% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeC+Open →Civic life6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Child Okeford.
Who lives here
Children make up only 11% of Child Okeford, fewer than in Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
Half the people of Child Okeford are older than 60.3. People 65 and over make up just over two fifths of the town, higher than both Dorset’s towns (25%) and England’s towns (18%). Young adults of 15 to 24 account for 6.8% of the town.
60.3median age
Child OkefordDorsetEngland
Ages · share of residents
42%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level41%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 87 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.
| Child Okeford | Dorset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.8% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 13% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 42% | 25% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 41% | 31% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dorset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsD−
Results at Child Okeford’s schools are among the lowest in England
Key Stage 2 results at the 2 primary schools within 3 km: 45% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). The one school in town appears below. The town’s primary school has 125 pupils.
D−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Child OkefordLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 125 | D |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade D
Private renting is less common in Child Okeford than in Dorset’s towns or across England’s towns: 7%
82% of households own their home. Social housing holds 9% of households, lower than both Dorset’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £1,056 a month across the Dorset council area.
£410Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Child Okeford£410K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £450,000 | 25 |
| Semi-detached | £327,500 | 14 |
| Terraced | £329,000 | 6 |
82%
of households own their home · England 61%
7%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,056
average private rent a month, Dorset council area
£2,677
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Child Okeford records less crime per resident than nine in ten UK towns
Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Child Okeford has less crime per resident than 84% of them. This Dorset town logged 20 reported offences in a year (to August 2026), plus 3 complaints of anti-social conduct. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 2.9 reports per 1,000, below both Dorset’s towns (9.8) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences made up 45% of the total.
12.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 84% 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 & sexual9
Public order3
Burglary2
Vehicle crime2
Shoplifting1
Damage & arson1
Other theft1
Other crime1
Anti-social3
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.
12.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
20
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
Disability is more common in Child Okeford than in Dorset’s towns or across England’s towns: 20% of residents
The nearest A&E to Child Okeford is Dorset County Hospital, 16.7 miles away. Women here live to 86.6 on average and men to 80.7 (2019–23). The town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 3 miles away.
82%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Child Okeford | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.6% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 20% | 19% | 17% |
80.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86.6
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Under 5 km to work: 24% in Child Okeford, fewer than in Dorset’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 32% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The census found 9% of commuters going to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. 1.8% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026, lower than both Dorset’s towns (2.4%) and England’s towns (2.3%). There are 0.8 jobs in Child Okeford for each resident in work. Of the commuters living here, 10% work in the town itself.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot8%
Bus1%
24%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
32%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£55K
mean household income, before tax
1.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 19% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Child Okeford keeps more of its old housing than Dorset’s towns or England’s towns: 30% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Conservation areas cover nearly a quarter of Child Okeford’s land, higher than both Dorset’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (7%). Scaled to its population, that is 155 listed buildings for every 10,000 people locally. The town counts 18 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 1 Grade II*.
18listed buildingsA−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II17
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Nicholas Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
30%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
155
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 →Hod Hill and 3 more in and around Child Okeford
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Child Okeford. Best known first.
Fort · National TrustHod Hill2.5 km outside town, to the southeast
Historic house · English HeritageFiddleford Manor2.6 km outside town, to the westCastleCastleSturminster Castle4.2 km outside town, to the westMuseumMuseumSturminster Museum4 km outside town, to the westPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Hod Hill: Jim Champion, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fiddleford Manor: Marilyn Peddle from England, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Child Okeford
14pages on Child Okeford
The big questions
SafetyA12.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £410K · rent £1,056 a monthHousing10 sold in 12 months · busiest street HomefieldSchoolsD−1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 80.7 (men), 86.6 (women)Work & commuteB−57% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Child Okeford’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ShillingstoneSturminster NewtonBlandford ForumMarnhullPimperneStalbridgeShaftesburyChild Okeford
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Okeford | 1,159 | — | — | D | A | A |
| Shillingstone | 1,165 | 1.4 | — | D− | B− | A− |
| Sturminster Newton | 3,565 | 2.9 | C− | C− | C+ | B− |
| Blandford Forum | 11,805 | 5.1 | C | C− | C+ | B− |
| Marnhull | 1,466 | 5.1 | — | D | A− | B |
| Pimperne | 2,770 | 6 | A− | D | A+ | A+ |
| Stalbridge | 2,367 | 6.7 | — | C− | A− | B− |
| Shaftesbury | 9,163 | 6.8 | C− | C− | C+ | B |
Shillingstone, Marnhull and Stalbridge have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Child Okeford
Are schools in Child Okeford good?
Primary results trail 98% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Dorset council.
How many listed buildings are there in Child Okeford?
That is 6.4 times the typical UK town for its size.
About Child Okeford
Village in Dorset, England
Child Okeford is a built-up area of 1,159 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
- 1,159 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dorset
- County
- Dorset
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006407
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.