Grove’s story
23 listed buildings, 2 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Grove’s built-up area.
39% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
GroveDorset
A village of 1,032 in Dorset, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Mike Faherty · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,032
Census 2021 · Dorset council
Median home
£239K
32 sales in 3 years
Median age
33.9
12% are 65+ · Dorset 25%
Degree level
20%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
14%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Grove a good place to live?
Grove has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is hazard risk (A): 0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea. Its weakest is safety (D): 64 violent and sexual offences and 6.5 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Among UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, it has less crime per resident than 3%. The median home sold for £238,500 in the last three years, 4.5 times what households in the Dorset council area earn in a year.
What makes Grove stand out
The 3 things Grove does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
2 Grade II*, including Church of St Peter; 9.1 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
14% leave the car
Residents aged 15 to 24
Who lives here
1 in 5 is 15 to 24
22% of residents, against 12% across England’s towns
How Grove grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Grove is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyDOpen →Hazard riskAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 38% of towns in England; secondary results beat 5% of towns in EnglandC−Open →HealthLife expectancy 79.7 for men, 82.7 for womenC−Open →Jobs & income2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsCOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →WalkabilityB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History39% of homes built before 1919AOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 6 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsA+Open →Civic life1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 42% live within 1 km of a libraryCOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Grove Prison Museum and 15 more in and around Grove
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Grove. Best known first.
MuseumMuseumGrove Prison Museumin town
Castle · English HeritagePortland Castle2 km outside town, to the northwest
CastleRufus Castle1 km outside town, to the south
MuseumPortland Museum900 m outside town, to the southwest
CastlePennsylvania Castle1.1 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumTout Quarry900 m outside town, to the west
Castle · English HeritagePortland Castle2 km outside town, to the northwestCastleRufus Castle1 km outside town, to the southMuseumPortland Museum900 m outside town, to the southwestCastlePennsylvania Castle1.1 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumTout Quarry900 m 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 (5)
- Portland Castle: Mark.murphy at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rufus Castle: Mike Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Portland Museum: Mike Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Pennsylvania Castle: Mike Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tout Quarry: Ajsmith141, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Grove.
Who lives here
Children make up only 9.3% of Grove, fewer than in Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
Retirement age and beyond: just over one in ten residents are 65 or older. People aged 15 to 24 make up just over a fifth of the town, above both Dorset’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). Typical age in Grove: 33.9, the median. Degrees are held by 20% of adults.
33.9median age
GroveDorsetEngland
Ages · share of residents
22%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications17%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level20%
Women and men · all residents
28% women, 72% men
About 40 women for every 100 men. Across England, 51% of residents are women. A large institution, such as a prison, barracks, boarding school, university or care home, can tilt a town’s split: the census counts the people living there as residents.
| Grove | Dorset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 9.3% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 22% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 34% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 22% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 12% | 25% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 17% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.2% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 20% | 31% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dorset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Safety
Grove has more crime per resident than 93% of UK towns
In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 118 crimes and 3 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Grove’s built-up area. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 69% of recorded crime. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 4.5 reports per 1,000, below Dorset’s towns (9.8) and England’s towns (7.8) alike.
64violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearDSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 3% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual81
Other crime19
Other theft6
Drugs4
Damage & arson3
Public order3
Burglary1
Weapons1
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.
64
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
4.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
118
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
Grove keeps more of its old housing than Dorset or England’s towns: 39% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Grade II* covers 2 of them. Of Grove’s land, 55% lies in conservation areas, above Dorset’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (7%) alike. Relative to its size, Grove keeps 223 listed buildings per 10,000 residents. Historic England’s list names 23 listed buildings here: 2 Grade II*.
23listed buildingsAHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*2
Grade II21
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Peter Grade II*
- Grove County Primary School with Rear Boundary Wall Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
39%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
223
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 Grove live with a disability than in Dorset’s towns or across England’s towns: 27%
Nearly four fifths of Grove’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, below Dorset’s towns (81%) and England’s towns (82%) alike. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 6.3% of the town. Seeing a GP means leaving Grove: the nearest practice is 0.8 miles away.
79%good or very good healthC−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 79%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Grove | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 79% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.3% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 27% | 19% | 17% |
79.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.7
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy and early deaths.
HousingCost of living grade C
Most households in Grove own their home: 73%, more than in Dorset’s towns or across England’s towns
3% live in social housing, lower than both Dorset’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (18%). Half of the 32 standard sales inside Grove’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £238,500. Private rents average £1,056 a month across the Dorset council area.
£239Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Grove£239K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached | £252,000 | 8 |
| Terraced | £222,500 | 22 |
73%
of households own their home · England 61%
23%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,056
average private rent a month, Dorset council area
£2,782
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Work tends to be further away for Grove: 27% commute under 5 km, below Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 21% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The census counted just over a fifth of workers working mainly from home. 14% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train at the census, below Dorset’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (27%) alike. The average household earns £45K a year before tax.
14%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving80%
On foot9%
Bus4%
Bicycle1%
27%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
21%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£45K
mean household income, before tax
2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 54% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Grove
14pages on Grove
The big questions
SafetyD64 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £239K · rent £1,056 a monthHousing10 sold in 12 months · busiest street Shepherds CroftSchoolsC−HealthC−Life expectancy 79.7 (men), 82.7 (women)Work & commuteC55% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Grove’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
WestonFortuneswellSouthwellWeymouthChickerellCrosswaysDorchesterGrove
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grove | 1,032 | — | — | C | D | C− |
| Weston | 5,208 | 1 | C− | C | C+ | C |
| Fortuneswell | 4,554 | 1.2 | D | C+ | C− | C− |
| Southwell | 1,700 | 1.8 | — | C | A | C+ |
| Weymouth | 55,540 | 5.1 | D | C− | C− | C |
| Chickerell | 3,973 | 6 | C | D | B+ | B− |
| Crossways | 2,494 | 11 | — | C− | A− | B+ |
| Dorchester | 21,358 | 11 | C | D | C+ | C+ |
Southwell 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 Grove
Is Grove safe?
Burglary was rare, with 1 report in the year.
How many listed buildings are there in Grove?
That is 9.1 times the typical UK town for its size.
How much is council tax in Grove?
Band D council tax in Grove is £2,782 for 2026–27, more than in 99% 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.
About Grove
Village in Dorset, England
Grove is a built-up area of 1,032 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
- 1,032 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dorset
- County
- Dorset
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006853
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.