Nether Compton’s story
24 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Nether Compton’s built-up area.
45% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Nether ComptonDorset
A village of 402 in Dorset, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: BishopHerman · Public domain
Population
402
Census 2021 · Dorset council
Median home
£450K
15 sales in 3 years
Median age
57.6
30% are 65+ · Dorset 25%
Degree level
44%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Nether Compton a good place to live?
Nether Compton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Nether Compton stand out
The 3 things Nether Compton 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%)
45% of commuters travel under 5 km.
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Households renting privately
Housing
of households, against 21% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Nether Compton.
Work & commute
Fewer commuters in Nether Compton walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Dorset’s towns or England’s towns: 6%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 47% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Unemployment benefit claims came to 1.3% of 16 to 64s in 2026, lower than both Dorset’s towns (2.3%) and England’s towns (2.3%). The car carried 93% of commuters at the census. At the census, 47% of workers worked mainly from home.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving93%
On foot5%
Bicycle1%
45%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
47%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£54K
mean household income, before tax
1.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Housing
Private renting is more common in Nether Compton than in Dorset’s towns or England’s towns: 38% of households
The median sale price was £450K, above both Dorset’s towns (£355K) and England’s towns (£308K). 5% of households live in social housing. On top of that, households that own their home make up 57%.
£450Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Nether Compton£450K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £587,500 | 8 |
| Semi-detached | £395,000 | 5 |
57%
of households own their home · England 61%
38%
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
Safety
Violent crime runs low in Nether Compton: 5 per 1,000 residents a year, under Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
Violence and sexual offences made up half of the total. Burglary and damage came to 1.7 per 1,000 residents a year, below Dorset’s towns (7.9) and England’s towns (9.4) alike. Police recorded 2 crimes inside Nether Compton’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 1 reports of anti-social behaviour.
5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual1
Damage & arson1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Other theft0
Burglary0
Drugs0
Vehicle crime0
Anti-social1
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.
5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
2
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 less common in Nether Compton, 11% of residents, than in Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
At the census, 86% of people in Nether Compton called their health good or very good, higher than both Dorset’s towns (81%) and England’s towns (82%). 3.5% of residents report bad or very bad health. Seeing a GP means leaving Nether Compton: the nearest practice is 1.9 miles away.
86%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Nether Compton | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.5% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 11% | 19% | 17% |
84.6
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · The census answers take no account of age, so a young town looks healthier; the Health Grade relies on age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
History
Old homes shape Nether Compton: 45% were built before 1919, 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.
Of Nether Compton’s land, 44% lies in conservation areas, higher than both Dorset’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (7%). The town’s listed buildings include the Parish Church of St Nicholas, Grade I. Listed buildings per head: 597 for every 10,000 residents of the town. It counts 24 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 1 Grade I.
24listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II23
Among them · Grade I
- Parish Church of St Nicholas Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
45%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
597
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Nether Compton than in Dorset’s towns or England’s towns: 10% are under 15
Degrees are held by 44% of adults, higher than both Dorset’s towns (31%) and England’s towns (34%). People aged 15 to 24 are 4% of the population. The middle age in Nether Compton is 57.6. Those 65 and older account for 30% of residents.
57.6median age
Nether ComptonDorsetEngland
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level44%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Nether Compton | Dorset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 10% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 4% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 37% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 30% | 25% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.8% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 44% | 31% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dorset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Sherborne Castle and 5 more in and around Nether Compton
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Nether Compton. Best known first.
Castle · English HeritageSherborne Castle4.1 km outside town, to the east
Castle · English HeritageSherborne Old Castle4.1 km outside town, to the east
Historic houseNewton Surmaville3.5 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumSherborne Museum3 km outside town, to the east
MuseumYeovil Railway Centre4.1 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumSherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre3.8 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- Sherborne Castle: JackPeasePhotography, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sherborne Old Castle: Pengannel, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Newton Surmaville: David Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sherborne Museum: SMCurator, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Yeovil Railway Centre: William, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nether Compton
14pages on Nether Compton
The big questions
Safety5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £450K · rent £1,056 a monthHousing4 sold in 12 monthsSchoolsHealthLife expectancy 84.6 (men), 87 (women)Work & commute61% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Nether Compton’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
SherborneYeovilBarwick and StofordMilborne PortIlchesterTemplecombeStoke sub HamdonNether Compton
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nether Compton | 402 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sherborne | 10,359 | 2.3 | C+ | D | B | B− |
| Yeovil | 50,170 | 2.9 | C+ | B | D | C |
| Barwick and Stoford | 1,095 | 3.2 | — | A− | C | B− |
| Milborne Port | 3,207 | 4.8 | B− | C+ | B+ | A− |
| Ilchester | 2,062 | 5.9 | — | A | C | B |
| Templecombe | 1,657 | 7.5 | — | C+ | C+ | B+ |
| Stoke sub Hamdon | 1,360 | 7.7 | — | C+ | C | B |
Barwick and Stoford, Ilchester, Templecombe and Stoke sub Hamdon have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Nether Compton
How many listed buildings are there in Nether Compton?
That is 24.5 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Parish Church of St Nicholas.
How much is council tax in Nether Compton?
Band D council tax in Nether Compton 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 Nether Compton expensive to live in?
By type: semi-detached houses £395,000 and detached houses £587,500. Private rents in the Dorset council area averaged £1,056 a month in August 2026.
About Nether Compton
Village in Dorset, England
Nether Compton is a built-up area of 402 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
- 402 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dorset
- County
- Dorset
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006316
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.