Dorchester, #1 on this list · Photo: Ian Greig · CC BY-SA 2.0

Dorset rankings · Walkability

Most walkable towns in Dorset

Dorchester ranks first on walkability among Dorset’s 30 towns of 2,500+; 14 of the 30 grade A− or better against UK towns.

The Walkability Grade: the share of commuters who walked, cycled or took public transport to work at the 2021 Census (taken in lockdown). The rank across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland sits beside each letter. How grades work

Dorchester

21,358 people

A⁺

Better than 98% of UK towns·#68 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Swanage

9,115 people

A⁺

Better than 96% of UK towns·#128 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Lyme Regis

3,741 people

Better than 94% of UK towns·#196 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

All 30 towns, ranked

Walkability grade, best first; ranks are the county ranks on each town’s page (T = tied). Military garrison towns and university campuses keep their grades but aren’t ranked. Each rank across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland links to the national list.

Every town in Dorset →

Find a town

30 towns.

#TownGrade · UK rankCompared with UK towns

1Dorchester21,358 peopleA⁺#68 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 98% of UK towns

2Swanage9,115 peopleA⁺#128 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 96% of UK towns

3Lyme Regis3,741 peopleA#196 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 94% of UK towns

4Bridport12,294 peopleA#213 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 93% of UK towns

5Bournemouth196,453 peopleA#230 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 93% of UK towns

6Sherborne10,359 peopleA#262 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 92% of UK towns

7Sturminster Newton3,565 peopleA#327 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 90% of UK towns

8Fortuneswell4,554 peopleA#463 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 86% of UK towns

9Weymouth55,540 peopleA⁻#523 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 84% of UK towns

10Poole141,009 peopleA⁻#620 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 82% of UK towns

11Wareham5,876 peopleA⁻#682 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 80% of UK towns

12Blandford Forum11,805 peopleA⁻#699 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 79% of UK towns

13Shaftesbury9,163 peopleA⁻#743 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 78% of UK towns

14Weston5,208 peopleA⁻#779 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 77% of UK towns

15Gillingham11,009 peopleB⁺#1,018 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 70% of UK towns

16Christchurch48,973 peopleB⁺#1,102 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 67% of UK towns

17Beaminster2,995 peopleB#1,240 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 63% of UK towns

18Wimborne Minster16,629 peopleB⁻#1,497 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 54% of UK towns

19Upton8,401 peopleB⁻#1,611 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 50% of UK towns

20Merley5,489 peopleB⁻#1,706 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 46% of UK towns

21Chickerell3,973 peopleC⁺#1,860 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 41% of UK towns

22Ferndown13,267 peopleC⁺#1,896 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 39% of UK towns

23West Moors10,432 peopleC#2,128 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 29% of UK towns

24Verwood13,706 peopleC⁻#2,210 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 24% of UK towns

25Lytchett Matravers3,455 peopleC⁻#2,230 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 23% of UK towns

26Corfe Mullen10,036 peopleC⁻#2,271 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 21% of UK towns

27West Parley3,665 peopleD#2,370 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 14% of UK towns

28Bearwood4,134 peopleD#2,384 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 13% of UK towns

29Ashley Heath7,151 peopleD#2,459 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 8% of UK towns

30Alderholt2,868 peopleD⁻#2,490 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 4% of UK towns

Not ranked

Not on this list

2 military garrison towns and university campuses keep their grades but aren’t ranked: most residents serve in the forces or are students.

Pimperne 2,770 people. Garrison town.
Wool 5,044 people. Garrison town.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most walkable town in Dorset?

Dorchester ranks first on walkability among 30 towns, with an A+: better than 98% of UK towns. Swanage and Lyme Regis follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Walkability Grade: the share of commuters who walked, cycled or took public transport to work at the 2021 Census (taken in lockdown). The letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

Garrison towns and university campuses aren’t ranked, and towns without the figures this grade needs are counted above. The list covers Dorset’s towns of 2,500+ with the figure. Smaller places show it on their own pages; every town in Dorset is on the county page.

Go deeper

More Dorset lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Dorset rankings →

Best places to live30 towns · #1 West Parley Best small towns16 towns · #1 West Parley Most affordable towns30 towns · #1 Fortuneswell Safest towns30 towns · #1 Merley Towns with the best schools30 towns · #1 Bournemouth Healthiest towns30 towns · #1 Ashley Heath Best towns for jobs & income30 towns · #1 Merley Towns with the lowest flood risk30 towns · #1 Alderholt and 8 more Best towns for the outdoors30 towns · #1 Swanage Most historic towns30 towns · #1 Bridport Towns with the most civic life30 towns · #1 Lytchett Matravers Towns with the highest household incomes32 towns · #1 PimperneDescribed, no letters Towns with the lowest council tax32 towns · #1 Bearwood and 2 moreDescribed, no letters Towns with the mildest winters32 towns · #1 SwanageDescribed, no letters Towns with the warmest summers32 towns · #1 BearwoodDescribed, no letters Towns with the coolest summers32 towns · #1 SwanageDescribed, no letters Towns with the fewest frosts32 towns · #1 Fortuneswell and WestonDescribed, no letters Driest towns32 towns · #1 FortuneswellDescribed, no letters Wettest towns32 towns · #1 BeaminsterDescribed, no letters

Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · 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.