Verwood’s story
11 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Verwood’s built-up area, along with 2 scheduled monuments.
3% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
VerwoodDorset
A town in Dorset, South West, home to 13,706 people.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Malc McDonald · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
13,706
Census 2021 · Dorset council
Median home
£400K
632 sales in 3 years
Median age
49
28% are 65+ · Dorset 25%
Degree level
30%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
A−
#5 of 30 in Dorset
Is Verwood a good place to live?
A well-rated place to live, with prices to match. Police record less crime here than in most towns: police record 12.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 5.9 home and vehicle crimes. Residents are healthier than most: life expectancy 82.2 for men, 85.4 for women. Buying in is costly (D): a typical home costs £400,000 and rent runs £1,056 a month. It is hard to get around without a car (C−): one in ten commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The overall grade lands at A−, #5 of 30 in Dorset. That leaves it better than 76% of UK towns.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · life expectancy, ONS · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · commuting, Census 2021.
What makes Verwood stand out
The 3 things Verwood does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
10% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
99%of UK towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people
Safety
of UK towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
28% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Verwood grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Verwood is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Cost of livingMedian sale £400,000, 7.6 years of area incomeDOpen →SafetyNear the top of the towns comparedAOpen →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 74% of towns in EnglandA−Open →WalkabilityMost errands need a carC−Open →Jobs & income1.5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →Hazard risk0.1% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedDOpen →Outdoors41% live within 400 m of a park; 13% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeB+Open →Civic life1.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 54% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Verwood.
HousingCost of living grade D
More households own their home in Verwood than in Dorset’s towns or across England’s towns: 83%
Social housing holds 6% of households, below both Dorset’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (18%). Private renters make up 11% of households. From September 2023 to August 2026, 632 homes sold inside Verwood’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £400,000.
£400Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Verwood£400K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £475,000 | 387 |
| Semi-detached | £350,000 | 87 |
| Terraced | £281,000 | 100 |
| Flat or maisonette | £198,750 | 58 |
83%
of households own their home · England 61%
11%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,056
average private rent a month, Dorset council area
£2,697
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
SchoolsA−
Verwood’s schools outperform 78% of towns in England on results
Of its 4 schools, two are shown below, each with the reason. 66% of pupils at the one primary school within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Verwood’s three primaries and one secondary have 1,072 pupils between them.
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verwood Church of England First SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 289 | – |
| Emmanuel Church of England Middle SchoolLargest secondary schoolSecondary | Secondary | 434 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 4 schools →
Who lives here
An older town: 28% of people in Verwood are 65 or over, more than in Dorset’s towns or England’s towns
Children under 15 make up 15% of residents. 9.2% of residents are 15 to 24, lower than both Dorset’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). Verwood has a median age of 49. Among adults, 30% have a degree.
49median age
VerwoodDorsetEngland
Ages · share of residents
28%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level30%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Verwood | Dorset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.2% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 28% | 25% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.3% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 30% | 31% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dorset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
History
11 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Verwood has 8 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents. Homes from before 1919 make up 3% of the total, lower than both Dorset’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (16%). Also worth knowing: 2 scheduled monuments lie here.
11listed buildingsDHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II11
2
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
3%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
8
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Verwood has less crime per resident than 99% of the 645 UK towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people
Violence and sexual offences were 47% of the crimes. Police recorded 333 crimes inside Verwood’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 100 reports of anti-social behaviour. There were 6.4 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both Dorset’s towns (9.8) and England’s towns (7.8).
12.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 99% of the 645 UK towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual157
Shoplifting44
Damage & arson32
Public order27
Vehicle crime20
Other theft19
Burglary14
Other crime8
Anti-social100
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.
12.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
333
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
People in Verwood live longer lives than in 79% of UK towns
At the census, 4.2% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, below Dorset’s towns (5.3%) and England’s towns (5.2%) alike. One GP practice serves the town; 84% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey. Disability touches 16% of Verwood’s population. The nearest A&E to Verwood is The Royal Bournemouth Hospital, 9.1 miles away.
84%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Verwood | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.2% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 19% | 17% |
82.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.4
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+
Only 23% of Verwood’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in Dorset’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 33% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
A household here earns £60K a year before tax, on average. The car took 88% of commuters, above both Dorset’s towns (76%) and England’s towns (70%). The 2026 claimant rate among 16 to 64s was 1.5%. Work in town: 17% of resident commuters.
10%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot7%
Bicycle1%
Bus1%
23%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
33%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£60K
mean household income, before tax
1.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 24% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Cranborne Manor and 5 more in and around Verwood
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Verwood. Best known first.
Historic houseCranborne Manor4.4 km outside town, to the northwest
Historic houseEdmondsham House2.6 km outside town, to the northwest
Historic houseSomerley2.6 km outside town, to the east
Historic houseSt Giles House, Wimborne St Giles4.9 km outside town, to the northwestAttractionAttractionDorset Heavy Horse Centre1 km outside town, to the northwestArt galleryArt galleryOld Fine Art Gallery4.7 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Cranborne Manor: Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Edmondsham House: Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Somerley: Somerley_House.JPG: Wulfrunian1 derivative work: Pasicles, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St Giles House, Wimborne St Giles: Justin Barton, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Verwood
15pages on Verwood
The big questions
SafetyA12.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £400K · rent £1,056 a monthHousing187 sold in 12 months · busiest street Albion WaySchoolsA−4 state schoolsHealthA−Life expectancy 82.2 (men), 85.4 (women)Work & commuteB+57% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB0.1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Verwood’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Three Legged CrossAlderholtAshley HeathWest MoorsRingwoodSandleheathFerndownVerwood
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verwood | 13,706 | — | A− | D | A | A− |
| Three Legged Cross | 1,129 | 1.6 | — | D | C− | B− |
| Alderholt | 2,868 | 3.1 | B | D | A− | A |
| Ashley Heath | 7,151 | 3.3 | B | D− | A− | A |
| West Moors | 10,432 | 3.9 | C− | D | B+ | B− |
| Ringwood | 12,789 | 4.6 | B− | C− | C | B+ |
| Sandleheath | 1,546 | 4.7 | — | D | A | A− |
| Ferndown | 13,267 | 5.1 | B− | D− | A− | B+ |
Three Legged Cross and Sandleheath have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Verwood
How much is council tax in Verwood?
Band D council tax in Verwood is £2,697 for 2026–27, more than in 95% 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.
Are schools in Verwood good?
Primary results beat 74% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2).
About Verwood
Town in Dorset, England
Verwood is a built-up area of 13,706 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
- 13,706 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dorset
- County
- Dorset
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 1.7 sq mi (4.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006482
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.