West Knighton’s story
15 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside West Knighton’s built-up area.
21% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
West KnightonDorset
719 people call this village in Dorset, South West home.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Chris Downer · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
719
Census 2021 · Dorset council
Median home
£450K
17 sales in 3 years
Median age
52.2
28% are 65+ · Dorset 25%
Degree level
40%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · England 27%
Is West Knighton a good place to live?
West Knighton is below the 1,000 residents fair grades need, but every figure on this page is real. One in ten commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. Its listed buildings number 15, with 1 at Grade I. The median home sold for £450,000.
What makes West Knighton stand out
The 3 things West Knighton 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%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Parish Church of St Peter; 8.6 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.6 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Dinosaur Museum and 9 more in and around West Knighton
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near West Knighton. Best known first.
MuseumDinosaur Museum4.6 km outside town, to the northwest
Historic house · National TrustMax Gate3.3 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumDorset Museum4.8 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumThe Teddy Bear Museum4.6 km outside town, to the northwest
CastleWoodsford Castle3.5 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumCider Museum3.9 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)
- Dinosaur Museum: Chris Talbot, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Max Gate: Pierre Terre, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dorset Museum: Cmyk at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- The Teddy Bear Museum: Chris Talbot, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Woodsford Castle: Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in West Knighton.
Work & commute
Under 5 km to work: 14% in West Knighton, fewer than in both Dorset’s towns and 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 car took 86% of commuters, higher than both Dorset’s towns (76%) and England’s towns (70%). In 2026, 1.4% of 16 to 64s were claiming unemployment benefits. West Knighton counts 0.4 jobs per working resident.
10%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot6%
Bicycle3%
14%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
32%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£57K
mean household income, before tax
1.4%
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
Schools
The schools around West Knighton
Below is its only school. The town’s primary school has 139 pupils. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadmayne First School and NurseryLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 139 | – |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Housing
More households own their home in West Knighton than in Dorset’s towns or across England’s towns: 77%
11% rent privately, below both Dorset’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (21%). Private rents average £1,056 a month across the Dorset council area. That is the middle of 17 standard sales inside West Knighton’s built-up area over three years, against £277,000 in the typical UK town.
£450Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
West Knighton£450K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £487,500 | 12 |
77%
of households own their home · England 61%
11%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,056
average private rent a month, Dorset council area
£2,695
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
Homes in West Knighton see less burglary and damage than in Dorset’s towns or England’s towns: 2.3 per 1,000 a year
Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 3.7 reports per 1,000, lower than both Dorset’s towns (9.3) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence accounts for 10.2 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year. 8 crimes and 3 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside West Knighton’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Three quarters of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
10.2violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual6
Other theft2
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Public order0
Burglary0
Drugs0
Vehicle crime0
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.
10.2
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
8
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
Just 4% of people in West Knighton say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in both Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
At the census, 84% of people in West Knighton called their health good or very good, higher than both Dorset’s towns (81%) and England’s towns (82%). Seeing a GP means leaving West Knighton: the nearest practice is 2.8 miles away. Disability touches 17% of the town’s population.
84%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | West Knighton | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 19% | 17% |
82.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.8
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · A young population flatters these answers, which are not age-adjusted; the Health Grade instead uses measures that allow for age, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
West Knighton is rich in listed buildings: 209 per 10,000 residents, 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.
The pre-1919 share of homes is 21%. West Knighton’s listed buildings include the Parish Church of St Peter, Grade I. Conservation areas cover 22% of the town’s land, above both Dorset’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (7%). The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them.
15listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II14
Among them · Grade I
- Parish Church of St Peter Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
21%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
209
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
Older residents shape West Knighton: 28% are 65 or over, above Dorset’s towns and England’s towns
Graduates make up 40% of adults. 9% of the population is aged 15 to 24, lower than both Dorset’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). West Knighton has a median age of 52.2.
52.2median age
West KnightonDorsetEngland
Ages · share of residents
28%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications13%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar20%
Degree level40%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| West Knighton | Dorset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 16% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 28% | 25% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.8% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 40% | 31% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dorset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Knighton
13pages on West Knighton
The big questions
Safety10.2 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £450K · rent £1,056 a monthHousing1 sold in 12 monthsSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 82.1 (men), 84.8 (women)Work & commute53% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
West Knighton’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
CrosswaysDorchesterPuddletownCharminsterCharlton DownWeymouthWoolWest Knighton
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Knighton | 719 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Crossways | 2,494 | 2.3 | — | C− | A− | B+ |
| Dorchester | 21,358 | 3.3 | C | D | C+ | C+ |
| Puddletown | 1,193 | 4.5 | — | D | A+ | B+ |
| Charminster | 1,732 | 4.8 | — | D | A− | B+ |
| Charlton Down | 1,487 | 5.7 | — | C | A+ | B+ |
| Weymouth | 55,540 | 6.1 | D | C− | C− | C |
| Wool | 5,044 | 6.7 | C | C− | B+ | C+ |
Crossways, Puddletown, Charminster and Charlton Down have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about West Knighton
How many listed buildings are there in West Knighton?
That is 8.6 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Parish Church of St Peter.
How much is council tax in West Knighton?
Band D council tax in West Knighton is £2,695 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.
About West Knighton
Village in Dorset, England
West Knighton is a built-up area of 719 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
- 719 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dorset
- County
- Dorset
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006759
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.