Cost of living in Dorset
Data last updated: 14 May 2026
Page last reviewed: 14 May 2026
Rent in Dorset
The average monthly rent in Dorset is £1,037.
- 1 Bed£718 /mo
- 2 Bed£949 /mo
- 3 Bed£1,167 /mo
- 4+ Bed£1,658 /mo
Source: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR)
Earnings in Dorset
The average annual salary for residents of Dorset is £31,444.
We use the median (middle value) as the average throughout this site. This is more representative than the mean, which can be skewed by extremely high or low values.
Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)
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Average house prices in Dorset
The average house price in Dorset was £349,000.
- Detached£480,000
- Semi-detached£329,000
- Terraced£276,950
- Flat£185,000
How house prices have changed in Dorset
Average house prices over time, based on quarterly rolling-year medians from Land Registry data.
Source: ONS / HM Land Registry. Historical trend based on quarterly rolling-year median prices.
Climate and weather in Dorset
Summer daytime highs in Dorset typically reach 21.5°C in July, dropping to around 8.3°C in January. Dorset is drier than average for the UK, with rain falling on about 2.5 days a week. It gets around 15% less rainfall than the UK average. The area is sunnier than most of the UK, averaging around 6.7 hours of sunshine per day in summer. Expect frost on around 96 days per year, mostly between October and April.
| Month | Daytime high | Rainfall | Rain days | Sunshine | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.3°C | 106mm | 14 | 61h | 16 |
| Feb | 8.6°C | 75mm | 11 | 81h | 15 |
| Mar | 10.9°C | 68mm | 10 | 124h | 14 |
| Apr | 13.6°C | 65mm | 10 | 178h | 11 |
| May | 16.8°C | 57mm | 9 | 210h | 5 |
| Jun | 19.5°C | 58mm | 8 | 208h | 1 |
| Jul | 21.5°C | 57mm | 9 | 215h | 0 |
| Aug | 21.3°C | 72mm | 10 | 194h | 0 |
| Sep | 18.9°C | 72mm | 10 | 152h | 2 |
| Oct | 15.1°C | 112mm | 13 | 109h | 6 |
| Nov | 11.3°C | 119mm | 14 | 74h | 11 |
| Dec | 8.8°C | 112mm | 14 | 55h | 15 |
How this is calculated
Climate data is based on Met Office 30-year averages (1991-2020), calculated from 100 observation grid points covering the Dorset local authority area.
Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid , 1991-2020 averages. Crown copyright. Open Government Licence v3.0.
Council tax in Dorset
Band D council tax in Dorset is £2,765 per year.
- Band A£1,843
- Band B£2,151
- Band C£2,458
- Band DBenchmark£2,765
- Band E£3,379
- Band F£3,994
- Band G£4,608
- Band H£5,530
Source: MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government
Energy costs in Dorset
A typical household in Dorset pays approximately £1,641/year (£137/month) for gas and electricity.
Energy region: South West
This estimate is based on the Ofgem price cap for a typical dual-fuel household using 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas per year, paying by Direct Debit. Your actual costs will depend on your usage, tariff, and whether you're on a fixed deal.
Source: Ofgem Energy Price Cap, Q2 2026
Water costs in Dorset
The average annual water and sewerage bill for South West Water customers is £813/year (£68/month).
Water company: South West Water
Water bills vary based on whether you have a meter and your household's water usage. This figure is the company average for unmetered customers.
Source: Water UK / Discover Water, 2026-27
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Crime in Dorset
There were 507 recorded crimes per 10,000 people in Dorset, which is below the national average of 813.2. Dorset ranks #55 out of 303 areas for lowest crime rate.
Recorded crime statistics reflect crimes reported to and recorded by police. They may not capture the full picture of crime in an area, and recording practices vary between forces.
Source: Home Office police recorded crime, Year ending December 2025
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Nearby areas
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Frequently asked questions about Dorset
Data on this page is sourced from: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), Scottish Government Private Sector Rent Statistics, ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, ONS / HM Land Registry House Price Statistics, MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government council tax data, Ofgem Energy Price Cap, and Water UK / Discover Water. All official data is published under the Open Government Licence.