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Beacon
vs Shaftesbury Town

Shaftesbury Town has the younger population: 16% of residents are aged 15–29, against 14% in Beacon. Homes in Beacon sold for a median of £449,000, 63% above Shaftesbury Town. Beacon has more green space nearby (20% within 500 m, against 16%).

Map of Dorset with Beacon highlighted
Beacon
277 postcodes
Map of Dorset with Shaftesbury Town highlighted
Shaftesbury Town
259 postcodes
Map of Dorset
Dorset
city average

People

Beacon has 5,169 residents in 1,989 households; Shaftesbury Town has 9,163 in 4,128. Beacon has the higher share of residents aged 65 and over: 30%, 6.2 percentage points more than Shaftesbury Town (Dorset: 30%). Shaftesbury Town has the higher share of people living alone: 34%, 9.5 percentage points more than Beacon (Dorset: 31%).

5,169Residents (2021)
9,163Residents (2021)
379,579Residents (2021)
1,989Households
4,128Households
169,261Households
14.2%Aged 15–29
16.0%Aged 15–29
13.5%Aged 15–29
29.8%Aged 65 and over
23.6%Aged 65 and over
29.6%Aged 65 and over
24.3%Living alone
33.8%Living alone
30.6%Living alone

Homes and prices

The most common type of home is detached houses in Beacon (61%) and terraced houses in Shaftesbury Town (30%). Beacon has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 79%, 16.6 percentage points more than Shaftesbury Town (Dorset: 70%). Shaftesbury Town has the higher share of private renting: 19%, 5.6 percentage points more than Beacon (Dorset: 16%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £449,000 in Beacon and £275,000 in Shaftesbury Town, against £345,000 across Dorset.

£449,000Median sale price
£275,000Median sale price
£345,000Median sale price
79.4%Owner-occupied
62.8%Owner-occupied
70.4%Owner-occupied
13.5%Private renting
19.1%Private renting
16.3%Private renting
6.8%Social renting
15.8%Social renting
12.3%Social renting
60.9%Detached houses
27.0%Detached houses
40.6%Detached houses
26.4%Semi-detached houses
26.5%Semi-detached houses
23.4%Semi-detached houses
10.1%Terraced houses
29.6%Terraced houses
19.3%Terraced houses
0.3%Flats
13.0%Flats
11.6%Flats

Surroundings

Beacon has the higher share of land within 500 m that is green space: 20%, 3.3 percentage points more than Shaftesbury Town (Dorset: 26%). A typical postcode has 5 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in Beacon, and 60 in Shaftesbury Town. The typical postcode is 2,231 m from the nearest school in Beacon and 476 m in Shaftesbury Town. The typical postcode is 9,795 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in Beacon and 6,347 m in Shaftesbury Town. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 90% of premises in Beacon and 87% in Shaftesbury Town.

19.7%Green space within 500 m
16.4%Green space within 500 m
26.4%Green space within 500 m
5Services within 15 min (median)
60Services within 15 min (median)
23Services within 15 min (median)
2.2 kmNearest school (median)
476 mNearest school (median)
–Nearest school (median)
9.8 kmNearest tram or rail (median)
6.3 kmNearest tram or rail (median)
–Nearest tram or rail (median)
22Postcodes in flood risk areas
0Postcodes in flood risk areas
1,586Postcodes in flood risk areas
89.9%Gigabit broadband (premises)
86.9%Gigabit broadband (premises)
72.3%Gigabit broadband (premises)

Safety

Over 12 months, police recorded 41 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in Beacon and 74 in Shaftesbury Town, against 56 across Dorset. Police.uk records crimes by approximate location, not by where victims or offenders live. Busy streets, shops, stations and nightlife record more. Figures are counts, not a measure of personal risk.

41Recorded crime per 1,000 residents
74Recorded crime per 1,000 residents
56Recorded crime per 1,000 residents

Sources: Census 2021 (ONS) · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data · official school registers · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Environment Agency · data.police.uk, 12 months to Aug 2026 · Ofcom Connected Nations

In brief.

Each ward in a few lines, from its own page.

Beacon

Beacon is one of 52 wards in Dorset, home to 5,169 people in 1,989 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £449,000 over the past two years, 30% above the Dorset median. On average 20% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 25% below the Dorset average.

Shaftesbury Town

Shaftesbury Town is one of 52 wards in Dorset, home to 9,163 people in 4,128 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £275,000 over the past two years, 20% below the Dorset median. On average 16% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 38% below the Dorset average.

More comparisons.

Beacon and Shaftesbury Town next to other wards of Dorset.

Beacon vs Sturminster NewtonBeacon vs Hill Forts & Upper TarrantsBeacon vs GillinghamShaftesbury Town vs GillinghamShaftesbury Town vs Sturminster NewtonShaftesbury Town vs Stalbridge & MarnhullAll wards of Dorset