Charminster St Mary's
vs Dorchester West
Dorchester West has the younger population: 15% of residents are aged 15–29, against 14% in Charminster St Mary's. Homes in Charminster St Mary's sold for a median of £350,000, 17% above Dorchester West. Dorchester West has more green space nearby (15% within 500 m, against 14%).
People
Charminster St Mary's has 5,168 residents in 2,239 households; Dorchester West has 8,595 in 3,969. The share of residents aged 65 and over is about the same in both (27% and 27%). Dorchester West has the higher share of people living alone: 37%, 9 percentage points more than Charminster St Mary's (Dorset: 31%).
Homes and prices
The most common type of home is detached houses in Charminster St Mary's (35%) and terraced houses in Dorchester West (32%). Charminster St Mary's has the higher share of owner-occupied homes: 71%, 8.8 percentage points more than Dorchester West (Dorset: 70%). Dorchester West has the higher share of private renting: 19%, 5.2 percentage points more than Charminster St Mary's (Dorset: 16%). Over two years, homes sold for a median of £350,000 in Charminster St Mary's and £300,000 in Dorchester West, against £345,000 across Dorset.
Surroundings
The share of land within 500 m that is green space is about the same in both (14% and 15%). A typical postcode has 4 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk in Charminster St Mary's, and 143 in Dorchester West. The typical postcode is 1,933 m from the nearest school in Charminster St Mary's and 626 m in Dorchester West. The typical postcode is 3,996 m from the nearest tram stop or railway station in Charminster St Mary's and 600 m in Dorchester West. Gigabit-capable broadband reaches 67% of premises in Charminster St Mary's and 89% in Dorchester West.
Safety
Over 12 months, police recorded 32 crimes and incidents per 1,000 residents in Charminster St Mary's and 86 in Dorchester West, 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.
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.
Charminster St Mary's is one of 52 wards in Dorset, home to 5,168 people in 2,239 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £350,000 over the past two years, in line with the Dorset median. On average 14% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 47% below the Dorset average.
Dorchester West is one of 52 wards in Dorset, home to 8,595 people in 3,969 households (Census 2021). Homes sold for a median of £300,000 over the past two years, 13% below the Dorset median. On average 15% of the land within 500 metres of a home postcode is green space — 44% below the Dorset average.
More comparisons.
Charminster St Mary's and Dorchester West next to other wards of Dorset.