Area Guide to Dorset

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Situated on the south and south-west coast of England, Dorset is home to a young but small population of only just under 400,000. The majority of the population are white, though students come from all around the world to study at Bournemouth University which gives the counties largest town a more diverse feel.

Dorset is another beautiful county in the south-west of England, but with a slightly livelier younger feel than it's neighbour to the west, Devon. The country is probably best known for it's seaside towns in particular, Bournemouth. A town with a population of 163,000, with a mixture of young and old who come here to retire for it's mild climate, sandy beaches and it's generally attractive surroundings. Young people, many who are students, can enjoy the brilliant night where many trendy bars and nightclubs can be found.

Further west along the coast is Weymouth which appears to be more of a working class seaside location. Nice sandy beaches and great views across the water are somewhat spoilt by a relatively scruffy, inadequately maintained town with some tacky looking shops.

Moving inland, Dorset becomes more rural, though never feels completely cut off. The countryside is beautiful, especially in the western half of the county with many green hills leading to pretty villages nestled in valleys.

Property values are relatively high in Dorset. A combination of the coastline, low crime rates, good housing stock and being just within possible commuting distance of London means bargains are hard to come by. A lack of major industry other than tourism, means rental values are more affordable than other cities with similar property values.

The most expensive properties can be found along the spit known as Sandbanks near Poole. A stretch of beach to rival anywhere on the UK coast, has some stunning large detached homes, many owned by the rich and famous. Bournemouth has a good housing stock of large, bright detached homes. Don't expect many bargains with house prices averaging around £200,000. Christchurch in the east of the region, and Lyme Regis in the far west offer more attractive detached homes, with few bargains to be found.

The good side to Dorset is the relatively small amount of poverty. The larger towns like Poole, Weymouth and parts of Bournemouth have some council housing, though it is generally of a better quality than most towns across the UK. Portland has some spectacular views, though is blighted by a prison and some grotty council houses. Look for bargains here if you are not too fussy.