Dorset: population and statistics
Dorset has a population of 391,036 (2025) across 2,490.9 km², or 157 people per km². It ranks 22 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +5.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 391,036 residents
- 2,490.9 km²
- 157 people/km²
Dorset in numbers
Population of Dorset over time
Dorset had 370,728 residents in 2015 and 391,036 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 377,670 |
| 2021 | 381,245 |
| 2022 | 383,191 |
| 2023 | 385,934 |
| 2024 | 389,341 |
| 2025 | 391,036 |
All indicators for Dorset
Value for the area, then the regional average and the UK median (for counts: regional and UK totals). The gauge places the area between the lowest and highest value in the UK.
Population
| Indicator | Dorset | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 31.2% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 5 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 14.5% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 337 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Dorset | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 188,910 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 17 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 27.1% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 206 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 18.1% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 158 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 169,261 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 18 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 83.4% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 168 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 15.4% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 153 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 71.4% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 81 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 16.3% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 196 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 12.3% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 236 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £325,154 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 127 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −0.1% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 264 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Dorset | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.4% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 117 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 67.1% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 253 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.4% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 128 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 8.7% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 59 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Dorset | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 20,570 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 21 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 52.6 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 85 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 18,000 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 22 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,462 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 209 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Dorset | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 80.1% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 75 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.3% | 2.7% | 3.2% | ranked 288 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Dorset | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 13.7% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 242 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, Dorset ranks 6 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 31.2% in Dorset, compared with an average of 23.2% in South West and 19.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 15.3% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South West for “Share of residents aged 65 and over”.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Business sites (local units)”: higher than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 348,866 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, 30.6 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Somerset (590,972 residents), 54 km away.
Business sectors: Dorset
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Wholesale and retail trade15.3% ×1.0
- Construction14.0% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical11.9% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing9.7% ×2.2
- Accommodation and food services7.9% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services7.0% ×0.9
- Manufacturing6.0% ×1.4
- Information and communication4.8% ×0.8
Where is Dorset?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Dorset?
Dorset has 391,036 residents (2025), ranking 22 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Dorset?
Dorset covers 2,490.9 km², with a density of 157 people per km².
Is the population of Dorset growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Dorset went from 370,728 to 391,036, a change of +5.5%.
Where is Dorset?
Dorset is in South West (region). Latitude 50.800, longitude −2.300.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Dorset?
In Dorset, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 31.2% (2025), ranking 5 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Dwellings (Council Tax stock): what is the figure for Dorset?
In Dorset, “Dwellings (Council Tax stock)” stands at 188,910 dwellings (2026), ranking 17 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67,955 dwellings.
Which local authorities border Dorset?
The nearest to Dorset are Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (31 km), New Forest (48 km), Somerset (54 km), Wiltshire (58 km), Bath and North East Somerset (66 km).