PropertyEngine Logo
Postcode district · Wareham

BH20 area guide

Who lives in BH20, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council
Dorset
Region
South West
Population
28,141 (2024)
At a glance

What BH20 is like

The BH20 postcode district in Dorset covers 722 live postcodes and is home to about 28,141 people in 11,729 households. 65.3% of households own their home, 18.6% rent privately and 15.3% are in social housing. The largest age group is 70–74, and 53.3% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is less than half the England and Wales average. Homes in BH20 sold for a median of £380,000 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How BH20 compares

Headline figures for BH20, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore
5.7/ 10

Around the middle. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore
3/ 10

Lower than most: 14.1 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore
£380,000

Median over 211 sales in BH20, +7% on the year before.

TransportMore
0.3/ 10

Poor: 0 stations within a mile, 2 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore
83%

Rated good or better across 12 inspected schools in BH20.

Household incomeMore
£51,778

Average annual income before tax, higher than 47% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where BH20 differs most from the national average.

  1. 01
    Low crimePositive

    14.1 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.

  2. 02
    Prices risingPositive

    The median sale price in BH20 is up 7% on the year before.

  3. 03
    An older population

    28.1% of residents are 65 or over, against 18.4% across England.

Questions

BH20 FAQs

01
Is BH20 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 5.7 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 14.1 per 1,000 people a year, band 3 of 10 nationally. 83% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 0.3 out of 10 (poor).
02
How much does a house cost in BH20?

The median sale price over the last year was £380,000.

Homes in BH20 sold for a median of £380,000 across 211 sales in the year to August 2026, +7% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.
03
Is BH20 safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 14.1 offences per 1,000 people a year around BH20, less than half the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 3 of 10.
04
Who lives in BH20?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 70–74, at 8% of residents. 65.3% of households own their home. The most common property type is detached (40%).
05
Which council covers BH20?

The local authority for BH20 is Dorset.

BH20 comes under Dorset in the South West. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.
06
How well connected is BH20?

Connectivity scores 0.3 out of 10.

There are 2 bus stops within 800m and 0 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 0.3 out of 10 (poor). The nearest station is Wareham Rail Station, 1.5 miles away.

Sources: Census 2021 (ONS); ONS mid-year population estimates; police recorded crime; the English, Welsh and Scottish indices of deprivation; ONS small area income estimates; ONS private rents; DfE, Welsh and Scottish school registers and Ofsted; DfT NaPTAN; ORR estimates of station usage; HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.

Explore

Look up another area

Sectors in this district