Postcode · Wimborne

BH21 1RJ area guide

Who lives in BH21 1RJ, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Neighbourhood: Merley
Council: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Region: South West
Neighbourhood population: 1,701 (2024)

BH21 1RJWimborne

At a glance

What BH21 1RJ is like

BH21 1RJ is a postcode in the Merley area of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Because census and crime data isn’t published for single postcodes, the figures here cover the surrounding neighbourhood of about 1,701 people. 76.8% of households own their home, 12.5% rent privately and 10.2% are in social housing. The largest age group is 70–74, and 52.3% of adults are in work. It ranks among the more affluent parts of England. Higher-harm crime is less than half the England and Wales average. Homes in BH21 1 sold for a median of £399,150 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How BH21 1RJ compares

Headline figures for BH21 1RJ, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

8.0/ 10

Less deprived than most. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore

3/ 10

Lower than most: 13.6 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£399,150

Median over 144 sales in BH21 1, −8.2% on the year before.

TransportMore

3.0/ 10

Limited: 0 stations within a mile, 21 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

93%

Rated good or better across 14 inspected schools within 2.0 miles.

Household incomeMore

£63,101

Average annual income before tax, higher than 73% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where BH21 1RJ differs most from the national average.

01
Among the more affluent placesPositive
Scores 8.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, making it less deprived than most of England.
02
Low crimePositive
13.6 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.
03
Prices fallingLook closer
The median sale price in BH21 1 is down 8.2% on the year before.
04
An older population
29.4% of residents are 65 or over, against 18.4% across England.
05
Well-rated schoolsPositive
93% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better.

Questions

BH21 1RJ FAQs

Is BH21 1RJ a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 8.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 13.6 per 1,000 people a year, band 3 of 10 nationally. 93% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 3.0 out of 10 (limited).

How much does a house cost in BH21 1RJ?

The median sale price over the last year was £399,150.

Homes in BH21 1 sold for a median of £399,150 across 144 sales in the year to August 2026, −8.2% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is BH21 1RJ safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 13.6 offences per 1,000 people a year around BH21 1RJ, less than half the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 3 of 10.

Who lives in BH21 1RJ?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 70–74, at 7.8% of residents. 76.8% of households own their home. The most common property type is detached (49.9%).

Which council covers BH21 1RJ?

The local authority for BH21 1RJ is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

BH21 1RJ comes under Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in the South West. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is BH21 1RJ?

Connectivity scores 3.0 out of 10.

There are 21 bus stops within 800m and 0 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 3.0 out of 10 (limited).

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.

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