West Dorset Parliamentary Constituency Area 2024

Last updated 1 August 2024

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Overview

Situated towards the west of Dorset 

The constituency contains the main towns of: 

  • Sherborne 
  • Beaminster
  • Bridport 
  • Dorchester 

Within west Dorset Parliamentary Constituency Area there are:

  • 7 libraries:
    • 5 owned and run by Dorset Council
    • 2 run by the Community

There are also 48 Schools of which:

  • 37 Primary
  • 2 Middle schools 
  • 6 Secondary schools
  • 1 Special Schools
  • 1 Learning Centre

Population 

total = 94743

Male = 47% 

Female = 53%

 

Population - Age

Table. Population - Age breakdown, 2022 Mid Year Population Estimates, ONS
Age Bracket  West Dorset  South West England and Wales
All 94740  5764880  60238040 
% Aged 0 to 15 14 17 18
% Aged 16 to 64 53 61 63
% Aged 65 to 84 28 19 16
% Aged 85+ 5 3 3
  • The area has a smaller proportion of working age population than the regional and national average with 53% aged 16-64 compared to 61% across the South West.
  • The proportion of the population aged 65+ is much larger at 33% compared to a regional average of 22% and national average of 19%.

 

 

Population - Ethnicity/Country of Birth and Proficiency in English

Table. Ethnicity. Census 2021
Ethnicity  West Dorset  South West England and Wales
% White British 93.5 85.5 74.4
% Ethnic Minority 6.5 14.5 25.6
Table. Country of birth. Census 2021 
Country of birth  West Dorset  South West England and Wales
% UK 93.1 89.8 83.2
% EU 2.6 4.6 6.1
% elsewhere  4.3 5.5 10.7
Table. Proficiency in English. Census 2021 Mid Dorset & North Poole South West England and Wales % White British
Proficiency in English West Dorset  West England and Wales
% Main language spoken not English  1.8 4.6 8.9
% Cannot Speak English well or very well 0.2 0.7 1.8

Population. Households

Table. Number of Households and deprivation
not applicable  West Dorset  Number of HH within the top 20% most deprived nationally
Number of Dwellings 49741 677 (1.4%) 
Table. Households, Wealth and income
Household Characteristics West Dorset  South West UK
Affluent % 41.1 27.9 25.1
Comfortably Of % 38.1  43.8 35.9
Low Income % 20.7 28.3 39.0

 

 

Population - Health and Care

Table. Health and Care. Census 2021
Health or Disability  West Dorset  Dorset England and Wales
% Disability (under the equalities act) 19.9 19.8 17.5
% Health Very Good/Good 80.8 80.7 82.0
% Health Very Bad/Bad 5 5.1 5.2
% Provides unpaid care 9.5 9.7 8.9
  • overall the health of those living in West Dorset Parliamentary Constituency Area is very similar to Dorset and England & Wales
  • one fifth of the population in the West Dorset Parliamentary Constituency Area have a long term illness/disability, higher than the national averages, and a slightly higher proportion provide unpaid care

 

Population. Deprivation

Table. Deprivation
Not applicable  Multiple Deprivation Income Deprivation Employment Deprivation Health Deprivation Education Deprivation Crime Deprivation Barriers to Housing and Services Deprivation Living Environment Deprivation
% Population living in areas within the top 20% nationally 1.4 1.5 6.4 1.2 6.4 1.7 40.2 38.3

 

Further information

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