Dorset

Local Authority District in England

Dorset, South West

§ This page gives an overview of the Dorset local authority district, bringing together key facts, maps, and data to help you quickly understand the area. One of 361 district profiles on Baseview.

Overview ⁞ Dorset is a county district famed for its Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with dramatic cliffs, coves, and fossil-rich beaches. Landmarks include Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove, and Chesil Beach, alongside seaside resorts like Weymouth and Lyme Regis. Inland, the landscape features rolling chalk hills, heathland, and the Blackmore Vale. Historic towns such as Dorchester, Sherborne, and Blandford Forum showcase heritage buildings and markets. The mix of coastline, countryside, and historic towns defines Dorset’s diverse geography.

The administrative boundary of Dorset can be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Dorset.

Map of Dorset — Administrative Boundary of Dorset (Local Authority District)

Key Facts about Dorset

What region is Dorset in? Dorset is in the South West of England, a region within the UK.

What county is Dorset in? Dorset is in the county of Dorset.

Is Dorset a city? No, Dorset is not a city. (Note: the UK has 76 officially designated cities.)

Who governs Dorset? The local government for this district is: Dorset Council (Unitary Authority).

▶ Official website of Dorset Council 🔗 dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Which police force covers Dorset? Policing in Dorset is provided by Dorset Police 🔗 dorset.police.uk, which serves 2 local authority districts: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole ⁞ Dorset.

Dorset in International Geographies

In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, Dorset is within one of ITLs Level 2 area, North Somerset, Somerset and Dorset, that contains the following 4 ITLs Level 3 areas:

(ITL 1) South West
(ITL 2) ⇒ North Somerset, Somerset and Dorset
(ITL 3) ⇒⇒ North Somerset ⁞ Somerset ⁞ Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole ⁞ Dorset

The International Territorial Levels are used by OECD member countries for statistical purposes to classify administrative areas. We have this listable page for easy browsing of ITL names and codes: International Territorial Levels.

This district page, Dorset, is a sub-page of this county page: Dorset and this region page: South West. It zooms in to local authorities and parliamentary constituencies, and provides a list of wards in this district. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK local authority districts: List of Local Authority Districts.

Constituencies in Dorset

A constituency is a specific geographical area that elects one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons. The United Kingdom is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK parliamentary constituencies: List of Constituencies.

Wards in Dorset

Dorset is divided into 52 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.

Beacon
Beaminster
Blackmore Vale
Blandford
Bridport
Chalk Valleys
Charminster St Mary's
Chesil Bank
Chickerell
Colehill & Wimborne Minster East
Corfe Mullen
Cranborne & Alderholt
Cranborne Chase
Crossways
Dorchester East
Dorchester Poundbury
Dorchester West
Eggardon
Ferndown North
Ferndown South
Gillingham
Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants
Littlemoor & Preston
Lyme & Charmouth
Lytchett Matravers & Upton
Marshwood Vale
Melcombe Regis
Portland
Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Radipole
Rodwell & Wyke
Shaftesbury Town
Sherborne East
Sherborne Rural
Sherborne West
South East Purbeck
St Leonards & St Ives
Stalbridge & Marnhull
Stour & Allen Vale
Sturminster Newton
Swanage
Upwey & Broadwey
Verwood
Wareham
West Moors & Three Legged Cross
West Parley
West Purbeck
Westham
Wimborne Minster
Winterborne & Broadmayne
Winterborne North
Yetminster

In the UK, a ward is a subdivision of a local authority area, used mainly for electoral and statistical purposes. Defined by the ONS, wards represent the primary unit for local elections, each returning one or more councillors to the local council. Wards are also used as a key geography for presenting population and census data.

Parishes in Dorset

Dorset is fully parished: 259 civil parishes, listed A-Z below.

Abbotsbury
Affpuddle and Turnerspuddle
Alderholt
Alton Pancras
Anderson
Arne
Ashmore
Askerswell
Athelhampton and Puddletown
Batcombe
Beaminster
Beer Hackett
Bere Regis
Bettiscombe
Bincombe
Bishop's Caundle
Blandford Forum
Blandford St. Mary
Bloxworth
Bourton
Bradford Abbas
Bradford Peverell
Bridport
Broadmayne
Broadwindsor
Bryanston
Buckhorn Weston
Buckland Newton
Burleston and Tolpuddle
Burstock
Burton Bradstock
Cann
Castleton
Catherston Leweston
Cattistock
Caundle Marsh
Cerne Abbas
Chalbury
Chaldon Herring
Charlton Marshall
Charminster
Charmouth
Chedington
Cheselbourne
Chetnole
Chettle
Chickerell
Chideock
Chilcombe
Child Okeford
Chilfrome
Church Knowle
Clifton Maybank
Colehill
Compton Abbas
Compton Valence
Coombe Keynes
Corfe Castle
Corfe Mullen
Corscombe
Cranborne
Crichel
Crossways
Dewlish
Dorchester
Durweston
East Chelborough
East Holme
East Lulworth
East Orchard
East Stoke
East Stour
Edmondsham
Evershot
Farnham
Ferndown Town
Fifehead Magdalen
Fifehead Neville
Fleet
Folke
Fontmell Magna
Frampton
Frome St. Quintin
Frome Vauchurch
Gillingham
Glanvilles Wootton
Goathill
Godmanstone
Gussage All Saints
Gussage St. Michael
Halstock
Hammoon
Hanford
Haydon
Hazelbury Bryan
Hermitage
Hilfield
Hilton
Hinton
Hinton St. Mary
Holnest
Holt
Holwell
Hooke
Horton
Ibberton
Iwerne Courtney or Shroton
Iwerne Minster
Iwerne Stepleton
Kimmeridge
Kington Magna
Langton Herring
Langton Long Blandford
Langton Matravers
Leigh
Leweston
Lillington
Littlebredy
Litton Cheney
Loders
Long Bredy and Kingston Russell
Longburton
Lydlinch
Lyme Regis
Lytchett Matravers
Lytchett Minster and Upton
Maiden Newton
Manston
Mapperton
Mappowder
Margaret Marsh
Marnhull
Marshwood
Melbury Abbas
Melbury Bubb
Melbury Osmond
Melbury Sampford
Melcombe Horsey
Milborne St. Andrew
Milton Abbas
Minterne Magna
Morden
Moreton
Mosterton
Motcombe
Nether Cerne
Nether Compton
Netherbury
North Poorton
North Wootton
Oborne
Okeford Fitzpaine
Osmington
Over Compton
Owermoigne
Pamphill
Piddlehinton
Piddletrenthide
Pilsdon
Pimperne
Portesham
Portland
Powerstock
Poxwell
Poyntington
Pulham
Puncknowle
Purse Caundle
Rampisham
Ryme Intrinseca
Sandford Orcas
Seaborough
Shaftesbury
Shapwick
Sherborne
Shillingstone
Shipton Gorge
Silton
Sixpenny Handley and Pentridge
South Perrott
Spetisbury
St. Leonards and St. Ives
Stalbridge
Stanton St. Gabriel
Steeple with Tyneham
Stinsford
Stockwood
Stoke Abbott
Stoke Wake
Stour Provost
Stourpaine
Stourton Caundle
Stratton
Studland
Sturminster Marshall
Sturminster Newton
Sutton Waldron
Swanage
Swyre
Sydling St. Nicholas
Symondsbury
Tarrant Crawford
Tarrant Gunville
Tarrant Hinton
Tarrant Keyneston
Tarrant Launceston
Tarrant Monkton
Tarrant Rawston
Tarrant Rushton
Thorncombe
Thornford
Tincleton
Todber
Toller Fratrum
Toller Porcorum
Trent
Turnworth
Up Cerne
Verwood
Wareham St. Martin
Wareham Town
Warmwell
West Chelborough
West Compton
West Knighton
West Lulworth
West Moors
West Orchard
West Parley
West Stafford
West Stour
Weymouth
Whitchurch Canonicorum
Whitcombe
Wimborne Minster
Wimborne St. Giles
Winfrith Newburgh
Winterborne Came
Winterborne Clenston
Winterborne Herringston
Winterborne Houghton
Winterborne Kingston
Winterborne Monkton
Winterborne St. Martin
Winterborne Stickland
Winterborne Whitechurch
Winterborne Zelston
Winterbourne Abbas
Winterbourne Steepleton
Witchampton
Woodlands
Woodsford
Wool
Woolland
Wootton Fitzpaine
Worth Matravers
Wraxall
Wynford Eagle
Yetminster

A civil parish is the lowest tier of local government in England, used for villages, small towns, and suburbs. They have their own local authority, either a parish council or a parish meeting, which provides local services like managing parks, allotments, and streetlights, and represents the community's views to larger councils.

Built-up Areas in Dorset

Dorset covers 141 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.

Abbotsbury
Alderholt *
Ash (Dorset)
Ashley Heath *
Ashmore
Barwick and Stoford *
Batcombe (Dorset)
Beacon Hill
Beaminster
Bere Regis
Bishop's Caundle
Blandford Forum
Bournemouth *
Bourton (Dorset) *
Bradford Abbas
Bradpole
Briantspuddle
Bridport
Broadmayne
Broadwindsor
Broom Hill
Bryanston
Buckhorn Weston
Burngate
Burton Bradstock
Cerne Abbas
Chalbury Common
Charlton Down
Charlton Marshall
Charminster
Charmouth
Cheselbourne
Chetnole
Chickerell
Chideock
Child Okeford
Corfe Castle
Corfe Mullen *
Corscombe
Cranborne
Crossways
Dorchester (Dorset)
Durweston
East Stour
Ferndown
Fontmell Magna
Fortuneswell
Furzehill
Gaunt's Common
Gillingham (Dorset)
Grove (Dorset)
Harman's Cross
Hazelbury Bryan
Henstridge Marsh *
Holt (Dorset)
Holton Heath
Holwell (Dorset)
Iwerne Minster
Kington Magna
Langton Matravers
Leigh (Dorset)
Leweston
Litton Cheney
Loders
Longburton
Longham
Lyme Regis *
Lytchett Matravers
Maiden Newton
Marnhull
Matchams
Merley *
Milborne St Andrew
Milton on Stour
Morcombelake
Mosterton
Motcombe
Nether Compton
Netherbury
Okeford Fitzpaine
Osmington
Owermoigne
Piddlehinton
Piddletrenthide
Pimperne
Poole *
Portesham
Post Green
Puddletown
Raymond's Hill *
Ridge
Sandford (Dorset)
Shaftesbury *
Sherborne
Shillingstone
Shroton
Sixpenny Handley
Southwell (Dorset)
Spetisbury
Stalbridge
Stinsford, Lower Bockhampton and Kingston Maurward
Stoborough
Stone (Dorset)
Stour Row
Stourpaine
Stourton Caundle
Studland
Sturminster Marshall
Sturminster Newton
Swanage
Sydling St Nicholas
Tarrant Monkton
Tatworth *
Thornford
Three Legged Cross
Tolpuddle
Trent
Uplyme *
Upton (Dorset) *
Verwood *
Wareham
West Knighton
West Lulworth
West Moors
West Parley
West Stour
Weston (Dorset)
Weymouth
Whitchurch Canonicorum
Whitmore
Wimborne Minster
Winfrith Newburgh
Winterborne Kingston
Winterborne St Martin
Winterborne Stickland
Winterborne Whitechurch
Wool
Worth Matravers
Yeovil *
Yetminster
Zeals *

In the UK, a Built-up Area (BUA) is a continuous urban area of at least 20 hectares (0.2 km²), defined by the ONS as land where buildings are generally no more than 200 metres apart, such as towns, cities, or large villages. (Note: A BUA name marked with an asterisk (*) indicates that the area is situated partly in the district of Dorset.)

Dorset compared with other districts in the UK

This section shows how Dorset compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.

Dorset has 52 electoral wards.

Dorset compared with other districts — ▮ Smaller: 344 ▮ Similar: 4 ▮ Larger: 13 (compared with 361 districts)

Dorset has a population of 389,947 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)

Population of Dorset compared with other districts — Population of Dorset, compared with other districts in England and Wales

More local statistics and data for Dorset can be found on the ONS statistics for Dorset.