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South West

Interactive map displaying South West

About

South West England occupies the peninsula of south‑western England, covering Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and unitary authorities including Bristol. The coastline runs from Land's End and the Isles of Scilly to the Jurassic Coast, a 95-mile sequence of cliffs and fossil beds stretching from Orcombe Point near Exmouth to Old Harry Rocks. Inland landscapes include the granite tors and blanket mires of Dartmoor and Exmoor, the low-lying Somerset Levels with its drainage rhynes, and chalk downland in parts of Wiltshire.

Urban centres range from Bristol and Bath to Plymouth and Salisbury; Bristol sits beside the Avon Gorge and the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bath is known for its Roman baths and Georgian terraces. Farming, fishing, tourism, education and aerospace form key elements of the regional economy. Ferry services connect the mainland to the Isles of Scilly and ports on the south coast handle freight and passenger crossings.

Area overview

On average South West has moderate deprivation and moderate crime levels, with around 63 crimes per 1,000 residents per year. Approximately 11.5% of homes in this area are social housing provided by a local council or housing association. The average income per household in South West is £53,078 per year. There are 2658 schools in South West: 1907 primary (113 Outstanding and 1382 Good) and 322 secondary (30 Outstanding and 220 Good). South West is home to around 5,701,186 people, with a population density of about 239.2 per km2.

Crime rate
4/10
Crimes per 1k residents
63
Deprivation level
5/10
Income level
5/10
Social housing
11.5%
Connectivity
N/A

Area Profile

South West Population
5,701,186
Population density
239.2 per km²

Crime

Crime per 1,000 population

Violence and sexual offences
32.97(-5%)
Anti-social behaviour
15.1(-8%)
Shoplifting
6.67(-19%)
Public order
6.59(-8%)
Criminal damage and arson
6.51(-11%)
England average

Demographics

Ethnic groups

British
5,008,149
87.84%
Other White
257,594
4.52%
Indian
58,847
1.03%
Other Asian
44,172
0.77%
African
43,318
0.76%
Total population: 5,701,186

Economics

Education (age 16+)

Level 4+ (Degree)
1,566,774
33.08%
Level 3 (A level)
876,607
18.51%
No qualifications
741,183
15.65%
Level 2 (GCSEs 9-4)
678,280
14.32%
Level 1 (GCSEs 3-1)
465,970
9.84%
Total 16+ residents: 4,735,840

Housing

Housing tenure

Owns outright
922,164
37.66%
Owns with a mortgage
691,050
28.22%
Private landlord or letting agency
417,677
17.06%
Other social rented
201,043
8.21%
Social rents from council
123,885
5.06%
Total households: 2,448,879

Property prices in South West

Based on 72,678 recent sales, the median property price is £310,000 in South West area, with individual transactions ranging from £30,000 up to £9,500,000.

Price distribution per property type (last year)

Price distribution by property type for South West in the last year.

Median sale price and percentiles per property type (last year)

Median sale price, sales count, and percentile information for each property type in South West over the last year.
TypeSalesMedian
Detached21,843£450,000
Flats11,408£187,000
Semi-Detached18,196£305,000
Terraced21,231£265,000

10 years median price trend in South West

Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in South West.

All districts in South West

Bath and North East Somerset

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bristol, City of

Cheltenham

Cornwall

Cotswold

Dorset

East Devon

Exeter

Forest of Dean

Gloucester

Isles of Scilly

Mid Devon

North Devon

North Somerset

Plymouth

Somerset

South Gloucestershire

South Hams

Stroud

Swindon

Teignbridge

Tewkesbury

Torbay

Torridge

West Devon

Wiltshire

Data Sources

All data is sourced from official UK government agencies and public datasets. Last updated: 01/01/2026.