Towns in Dorset

Bournemouth ( ) is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area, in the ceremonial county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. At the 2021 census, the built-up area had a population of 196,455, making it the largest town in Dorset.

Poole () is a coastal town and seaport on the south coast of England in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area in Dorset, England. The town is east of Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east. Since 1 April 2019, the local authority is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. The town had an estimated population of 151,500 (mid-2016 census estimates) making it the second-largest town in the ceremonial county of Dorset. Together with Bournemouth and Christchurch, the conurbation has a total population of 400,196 as of the 2021 census.

town in Dorset, England, UK

town in Dorset, England

coastal town in Dorset, England

town and civil parish in Dorset, England

Sherborne is a market town and civil parish in north west Dorset, in South West England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The parish includes the hamlets of Nether Coombe and Lower Clatcombe. The A30 road, which connects London to Penzance, runs through the town. In the 2021 census the population of Sherborne was 10,361.

thumb|upright|Old milestone in Blandford Forum showing use of the name Shaston for Shaftesbury

town and civil parish in Dorset, England

town and civil parish in Dorset, United Kingdom

thumb|340px|West Street in 1960; Bridport's wide main street is a result of the town's history as a rope-making centre

town and civil parish in Dorset, England

Swanage () is a coastal town and civil parish in the south-east of Dorset, England. It lies at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck and is one of its two towns, approximately south of Poole and east of Dorchester. In the 2011 census, the civil parish had a population of 9,601. Nearby are Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks, with Studland Bay and Poole Harbour to the north; within the parish are Durlston Bay and Durlston Country Park to the south of the town. The parish also includes the areas of Herston, just to the west of the town, and Durlston, just to the south.

town and civil parish in Dorset, England

Beaminster ( ) is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England, approximately northwest of the county town Dorchester. It is sited in a bowl-shaped valley near the source of the small River Brit. The population of Beaminster parish was recorded as 3,177 in the 2021 census.

Ferndown is a town and civil parish (under the name Ferndown Town) in Dorset in southern England. It lies immediately to the north of Bournemouth and Poole, and about east of Wimborne Minster. The parish, which until 1986 was called Hampreston, includes the communities of Ameysford, Hampreston, Longham, Stapehill and Trickett's Cross. At the 2021 census the population of the parish was 17,501.

town and civil parish in Dorset, England, UK

Verwood is a town and civil parish in eastern Dorset, England. The town lies north of Bournemouth and north east of Poole as the crow flies. The civil parish comprises the town of Verwood together with the extended village of Three Legged Cross, and in 2014 had a population of 15,170 (according to Dorset County Council). Verwood is the largest town in Dorset without an upper school. It sits on the River Crane which later becomes Moors River.

Stalbridge () is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale, near the border with Somerset. In the 2021 census the civil parish—which includes the hamlets of Stalbridge Weston, and Thornhill—had 1,224 households and a population of 2,668. The nearest towns are Sturminster Newton, southeast, Sherborne, west, and Shaftesbury, northeast. Stalbridge is situated on the A357 on a low limestone ridge, west of the River Stour. It officially became a town in April 1992.

Chickerell is a town and parish in south Dorset, England, situated north-west of Weymouth. In the 2021 census the parish had a population of 6,283. The parish includes the Charlestown neighbourhood and Buckland Ripers hamlet.

village in south east Dorset, England

Highcliffe or Highcliffe-on-Sea is a seaside town in the civil parish of Highcliffe and Walkford, in the unitary authority area of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, in the ceremonial county of Dorset in England. It forms part of the South East Dorset conurbation along the English Channel coast. The town lies on a picturesque stretch of Solent coastline with views of the Isle of Wight and its 'Needles' rocks. It is part of the historic county of Hampshire. From 1974 to 2019 it was in the Christchurch district.