Dorset Care Homes: Compare The County Before You Shortlist
Dorset has 247 care homes in the current RightCareHome dataset, with 91% rated Good or Outstanding. The county layer compares town clusters including Bournemouth, Poole and Ferndown, pricing from £917 to £1,942/week, care-type depth, financial-risk coverage, and postcode-level signals before families narrow to individual homes.
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Where to start in Dorset
A county-level view of supply, CQC quality, pricing and linked city markets, built from the same signals used in the directory below.
Homes analysed
247
Open care home records currently covered in Dorset.
CQC quality mix
91% Good+
14 Outstanding, 197 Good, 22 Requires Improvement and 0 Inadequate homes.
View evidenceWeekly cost range
£917-£1,942
£1,421 average across visible fee signals.
View evidenceCare type split
182 residential
68 nursing homes and 138 dementia-care signals across Dorset.
Largest town cluster
Bournemouth
76 homes, 95% Good+, £1,348/week average.
View evidenceUse these signals to decide where to look first; always verify current fees, availability and care suitability with the individual home before committing.
Dorset Care Home Market
Key figures for the local care home market, drawn from regulatory, financial, and food safety data
Above the national average — most families here have strong options
What the local care home market looks like in Dorset
Across Dorset and surrounding areas
Homes trending upward based on recent official inspections
240 homes currently lack a registered manager
Official Rating Breakdown
CQC Quality by Domain
Average scores across Dorset care homes
Dorset homes rate strongest on Responsive and weakest on Safe.
Inspection Freshness
How recently homes were inspected by the national regulator
95% of homes have ratings over 3 years old. Our reports verify against multiple data sources to give you a more current picture.
Care market across Dorset
100% of 20 homes there are rated Good or Outstanding.
Average weekly costs range from about £1,210 to £1,617 across the county's larger towns.
138 homes (56%) currently offer this specialist support.
133 homes sit in the county's biggest local-authority cluster.
Care Standards in Dorset
Specialist care coverage and food safety ratings across 247 homes
Overall quality
91%
Good or Outstanding
Largest specialist signal
138 homes
Dementia support (56%)
Specialist Care Coverage
This is the clearest specialist category currently reaching meaningful scale in the public county dataset.
138 (56%)
Dementia
Families looking for this type of support have a meaningful county-wide shortlist here, even if other specialist categories are less visible in current public records.
Major towns in Dorset
Compare how care quality, pricing, and nursing supply vary across the main towns and local care markets in Dorset.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Bournemouth is one of the strongest linked city or town clusters inside Dorset, with 76 homes in the current county dataset. 95% of rated homes in this town cluster are currently Good or Outstanding, with 3 Outstanding and 67 Good ratings in the dataset. 11 nursing homes and 36 dementia-care signals make it one of the broader care-type clusters in the county data. Average pricing sits close to the county picture at £1,348/week, making it a useful benchmark for comparing nearby markets.
Poole
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Poole is one of the strongest linked city or town clusters inside Dorset, with 36 homes in the current county dataset. 88% of rated homes in this town cluster are currently Good or Outstanding, with 3 Outstanding and 27 Good ratings in the dataset. 12 nursing homes and 21 dementia-care signals make it one of the broader care-type clusters in the county data. Average pricing sits close to the county picture at £1,395/week, making it a useful benchmark for comparing nearby markets.
Ferndown
Dorset
Ferndown is one of the strongest linked city or town clusters inside Dorset, with 20 homes in the current county dataset. 88% of rated homes in this town cluster are currently Good or Outstanding, with 2 Outstanding and 12 Good ratings in the dataset. 6 nursing homes and 13 dementia-care signals make it one of the broader care-type clusters in the county data. Average pricing is currently above the county average at £1,617/week, so the important question is whether quality, nursing depth, or visiting practicality justify the premium.
Weymouth
Dorset
Weymouth is one of the key care markets in Dorset, with 20 homes in the current dataset. This is a broad care market with both nursing and dementia provision. Prices here sit below the county average.
Dorchester
Dorset
Dorchester is one of the key care markets in Dorset, with 16 homes in the current dataset. This is a broad care market with both nursing and dementia provision. Prices here run above the county average.
Christchurch
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Christchurch is one of the key care markets in Dorset, with 14 homes in the current dataset. This is a broad care market with both nursing and dementia provision. Prices here sit close to the county average.
Which towns are easiest to visit and support in Dorset?
These town-level signals use the homes we already track across the county: transport access, healthcare proximity, green space, and practical features such as parking, lifts, and Wi-Fi.
Easiest for repeat family visits
Dorchester
Dorchester currently looks like the easiest town in this county for repeat visits, based on how accessible homes appear by transport and basic arrival logistics.
- Avg train station distance 1.3km
- 4 bus stops nearby
- 50% of homes show parking
- 63% of homes show lift access
Strongest healthcare access around homes
Bournemouth
Bournemouth currently stands out for local practical support around care homes, with the strongest combined access to hospitals, GPs, and pharmacies in the county dataset.
- Avg hospital distance 1.3km
- Avg GP distance 0.5km
- Avg pharmacy distance 0.5km
Most convenient day-to-day setup
Weymouth
Weymouth currently looks strongest for day-to-day convenience, based on the mix of practical in-home features and the surrounding setting families are likely to notice once visits become routine.
- 55% of homes show Wi-Fi
- 80% of homes show gardens
- 45% of homes show parking
- Avg green space distance 484m
County-wide data signals for Dorset
A structured view of the care type, CQC, financial-risk, postcode and linked-city signals behind this county guide.
Care type split
247 homes analysed
- 68 nursing homes (28%)
- 182 residential homes (74%)
- 138 dementia-care signals (56%)
CQC distribution
91% Good or Outstanding
- 14 Outstanding
- 197 Good
- 22 Requires Improvement
- 0 Inadequate
Pricing range
£917-£1,942/week
- £1,421/week average
- Dorset care costs range from £917 to £1,942 per week, depending on town, care type, and nursing support.
Financial coverage
76% coverage
- 187 homes with financial signals
- 104 low risk
- 46 medium risk
- 37 high risk
- 0 critical risk
Postcode clusters
Strongest local postcode samples
BH6
18 homesBH6 is one of the strongest postcode clusters in Dorset, with 18 homes around Bournemouth. Visible weekly fees average £1,361. 100% of rated homes in this postcode cluster are Good or Outstanding.
BH22
16 homesBH22 is one of the strongest postcode clusters in Dorset, with 16 homes around Ferndown. Visible weekly fees average £1,622. 81% of rated homes in this postcode cluster are Good or Outstanding.
DT4
13 homesDT4 is one of the strongest postcode clusters in Dorset, with 13 homes around Weymouth. Visible weekly fees average £1,231. 92% of rated homes in this postcode cluster are Good or Outstanding.
BH8
12 homesBH8 is one of the strongest postcode clusters in Dorset, with 12 homes around Bournemouth. Visible weekly fees average £1,275. 92% of rated homes in this postcode cluster are Good or Outstanding.
Linked city guides
Strongest city connections
Bournemouth is one of the strongest linked city guides inside Dorset, with 76 homes, 95% Good/Outstanding ratings, 11 nursing homes and 36 dementia-care signals.
Poole is one of the strongest linked city guides inside Dorset, with 36 homes, 88% Good/Outstanding ratings, 12 nursing homes and 21 dementia-care signals.
Ferndown is one of the strongest linked city guides inside Dorset, with 20 homes, 88% Good/Outstanding ratings, 6 nursing homes and 13 dementia-care signals.
Weymouth is one of the strongest linked city guides inside Dorset, with 20 homes, 100% Good/Outstanding ratings, 5 nursing homes and 14 dementia-care signals.
Dorchester is one of the strongest linked city guides inside Dorset, with 16 homes, 80% Good/Outstanding ratings, 5 nursing homes and 12 dementia-care signals.
Town clusters
Where the county market is most concentrated
Bournemouth
76 homesBournemouth is a major Dorset care market with 76 homes in the county dataset. 95% of rated homes are Good or Outstanding, with 11 nursing homes and 36 dementia-care signals available for comparison.
Poole
36 homesPoole is a major Dorset care market with 36 homes in the county dataset. 88% of rated homes are Good or Outstanding, with 12 nursing homes and 21 dementia-care signals available for comparison.
Ferndown
20 homesFerndown is a major Dorset care market with 20 homes in the county dataset. 88% of rated homes are Good or Outstanding, with 6 nursing homes and 13 dementia-care signals available for comparison.
Weymouth
20 homesWeymouth is a major Dorset care market with 20 homes in the county dataset. 100% of rated homes are Good or Outstanding, with 5 nursing homes and 14 dementia-care signals available for comparison.
Dorchester
16 homesDorchester is a major Dorset care market with 16 homes in the county dataset. 80% of rated homes are Good or Outstanding, with 5 nursing homes and 12 dementia-care signals available for comparison.
Why families in Dorset use RightCareHome
Why this is more useful than a directory when the decision is serious
Without independent analysis
- 247 homes to compare manually
- Outdated directory data from years ago
- Commission-driven recommendations
- Hidden quality and safety issues
With RightCareHome
- A clearer view of where quality, cost and risk differ before you check any one home
- Independent scoring built from regulatory, review and financial evidence
- 100% independent, zero commissions
- A better starting point before you verify or compare specific homes
Frequently Asked Questions About Care Homes in Dorset
Practical answers based on available local data and typical family concerns.
Still have questions?
Share your situation and get an independent shortlist of homes.
Get a shortlist for DorsetBased on official inspections, company accounts, and food hygiene records. Source update timings vary across inspection, pricing, and public records.
More county care markets near Dorset
Compare neighbouring county markets before narrowing your shortlist.
RCH Score methodology
How we rank care homes in Dorset
Score 0–10 · updated monthly
CQC inspections can be 2–4 years old. Our RCH Score combines the official inspection result with live signals — real reviews, quality trajectory, and financial stability — to surface homes that are performing well today, not just at the last inspection.
CQC inspection rating
40%The official Care Quality Commission rating — Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate. The primary quality signal, but can be up to 4 years old.
Online reviews
30%Average star rating from verified public reviews across the web, weighted by volume. Reflects the day-to-day experience of residents and families. Only counted when 10+ reviews exist.
CQC trend
15%Whether the home's rating has been improving, stable, or declining across its last three inspections. An improving trajectory can offset an older rating.
Financial stability
15%Operational risk derived from Companies House filings — profit/loss trend, debt levels, and director changes. Financially stressed homes face higher closure and quality risk.
Rankings are calculated from public data only. We do not accept referral fees or paid placements from care homes.
The RCH Score is a decision-support tool, not a definitive ranking. Always visit a home in person and ask for the latest CQC inspection report before making a decision.
Dorset homes worth shortlisting first
A county-wide starting shortlist drawn from the live directory. We prioritise current CQC rating first, then show the other public signals available on each home card.
Abbey View, Dorset
From ≈ £8,262 / mo
from £1,900 / wk
Amberwood House, Dorset
From ≈ £7,270 / mo
from £1,672 / wk
Aranlaw House Care Home, Dorset
From ≈ £6,957 / mo
from £1,600 / wk
Aucklands Care, Dorset
From ≈ £6,088 / mo
from £1,400 / wk
Burwood Nursing Home, Dorset
From ≈ £5,979 / mo
from £1,375 / wk
Canford Chase, Dorset
From ≈ £6,957 / mo
from £1,600 / wk
Coneygar Lodge, Dorset
From ≈ £6,083 / mo
from £1,399 / wk
Fernhill, Dorset
From ≈ £6,935 / mo
from £1,595 / wk
Harbour House, Dorset
From ≈ £6,083 / mo
from £1,399 / wk
When one Dorset home stands out, verify it properly
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All Care Homes in Dorset
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Choose the right next step for care in Dorset
You’ve seen the market. Now choose the next step that fits your decision: verify one specific home, compare a few in depth, or check affordability.
Not sure which route is right? If one home already looks promising, start with Care Home Check. If you still need to compare options, use the deeper comparison route.
Use the Dorset county page as the control layer before opening more local pages: compare 247 homes, 68 nursing homes, 138 dementia-care signals, 182 residential homes, postcode clusters such as BH6, and the strongest linked city guides inside the county.