Where to live in Poole and Bournemouth
Local knowledge from our Poole and Bournemouth teams: house prices, schools and what it is really like to live in each neighbourhood.
Our area guides
Oakdale, Poole
A popular, practical Poole suburb with good-value family homes, well-regarded schools and easy access to the town centre, the quay and the harbour.
Read the guide →Parkstone, Poole
From the independent bars and cafés of Ashley Cross to harbourside walks at Whitecliff, Parkstone offers period homes, great schools and a real community feel.
Read the guide →Canford Cliffs, Poole
One of the most sought-after addresses on the south coast, with a boutique village, clifftop homes and some of the best beaches in the country moments away.
Read the guide →Winton, Bournemouth
A busy, friendly neighbourhood with its own high street, good-value homes and quick links to Bournemouth town centre, the university and the beaches.
Read the guide →Charminster, Bournemouth
Known for Charminster Road’s wonderful mix of restaurants and cafés, this well-connected neighbourhood offers period homes, green space and grammar schools close by.
Read the guide →Canford Heath, Poole
A large, family-friendly Poole suburb on the edge of protected heathland, with good-value homes, local schools and Tower Park on the doorstep.
Read the guide →Creekmoor, Poole
A popular residential area on Poole’s north-western edge, next to Upton Country Park and Upton Heath, with family homes and handy local shops.
Read the guide →Broadstone, Poole
A leafy, village-style suburb with a busy Broadway, heathland walks, an acclaimed golf course and a strong, well-regarded school system.
Read the guide →Hamworthy, Poole
A harbourside peninsula just across the bridges from Poole Quay, with good-value family homes, a sandy park beach and its own railway station.
Read the guide →Upton, Poole
A friendly community on Poole’s western edge, next to Upton Country Park, with good local schools, easy road links and good-value homes.
Read the guide →Sandbanks, Poole
One of the most sought-after addresses in the country: a narrow peninsula of sand between Poole Bay and Poole Harbour, with Blue Flag beaches on one side and sailing water on the other.
Read the guide →Lilliput, Poole
A leafy harbourside village between Sandbanks and Parkstone, with views across to Brownsea Island and some of Poole’s most desirable family homes.
Read the guide →Ashley Cross, Poole
Poole’s village in the town: independent bars, restaurants and shops around a Victorian green, with Poole Park and the harbour a short walk away.
Read the guide →Lower Parkstone, Poole
Characterful homes between Ashley Cross, Poole Park and the harbour, with Whitecliff Harbourside Park and Parkstone station on the doorstep.
Read the guide →Branksome, Poole
From the pine-lined roads of Branksome Park to the beach at Branksome Chine, a varied, well-connected part of Poole on the Bournemouth border.
Read the guide →Verwood, Dorset
A friendly, growing town on the edge of the New Forest, with Moors Valley Country Park and Ringwood Forest on the doorstep.
Read the guide →Throop, Bournemouth
A historic village on the River Stour with riverside walks, a listed mill and a peaceful, semi-rural feel, just minutes from Castlepoint.
Read the guide →Muscliff, Bournemouth
A popular family suburb next to the Stour Valley, with good-sized homes and gardens, green space and Castlepoint shopping close by.
Read the guide →Talbot Woods, Bournemouth
One of Bournemouth’s most prestigious addresses, with large detached homes on quiet tree-lined avenues, close to Meyrick Park and the town centre.
Read the guide →Moordown, Bournemouth
A settled, good-value neighbourhood just north of Winton, with everyday shops on Wimborne Road and green space at Redhill on the doorstep.
Read the guide →Southbourne, Bournemouth
Bournemouth’s seaside village: clifftop walks, a long sandy beach and a high street full of independent cafés and shops.
Read the guide →Kinson, Bournemouth
Good-value family homes on Bournemouth’s northern edge, with Kinson Common and the Stour Valley on the doorstep.
Read the guide →Westbourne, Bournemouth
Bournemouth’s most stylish village: a Victorian arcade, independent cafés and restaurants, and Alum Chine beach a short walk away.
Read the guide →Boscombe, Bournemouth
A seaside neighbourhood on the up, with a restored pier, Boscombe Chine Gardens and some of Bournemouth’s best-value homes.
Read the guide →Queens Park, Bournemouth
Wide, leafy roads of family homes around Queen’s Park golf course, close to Bournemouth’s grammar schools and Castlepoint.
Read the guide →Redhill, Bournemouth
A quiet, green corner of north Bournemouth, with Redhill Park, the River Stour and popular bungalows and family homes.
Read the guide →Average sold prices from Rightmove, based on HM Land Registry data, as at September 2026.
Photos: Poole Park lake by LordHarris (public domain); Holes Bay, Poole by Lewis Clarke (CC BY-SA 2.0); The Broadway, Broadstone by Lorian (public domain); Twin Sails Bridge by jeffowenphotos (CC BY 2.0); Upton House, Upton Country Park by Nilfanion (CC BY-SA 4.0); Wimborne Road, Winton by Mike Faherty (CC BY-SA 2.0); Throop Mill by Jonathan Hutchins (CC BY-SA 2.0); River Stour near Muscliff by Robert Linsdell (CC BY 2.0); Paths on Talbot Heath by David Lally (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons. Other photos: Pexels.
Thinking of moving?
Whether you are buying or selling, our local teams can tell you exactly what your home is worth and what is happening in your street.