Rental yields›Dorset
Rental yield in Dorset
Dorset sits in the lower half for rental yield in England and Wales, a little below the 4.4% typical figure across all 316 areas.
Over the past year, average prices in Dorset rose 1.6% and average rents rose 4.8%.
Gross yield
3.9%
Average price
£325,410
↑ +1.6% / yr
Average rent
£1,051/mo
↑ +4.8% / yr
National rank
#244 of 316
Who rents here
Census 2021, 169,261 households
16.3% of homes in Dorset are private rentals.
Average rent by size
1 bedroom
£728/mo
↑ +5% / yr
2 bedrooms
£961/mo
↑ +4.9% / yr
3 bedrooms
£1,184/mo
↑ +5% / yr
4+ bedrooms
£1,674/mo
↑ +4.2% / yr
Average advertised rent by number of bedrooms. ONS Price Index of Private Rents (2026-07).
Council tax bands (2026-27)
Band A
£1,843
Band B
£2,151
Band C
£2,458
Band D
£2,765
Band E
£3,379
Band F
£3,994
Band G
£4,608
Band H
£5,530
Average annual bill for the area, including police and other precepts (MHCLG and Welsh Government, 2026-27). Community precepts vary, and the band is set by the property, so check the exact band on gov.uk.
Work out the yield on a specific property
Pre-filled with the Dorset average. Change them for a real property.
That is right on the Dorset average of 3.9%. Add costs for a net estimate.
How it compares
Areas with a similar yield
Common questions
Is Dorset a good place to buy to let?
It is around the middle for rental income, at a 3.9% average gross yield. Whether it works depends on the specific property, so always run the actual numbers.
Are rents rising in Dorset?
Over the past year, average rents in Dorset rose 4.8% and average prices rose 1.6% (HM Land Registry and ONS, to 2026-07).
Is there rental demand in Dorset?
Rent movement is the best free proxy for tenant demand, and average rents in Dorset rose 4.8% over the past year (ONS), which points to tenants competing for available stock. Still ask local letting agents about typical void periods before committing to a buy-to-let there. For the size of the market: at the 2021 census, 16.3% of Dorset's 169,261 households rented privately (12.3% social rented, 70.4% owner occupied).
What is the average rent for a 1, 2 or 3 bedroom property in Dorset?
As of 2026-07, average monthly rents in Dorset by property size are £728 for a 1 bedroom property, £961 for a 2 bedroom property, £1,184 for a 3 bedroom property, £1,674 for a 4 or more bedroom property (ONS). The all-size average is £1,051 a month.
How much is council tax in Dorset?
In 2026-27, the average Band D council tax in Dorset is £2,765 a year including police and other precepts. Bills scale with the property's band: from £1,843 for Band A up to £5,530 for Band H. Community precepts vary within the area, so treat these as area averages and check the exact band and bill with the council.
What is a good rental yield in the UK?
As a rough guide, under 4% is low, 5 to 6% is typical, and above 6.5% is high. Dorset is at 3.9%.
Gross yield = annual rent divided by average price. Average price: HM Land Registry UK HPI (01/06/2026). Average rent: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (2026-07). Local-authority averages across all property types, indicative only. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Not investment advice.