Living in South Somerset

Police recorded 72 crimes per 1,000 residents in South Somerset in the year to April 2026, below the average of 82 across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. 14.1% of households rent from the council or a housing association, below the UK average of 17.5%. About 2.9% of homes are in areas where road or rail noise reaches 65 dB, against 6.9% across Great Britain. 33% of homes are within a five-minute walk of a public park (Great Britain: 56%).

South Somerset at a glance

How much crime is there in South Somerset?

From May 2025 to April 2026, police recorded 12,348 crimes in South Somerset — 72 per 1,000 residents, below the average of 82 across England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the 168th highest of 327 councils. That is 6% more than in the previous 12 months. The most common offences were violence and sexual offences (49%), public order (11%) and shoplifting (10%). Police also logged 2,035 incidents of anti-social behaviour (12 per 1,000 residents).

Rates are per resident, so council areas with busy city centres, shopping or nightlife districts show higher rates than residents alone would suggest. See where crime is recorded on the map →

How much social housing is there in South Somerset?

South Somerset ranks 203rd of 374 UK local authorities by social-housing share. Of its 75,936 households, 10,729 are social homes (14.1%) — renting from the council or a housing association, according to the 2021–22 Census.

How does South Somerset compare with the UK average?

At -3.4 percentage points versus the UK average of 17.5%, South Somerset sits below the national level.

How noisy is South Somerset?

In South Somerset, about 2.9% of homes are in areas where modelled road or rail noise reaches 65 dB L_den or more — the level Defra and the WHO treat as high. The Great Britain average is 6.9%, and South Somerset is the 36th quietest of 363 councils mapped.

Estimated from the official strategic noise maps: the share of each census area at 65 dB or more, weighted by its households. See noisy roads and railways on the map →

How close are parks in South Somerset?

33% of homes in South Somerset are within 400 m — about a five-minute walk — of a public park or garden, and 53% are that close to a children's play space. Across Great Britain the figures are 56% and 60%, which puts South Somerset 312th of 363 councils for access to a park.

Straight-line distance from the centre of each census area to the edge of the nearest site in OS Open Greenspace, weighted by households. See parks and play spaces on the map →