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Living in Shaftesbury

Shaftesbury, a city in the United Kingdom, had a population of 9,160 in March 2021. The employment rate was 57.4% in March 2021. Gigabit broadband availability was 90.8%. The city had 3 schools in 2026. Owner occupation accounted for 65.1% of homes in March 2021.

Which United Kingdom-wide rules apply when you move to Shaftesbury?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in United KingdomNational rates and thresholds that apply in Shaftesbury.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent or cost figure is published for Shaftesbury yet. United Kingdom has country-level context; it is not substituted for this city.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Dwellings4,135 count21 Mar 2021ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley5Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure

Worked out from these numbers

How international is the population?

8.5% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 775 people of 9,160 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.

Work and income

MetricValuePeriodSource
Gigabit broadband availability90.81 %Not statedwww.ofcom.org.uk14Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Employment rate57.44 %21 Mar 2021ONS Census 2021 towns and cities dataset Figure 9 individual BUA employment row for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley12Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Superfast broadband availability99.81 %Not statedwww.ofcom.org.uk14Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Shaftesbury. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Jobcentre Plus — Public employment service

Department for Work and Pensions

Job SearchUnemployment Claim
Open official service
Open the United Kingdom service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Shaftesbury. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Schools3 count7 Jul 2026DfE Get Information About Schools all establishments extract3Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Primary School Count6 count3 Aug 2026Department for Education (GIAS)2Official
School Count9 count3 Aug 2026Department for Education (GIAS)2Official

Safety

Recorded crime across major citiesShaftesbury highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Shaftesbury highlighted14,267Manchester13,099Bristol12,409Liverpool11,700Bradford11,462Leeds11,416Birmingham11,001Leicester9,693Sheffield9,379Cardiff8,836Coventry757Glasgow549Edinburghrecorded incidents per 100k residents
MetricValuePeriodSource
Violent crime per 100,000 residents2,162 per 100,000Apr 2026data.police.uk all-crime polygon replay, filtered to Burglary1Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Burglary per 100,000 residents382.1 per 100,000Apr 2026data.police.uk all-crime polygon replay, filtered to Burglary1Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Nearest airportYEO3 Aug 2026OurAirports13Official
Distance to nearest airport31 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports13Official

Climate and air quality

Annual PM2.5 was 6.48 µg/m³ in 2025. Annual NO₂ was 4.64 µg/m³ in 2025. Annual PM10 was 11.2 µg/m³ in 2025.

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Shaftesbury annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5256.5PM2.5154011.2PM1010404.6NO₂µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in United KingdomAnnual PM2.5 in Shaftesbury is 6.5 µg/m³. Of 864 cities with data, 448 have annual PM2.5 of 6 to under 7 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in United Kingdom per band1 city: 3 µg/m³ to under 4 µg/m³13–428 cities: 4 µg/m³ to under 5 µg/m³284–5203 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³2035–6448 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³4486–7Shaftesbury 6.5174 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³1747–88 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³88–91 city: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³19–101 city: 13 µg/m³ to under 14 µg/m³113–14

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean4.64 µg/m³country median 7.12025official estimated total annual mean background concentration9Official
PM10 — annual mean11.2 µg/m³country median 11.3 — about the same2025official estimated total annual mean background concentration10Official
PM2.5 — annual mean6.48 µg/m³country median 6.5 — about the same2025official estimated total annual mean background concentration11Official
Climate Monthly Extreme High CJan 13.74 · Feb 15.27 · Mar 18.36 · Apr 22.97 · May 24.53 · Jun 29.68 · Jul 32.73 · Aug 33.02 · Sep 27.34 · Oct 25.54 · Nov 17.35 · Dec 13.88 °C31 Dec 2001NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center6Official
Climate Monthly Extreme Low CJan -7.88 · Feb -7.79 · Mar -6 · Apr -3.59 · May -0.51 · Jun 4.03 · Jul 6.35 · Aug 5.93 · Sep 3.29 · Oct -2.04 · Nov -5.25 · Dec -6.43 °C31 Dec 2001NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center6Official
Average temperature by monthJan 4.8 · Feb 4.67 · Mar 6.2 · Apr 8.81 · May 11.91 · Jun 15.01 · Jul 17.03 · Aug 16.71 · Sep 14.53 · Oct 11.33 · Nov 7.7 · Dec 5.46 °C31 Dec 2001NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center6Official
Annual PM2.5 over time8 published observations, 2013–2025
Annual PM2.5 in Shaftesbury by year, µg/m³6.17.99.611.420132015201720256.5µg/m³

Annual PM2.5 fell 28.0% between 2013 and 2025, from 9.0 to 6.5.

Cities of a similar size in United Kingdom

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All United Kingdom cities
Littleport9,165 residentsBarwell9,150 residentsWideopen9,145 residentsGreasby9,180 residentsHemsworth9,180 residentsThurnscoe9,135 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 3.1 km² in December 2022. Population density was 2,999 people per km² in 2021.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Shaftesbury residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport91.5%Foreign residents 8.5%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Area3.05 km²Dec 2022ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley5Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
City area3.05 km²Dec 2022Exact 2022 Built Up Area polygon area for BUA22CD in EPSG:27700, converted from square metres to km2.4Official
Foreign residents775 people21 Mar 2021Exact BUA non-UK-born population derived as the sum of the published Europe: EU countries and Non-EU countries (including British Overseas) counts.5Official
GP practices per 10,000 residents0 per 10,000 people7 Jul 2026NHS ODS GP Practices report + ONSPD Live postcode coordinates7Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Schools per 10,000 residents3.28 per 10,000 people7 Jul 2026DfE Get Information About Schools all establishments extract3Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Population density2,999 people/km²21 Mar 2021www.ons.gov.uk5Official · built-up-area figure
Population9,160 people21 Mar 2021Census 2021 usual resident population count for the exact Built Up Area (BUA), England excluding London or Wales.5Official

Is Shaftesbury a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker53%strong on work, weak on safety · range 39–67%
Skilled employee59%strong on work, weak on safety · range 47–71%
Student55%strong on education, weak on safety · range 43–67%
Family54%strong on family, weak on safety · range 42–66%
Retirement59%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 45–73%
Foreign residents775 people21 Mar 2021Official source · Exact BUA non-UK-born population derived as the sum of the published Europe: EU countries and Non-EU countries (including British Overseas) counts.
Population9,160 people21 Mar 2021Official source · Census 2021 usual resident population count for the exact Built Up Area (BUA), England excluding London or Wales.
Dwellings4,135 count21 Mar 2021Official source · ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley
Gigabit broadband availability90.81 %Not statedIndependent source · www.ofcom.org.uk
Employment rate57.44 %21 Mar 2021Official source · ONS Census 2021 towns and cities dataset Figure 9 individual BUA employment row for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley
Superfast broadband availability99.81 %Not statedIndependent source · www.ofcom.org.uk
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-03

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Owner-occupied homes65.05 %21 Mar 2021ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley5Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
GP practices0 count7 Jul 2026NHS ODS GP Practices report + ONSPD Live postcode coordinates7Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Residents born abroad8.5 %21 Mar 2021ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley5Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Median age44 years21 Mar 2021ONS Census 2021 BUA row and ONS/OS BUA 2022 geometry for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley5Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · built-up-area figure
Universities0 count3 Aug 2026Office for Students8Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Shaftesbury under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

Is the air quality good in Shaftesbury?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 6.48 µg/m³. The WHO 2021 guideline is 5 µg/m³ and the EU limit value is 25 µg/m³, so this reading is above the WHO guideline but within the EU limit. Source: official estimated total annual mean background concentration.

How many people live in Shaftesbury?

The published population is 9,160 people. Source: Census 2021 usual resident population count for the exact Built Up Area (BUA), England excluding London or Wales..

How many foreign residents live in Shaftesbury?

775 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Exact BUA non-UK-born population derived as the sum of the published Europe: EU countries and Non-EU countries (including British Overseas) counts..

Is Shaftesbury a good place to live?

Shaftesbury may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 14). Shaftesbury, United Kingdom: jobs, safety, air quality [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab; version approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/shaftesbury/ Retrieved 2026-09-14. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_shaftesbury-united-kingdom-jobs-safety-air-quality_e35139bce1e3,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Shaftesbury, United Kingdom: jobs, safety, air quality},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-14},
  version = {approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab},
  snapshot = {approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/shaftesbury/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-14. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Shaftesbury, United Kingdom: jobs, safety, air quality](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/shaftesbury/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab; version approved-static-8975a8c3d87026ab; retrieved 2026-09-14; built 2026-09-14.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. data.police.uk all-crime polygon replay, filtered to Burglary data.police.uk · checked 2026-07-07
  2. Department for Education (GIAS) get-information-schools.service.gov.uk · checked 2026-08-03
  3. DfE Get Information About Schools all establishments extract get-information-schools.service.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-07
  4. Exact 2022 Built Up Area polygon area for BUA22CD in EPSG:27700, converted from square metres to km2. services1.arcgis.com · checked 2026-07-15
  5. Exact BUA non-UK-born population derived as the sum of the published Europe: EU countries and Non-EU countries (including British Overseas) counts. ons.gov.uk · checked 2021-03-21
  6. NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  7. NHS ODS GP Practices report + ONSPD Live postcode coordinates digital.nhs.uk · checked 2026-07-07
  8. Office for Students officeforstudents.org.uk · checked 2026-08-03
  9. official estimated total annual mean background concentration uk-air.defra.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-15
  10. official estimated total annual mean background concentration uk-air.defra.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-15
Show 4 more sources
  1. official estimated total annual mean background concentration uk-air.defra.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-15
  2. ONS Census 2021 towns and cities dataset Figure 9 individual BUA employment row for Abbots Langley and Kings Langley ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-07-05
  3. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  4. www.ofcom.org.uk ofcom.org.uk · checked 2026-07-15

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.