Totnes or Sherborne: Which Is Better Value?
Totnes averages £375,000 against £372,500 in Sherborne, a gap of £2,500 or 1%. You would need £250 more deposit and about £13 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Sherborne charges £346 less council tax at Band D.
Totnes averages £375,000 against £372,500 in Sherborne, a gap of £2,500 or 1%. You would need £250 more deposit and about £13 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Sherborne charges £346 less council tax at Band D.
Price and deposit
The headline gap is £2,500, or 1%. On a 10% deposit that is £250 more cash to find before you start. Detached homes average £725,000 against £415,000.
Totnes against Sherborne
Town guides for each: Mortgage advice in Totnes and Mortgage advice in Sherborne.
Schools and families
Both towns show 0 Outstanding rated schools, so the choice turns on Good rated capacity and catchment distance. Counting last graded Ofsted inspections (before September 2024), Totnes has 1 school and Sherborne has 1 school graded Good or better.
A strong catchment in the cheaper town can cost more than an average street in the dearer one. Compare catchments, not averages.
Running costs and getting to work
Band D council tax is £2,746 in Totnes and £2,400 in Sherborne, a difference of £346 a year.
The honest verdict
Sherborne is cheaper to buy on these figures. Totnes carries the higher price and, on this data, the stronger school profile.
Neither is right in the abstract. If the deposit is your constraint, the £250 difference matters more than anything else here. If catchment is the constraint, price follows the school you need.
What each town is actually like
Price is one axis. These are the things people move for, and the things they find out afterwards.
Totnes
In its favour- A characterful Elizabethan merchant town
- A Norman castle & a complete historic townscape
- One of the best independent high streets in the West Country
- Its own main-line station (Exeter/Plymouth ~30 min)
- Tidal and river flood risk near the Dart, the quay & Bridgetown
- Mid-to-high prices for the South Hams
- Nearest full A&E is a drive away at Torbay or Plymouth
- Steep hill and tight parking in the historic core
Best for Families ★★★★☆
A safe, creative, community-minded town with primaries such as The Grove (Good) and King Edward VI Community College, a river, a castle and countryside, check the current school position and, near the Dart, the flood risk.
Sherborne
In its favour- One of the loveliest towns in Dorset
- A direct train to London Waterloo
- Famous independents plus a good state school
- A thriving independent high street
- An affluent town, prices above the county average
- No A&E in the town (nearest at Yeovil, ~6 miles)
- Localised River Yeo flood risk on the low ground
- Period and listed homes can need the right lender/survey
Best for Families ★★★★★
A well-regarded state secondary (The Gryphon, Good) plus famous independents, green space at the Castle and Pageant Gardens, and a safe, beautiful setting.
Totnes and Sherborne, side by side
| Measure | Totnes | Sherborne |
|---|---|---|
| Average property price | £375,000 | £372,500 |
| Average detached | £725,000 | £415,000 |
| 10% deposit | £37,500 | £37,250 |
| Illustrative monthly payment | £1,973 | £1,960 |
| Band D council tax | £2,746 | £2,400 |
| Outstanding rated schools | 0 | 0 |
| Good rated schools | 1 | 1 |
Local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own figures before acting.
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