Ashley (New Forest) vs Merley

Property in Ashley (new Forest) commands an average of £559,657, compared with £446,910 in Merley – a difference of 25%. The most affordable entry point in Ashley (new Forest) is a semi-detached at £377,723, while in Merley it is a flat at £192,000.

Residents of Ashley (new Forest) experience less crime overall, with a rate of 54.6 per 1,000 versus 57 per 1,000 in Merley. The most common crime category in Ashley (new Forest) is violent-crime, while in Merley it is violent-crime.

Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)

→Both towns share the same top crime category: violent crime.

Families may prefer Ashley (new Forest), where 100% of schools are in the top two inspection bands versus 100% in Merley. There are 2 schools in Ashley (new Forest) and 1 in Merley.

Broadband & Connectivity

Average broadband speeds are 379.8 Mbps in Merley and 332.8 Mbps in Ashley (new Forest). Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 97% of premises in Ashley (new Forest) and 91.7% in Merley. Gigabit availability stands at 60.6% in Ashley (new Forest) and 72.4% in Merley.

→Merley is the faster of the two by 14% on average download speed (380 vs 333 Mbps).

Energy Efficiency & Running Costs

Merley leads on energy efficiency with an average EPC score of 69 (C), while Ashley (new Forest) averages 68.5 (C). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,278 in Ashley (new Forest) and £1,246 in Merley. 58.3% of homes in Ashley (new Forest) have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 59.5% in Merley.

→Merley has more energy-efficient housing — 59.5% reach band C or above, vs 58.3% in the other.

Demographics & Economy

Median household income is £29,961 in Merley and £29,236 in Ashley (new Forest). The median age is 51.4 in Ashley (new Forest) and 48.3 in Merley. Owner-occupancy is 74.2% in Ashley (new Forest) versus 66.6% in Merley. Employment rates stand at 52.9% in Ashley (new Forest) and 53.8% in Merley.

Location