Town comparison
Castle Cary vs Sherborne
Which is better to live in? 9.8 miles apart — compared on house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more.
The verdict
Overall, Castle Cary offers lower property prices by roughly 13%. Sherborne has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Sherborne edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Castle Cary
£368,586
Sherborne
£421,772
Crime Rate
Castle Cary
83.5
Sherborne
21.5
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Castle Cary
0.0%
Sherborne
100.0%
Avg Download Speed
Castle Cary
430.6
Sherborne
341.1
EPC Rating
Castle Cary
68.4
Sherborne
68.4
Median Income
Castle Cary
£28,807
Sherborne
£28,987
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in South WestBuyers will find Castle Cary more wallet-friendly, where the average price is £368,586 versus £421,772 in Sherborne. The most affordable entry point in Castle Cary is a flat at £242,000, while in Sherborne it is a flat at £205,019.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: semi-detached homes are 28% pricier in Sherborne (£340,072 vs £245,000).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Castle Cary prices grew faster — 47% vs 44%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in South WestCrime is lower in Sherborne (21.5 per 1,000) compared to Castle Cary (83.5 per 1,000), a 288% difference. The most common crime category in Castle Cary is violent-crime, while in Sherborne it is anti-social-behaviour.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Castle Cary's most common crime is violent crime; in Sherborne it's anti-social behaviour.
Schools & Education
Best for schools in South WestSchool quality favours Sherborne: 100% of its schools are in the top two inspection bands, compared with 0% in Castle Cary.
Castle Cary School Inspection Breakdown
0% of 2 schools (1 primary, 1 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Sherborne School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 3 schools (2 primary, 1 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Castle Cary | Sherborne |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 2 | 3 |
| Primary | 1 | 2 |
| Secondary | 1 | 1 |
| % Top two bands | 0% | 100% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Internet users in Castle Cary enjoy 430.6 Mbps on average, while Sherborne lags behind at 341.1 Mbps. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 98.2% of premises in Castle Cary and 93.2% in Sherborne. Gigabit availability stands at 83.7% in Castle Cary and 63.1% in Sherborne.
Castle Cary is the faster of the two by 26% on average download speed (431 vs 341 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
The average EPC rating in Castle Cary is band C (score 68.4), ahead of Sherborne's band C (score 68.4). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,363 in Castle Cary and £1,366 in Sherborne. 57.9% of homes in Castle Cary have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 57.5% in Sherborne.
Castle Cary has more energy-efficient housing — 57.9% reach band C or above, vs 57.5% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Castle Cary has a population of 3,451 while Sherborne has 10,359. Median household income is £28,987.4 in Sherborne and £28,807 in Castle Cary. The median age is 47.3 in Castle Cary and 48.1 in Sherborne. Employment rates stand at 56.8% in Castle Cary and 55.8% in Sherborne.
| Indicator | Castle Cary | Sherborne |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,451 | 10,359 |
| Median Age | 47.3 | 48.1 |
| Median Household Income | £28,807 | £28,987.4 |
| Employment Rate | 56.8% | 55.8% |
| Owner Occupied | 67.6% | 68.1% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 30.5% | 30.7% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How far apart are Castle Cary and Sherborne?
Which is cheaper to buy a house in, Castle Cary or Sherborne?
Is Castle Cary or Sherborne safer?
Which has better schools, Castle Cary or Sherborne?
Which has faster broadband, Castle Cary or Sherborne?
Keep exploring