What it's like to live in Salisbury

Salisbury sits in the Wiltshire council area, where 14.5% of homes are social rented, a little below the England figure of 17.1%. Housing association homes make up 10.9% and council homes 3.6%, so most social tenants here rent from an association rather than the council.

The biggest landlords across Wiltshire are GreenSquareAccord with 6,712 homes, Selwood Housing with 6,634, Aster Communities with 5,794, Wiltshire Council with 5,351 and Sovereign Network Group with 2,178.

Average weekly social rents in the council area for 2024/25 were £99 for a one bed, £116 for two beds and £128 for three. Two thirds of homes across Wiltshire are owned outright or on a mortgage, with 17.4% privately rented.

There is a decent spread of primary schools close to the centre. St Osmund's Catholic Primary and St Martins CofE Primary are both within about half a mile, with Sarum St Paul's C of E Primary a little further, and Leehurst Swan School also nearby. Check current admissions and inspection reports yourself, as catchments shift.

For days out with children, Greencroft Playground is a few minutes away, with Greencroft and Wyndham Park Open Space giving room to run about.

Across the wider Wiltshire council area, 17.8% of residents are under 16, slightly below the England figure of 18.6%. Over-65s make up 21.9%, a bit above average, so expect a mixed, fairly settled community rather than a young one.

Salisbury station is about a half mile walk from the centre, which makes train travel genuinely easy without a car. That one station covers all your rail needs from here, so check the routes and timetables against the journeys you actually make.

Buses are thick on the ground in the centre. Castle Street, Blue Boar Row and Endless Street all have stops within a couple of minutes of the middle, so getting to other parts of the city and out into Wiltshire is straightforward.

If you drive, you get the usual city centre trade-off: good road access, but parking near a central home is worth checking carefully before you commit to a swap. On foot, the centre is flat and short distances make daily errands simple.

For a city this size, the choice is good. There are two cinemas, Everyman Salisbury and the ODEON, both within a few minutes of the centre. Salisbury Library is right in the middle, and Sarum College has a library too.

Shopping is concentrated in the Old George Mall, Cross Keys Shopping Centre, Market Walk and Priory Square, all close together. Pubs and bars are plentiful nearby, from the Avon Brewery to The Salisbury Arms, with The Chapel Nightclub for later nights.

For exercise, Five Rivers Leisure Centre is under a mile away, and there is an outdoor gym at Airwalker. Community life is served by places like the Friary Community Centre, Rafiki Studios and Iqra Education and Community Forum.

Work is a strong point across the wider Wiltshire council area. 60.2% of adults are in work, above the England figure of 57.4%, and unemployment sits at 2.3% against 3.5% nationally. Benefit claimant figures follow the same pattern, at 2.3% of working-age people compared with 4% in England.

In a central location like this, retail, hospitality and city centre services are visible employers, with the shopping centres, pubs and cafes all close by.

The train station also opens up commuting, which is worth weighing if your job is outside the city. Check the specific journey time before you rely on it.