Moving to Doncaster?
A guide to moving to the city of Doncaster
If you’re planning a move to Doncaster, this post is here to guide you through one of Yorkshire’s most historic towns. From famous horse racing courses and the St Leger race to property prices and schools, we’ve got everything you need to know about this city.
Located just over 20 miles from Sheffield and 30 miles from Leeds, Doncaster is an excellent choice for those seeking a semi-rural lifestyle. It has recently been granted city status as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. So let’s explore the best places to live in Doncaster, typical house prices, the cost of living, attractions and things to do, education, and employment opportunities.
Best Places to Live in Doncaster
With a range of hamlets and suburban villages, Doncaster offers many options for living. Choosing the right location depends on your budget, property type, and lifestyle. Here are our top picks:
Tickhill
Tickhill is a fantastic place for families with excellent transport links and a range of houses for sale. Despite its size, it’s a bustling place with always something to do. Some even call it the ‘jewel in Doncaster’s crown.’ It has traditional properties and has an ‘old town’ feel to it. With many boutique shops, old pubs and restaurants, its a great choice of location.
Bawtry
Bawtry is an old market town with a variety of quality restaurants and shops. Although it’s at the pricier end of the scale, the quality of life is worth it. It has many boutique and quirky shops in the centre, its known to have a bit of a bustling nightlife on a weekend, so if you like to get out this is the place to be to socialise.
The restaurants are very popular and pull people from all over the area, The China Rose, Dower House Indian, Bawtrys Steakhouse and Zinis are a few popular ones in the small town. The traditional boxing day hunt is also based in Bawtry every year and is a big event for locals.
Edenthorpe
Edenthorpe is a village of around 5,000 residents located within easy reach of Doncaster. It’s also close to good schools such as Hungerhill School, and a great selection of pubs. It is a larger village and has a great selection of amenities within walking distance such as a Tesco store, hairdressers, vets, barbers, beauty salons, petrol station etc.
Hooton Pagnall
Hooton Pagnell is quite arguably the prettiest village in Doncaster, full of ivy-clad cottages and winding lanes. It’s the perfect choice for those looking to get away from the busier towns and enjoy a balance of rural living and urban amenities with a real country life feel. When you drive into Hooton Pagnall it is like driving back in time, you can imagine a horse and cart going through this quaint little village with its untouched traditional stone walling and buildings.
Typical House Prices in Doncaster
Doncaster’s sold property prices have increased by 1% from the previous year and 11% from the peak of £161,802 in 2020. The cost of buying a house in this town is still considerably lower than other large cities. The average costs by property type in Doncaster according to Rightmove are:
Terraced house – £115,477
Semi-detached house – £160,627
Detached house – £291,565
Renting a house in Doncaster
No. of properties
Rent under £250 pcm 1
£250 to £500 pcm rent 126
£500 to £1,000 pcm rent 156
£1,000 to £2,000 pcm rent 9
£2,000 to £5,000 pcm rent 2
Rent over £5,000 pcm 1
The Cost of Living in Doncaster
According to Payscale, the average salary in Doncaster is roughly £26,000 per year. Doncaster is 29.1% less expensive than London without factoring in rental prices. However, with rent on average 72% cheaper than the capital, Doncaster is considerably less costly than London.
You can also expect to pay just over £1,100 a year in council tax for properties in band A and B. Band C and D properties will set you back between £1,569 and £1,765, while owners of pricier band H homes will pay just over £3,500.
Attractions and Things to Do in Doncaster
Sport
Doncaster is the home of horse racing, and Doncaster Racecourse draws a big crowd, especially for the famous St Leger festival in September. Records date back as far as the 16th century. If you can’t resist a bit of football, make sure you catch a match at Doncaster Rovers, they regularly play their home games at the Eco Power Stadium.
Heritage Trails
There are a number of heritage walks along the Don Valley Way.
Heritage trails are a fantastic way to explore Doncaster’s rich history. Take in the myths and legends of Conisbrough Castle or explore the sights at Brodsworth Hall and Gardens. You’re sure to discover all kinds of interesting facts about your new home.
Shopping In Doncaster
You’ll find a wide selection of traditional shops that serve a city, plus a variety of well-known high street retailers at the Frenchgate Centre located in the town centre. The Corn Exchange is also a grand Victorian shopping centre in the heart of town. The newly refurbished Wool Market is a great place to grab some street food and drinks with family or friends during the day or evening. Then there’s Meadowhall and Lakeside Village, a short drive away.
Arts and Culture
Along with plenty of high-street shops and charming tea rooms, the town has several museums and art galleries. Doncaster Minster itself is complete with stained-glass windows and a tower. Rumor has it the site dates back to AD71.
Family Time
For a day out with the kids, visit Yorkshire Wildlife Park. It’s home to more than 400 animals, among them rhinos, tigers, and giraffes, they have many events during the school holidays for children and is a fantastic day out. In addition, there’s Potteric Carr Nature Reserve, known as ‘Doncaster’s Green Heart.’ It’s a wild oasis worth exploring together.
The Doncaster Dome has swimming, ice skating, sports activities and many events such as concerts and comedians throughout the year. There are two cinemas, Vue and the Savoy. Doncaster Bowling, Bawtry Paintball Fields, Sunnybank Ice Creams, South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum and Boston Park Farm are a few great family activities to keep the kids entertained.
Getting Around Doncaster
Doncaster is ideally located for exploring the North’s most exciting cities, from York’s historical landmarks to the vibrant streets of Leeds. Its transport links are perfect for those looking to enjoy a day or night out and for commuters alike. It only takes an hour and 20 minutes to reach Manchester Piccadilly from Doncaster station.
The bus routes also serve 40 of the UK’s largest cities and towns, providing excellent public transport for students, commuters, and leisure travelers. If you’re looking to organise a getaway in the UK, the A1 is just a stone’s throw away, which makes commuting further even easier. Rail links from Doncaster to London via rail getting you to the capital in as little as 1 and a half hours.
Education in Doncaster
For families looking to buy or rent, Doncaster has a number of excellent state school options, and 3% of schools are private. Doncaster College has around 1,200 students studying for Master’s Degrees and Higher National Diplomas. Here are Doncaster’s top five primary schools ordered by their Key Stage 2 results:
Scawsby Saltersgate Junior School
Kirkby Avenue Primary School
Park Primary School
Woodfield Primary School
Bessacarr Primary
And here are five of the region’s top-rated high schools:
XP School
Hungerhill School
The Hayfield School
Stone Hill School
Hall Cross Academy
Employment Opportunities
Although Doncaster is formally known for its industrial heritage, these days, it offers many exciting new prospects. Here are a few sectors that are thriving in this vibrant local economy:
Creative Cultural and Digital
Energy and Environment
Logistics
Manufacturing and Engineering
Office-Based Services
Rail
Retail
Visitor Economy
Moving to Doncaster Checklist
Moving house can be challenging, especially if you’re in between homes or have only a short amount of time to move. Thankfully, self-storage can protect your possessions when things are up in the air, especially if you’re reluctant to part with an item.
Here’s everything you need to know about relocating and council taxes:
Declutter and pack up your things – we can always store items while you decide what to do with them.
Notify the relevant people – before you move, you’ll need to notify a range of companies about your plans, including Doncaster Council.
Organise a man and a van or removal company
Rent a self-storage unit (Doncaster Container Storage)
Why Store Your Possessions with Doncaster Container Storage?
We can help make your move to Doncaster as smooth as possible. Moving house can be a stressful experience, especially if you have lots of possessions to store.
Our self-storage container units are an excellent option for those in-between homes or for those who want to store items they don’t need right away.
Moving to Doncaster? We can help before, during, and after your move. For more information, contact our team
A self-storage unit can be an absolute godsend for many situations, from moving home, commercial, extra space, etc. No matter what you need it for, we are here to help guide you.
Give us a call if you are unsure or need a little help deciding which storage solution is right for you.
