Devon

Devon is a large, picturesque county in England. The county has much to offer those looking for a peaceful and serene place to live, with plenty of scenic areas and attractive cities. For those considering moving there permanently, this guide will provide information about Devon’s population, top schools and universities as well as the best places to live in Devon.

4.44
Average Location Score

Excellent

59%

Very Good

29%

Average

11%

Disappointing

0%

Very Poor

1%

Best places to live in Devon

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

Coast of Devon

Where is Devon?

Devon is a county in the west of England. It borders Cornwall to the southwest, Somerset to the south and east, and Dorset to the northeast. The county has an area of 6,707 km2 (2,590 square miles).

Devon was one of three counties that split from the Duchy of Cornwall in 1973. It was created by splitting off Cornwall County Council’s six southernmost parishes: East Devon (including Teignbridge) North Devon, West Devon, Mid Devon, South Hams and Torridge Taw Vale.

Areas in Devon

Devon offers a range of places to live, from seaside towns to rural villages. The most popular places for people to live in Devon are:

Torquay – the town of Torquay is the most popular in all of Devon. Torquay has a population of around 50,000 people and is situated about an hour southwest of Exeter along the A30 road. The town itself offers beaches, beautiful coastal walks and stunning views across Lyme Bay towards Dorset to the South West.

Plymouth – Plymouth is another very popular place to live in Devon. Plymouth is the largest city in Devon with a population of around 250,000 people. The city has a lot to offer including maritime history, shopping, nightlife and restaurants.

Exeter – Exeter is the county town of Devon and offers everything you would expect from a large city including universities, theatres, museums, shopping and nightlife.

Village of Dittisham, Devon

Paignton – Paignton is a popular seaside resort town with great beaches, bars and restaurants, that’s perfect for seaside living.

Teignmouth – Teignmouth has many beaches of golden sand that are perfect for sunbathing or exploring tidal pools. The area also offers fantastic coastal walks including the South West Coast Path which goes all the way to Dorset.

Universities in Devon

There are three universities located in Devon: the University of Exeter, Plymouth Marjon University and Plymouth University.

The University of Exeter – is located in the city of Exeter and is a Russell Group university, which means it’s one of the 24 most prestigious universities in the UK. It offers a wide range of courses across arts, humanities, business, law, sciences, health and social sciences.

University of Plymouth – Plymouth University is one of the top universities located in Devon and it’s known for its excellent student satisfaction ratings.

Plymouth Marjon University – Plymouth Marjon University is a university that focuses on teacher training, sport and education. It’s located in the city of Plymouth and offers a wide range of courses.

Top Schools in Devon

Coast of Devon

The schools listed below are the best performing and most popular schools for parents looking to buy a house within commuting distance. Some perform better than others depending on state testing scores, which can vary from year-to-year.

Torquay Boys Grammar School – Torquay Grammar is one of the most popular boarding schools in Devon and it’s known for its high academic standards.

Plymouth High School For Girls – Plymouth High is a top-performing all-girls school located just outside of the city centre.

Exeter School – Exeter School is one of the most selective schools in Devon and it regularly features near the top of UK school rankings.

Kingsbridge Community College – Kingsbridge Community is a well-respected school that’s known for its small class sizes as well as its excellent facilities.

Population of Devon

The population of Devon is just over 700,000 people, making it one of the least populous counties in England. The majority of Devon’s residents live in the southwest of the county, near Plymouth and Torbay.

 

Reviews in Devon

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A Modern Estate Seven Years On

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Dec 2022

This is a development that was initially started in 2014. I moved here in 2015. The local shops and facilities are in the market town centre, about a mile away. As with many rural small towns, it would be fair to describe it as struggling, but not as badly as others. The estate design lacks forethought, in that many households have two vehicles, and sometimes a company works van. The roads are narrow with few pavements for pedestrians. The number of vehicles parked in dangerous and selfish places is increasing. People do not consider where their vehicle will be parked when buying or renting a property. A number of people drive far too swiftly along the estate roads, and this adds to the noise, at various times during the day.

Please review your development:

I’ve already alluded to the situation with poor planning design and the willingness of councils to pass such plans in my previous answer. The estate design lacks forethought, in that many households have two vehicles, and sometimes a company works van. The roads are narrow with few pavements for pedestrians. The number of vehicles parked in dangerous and selfish places is increasing. People do not consider where their vehicle will be parked when buying or renting a property. A number of people drive far too swiftly along the estate roads, and this adds to the noise, at various times during the day. I cannot comment on building/property management, other than some buildings under housing management responsibility are becoming shabby and uncared for, because of lack of responsibility for their own surroundings by some tenants. It’s also true that some owners also have no pride in their own surroundings. I anticipated a nicer feel to the Estate, but a great deal of the current situation is due to a decline in social standards and behaviour, coupled with selfishness, and lack of respect for others. Of course this is nationwide, and global.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

If you buy a new property on a housing estate from a big developer, be aware that the ‘sales pitch’ about subsequent customer care is probably dubious. The reason for customer dissatisfaction is clear: poor workmanship by contractors/sub contractors, a lack of inspection of their work by the developer, an attitude of ‘that will do’, and a willingness for developers to accept that every new build will have an extensive ‘snagging list’.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

My house is not managed by anyone other than myself. The two year after-sales service was virtually non-existent, and I quickly learnt it was far easier for me to sort out problems myself.

3
Facilities
2
Design
3
Location
3
Value
3
Management
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Amazing place to live

Review Date Dec 2022

It’s about a 10-15 minute walk for town which is excellent and the newly developed skate park means fun for everyone. Cloakham lawns in itself is an amazing community. There is a lot of on road parking who is good but sometimes can get tight in places if it’s very busy. It’s also a quiet area to live.

Please review your development:

The design is well layed out development consisting of bovis homes and linden homes. The new property’s have a spacious open planed interior with a modern design. There is a nice variety of houses including 2, 3, and four bedroom houses and also multiple blocks of flats.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

We wish we knew about the intergrated appliances as they have been a pain to replace.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

The building management team were excellent when we had problems when we first moved in.

4
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
4
Value
4
Management
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Sales team is great. Other departments absolutely useless

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Oct 2022

Customer service is absolute shocking. Not replying to emails – inability to fix issues. Deleting emails

Please review your development:

As stated above the customer service for this company is absolutely shocking. I had roof tiles come up. The gardens are all awful and need replacing. Nothing is level. Even the walls in your houses are not level. The aftersales team are shambolic to say the least

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

The customer after care service. I wish I knew how poorly they dealt with snags

What is the best feature of your home:

The doorway to leave the home so I can drive out of the estate

1
Facilities
1
Design
1
Location
1
Value
1
Management
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Our house is well laid out and proportioned and made a great ‘starter’ house for us

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Aug 2022

The estate lacks any local amenities such as shops, cafes etc. Parking on the estate is very tight and roads narrow which can make navigation difficult. Also difficult for emergency vehicle access. The estate is generally quite quiet and friendly.

Please review your development:

Our house is well laid out and proportioned and made a great ‘starter’ house for us.

The estate lacks any local amenities such as shops, cafes etc which is a shame and would be greatly welcomed. The addition of the new primary school is great.

More recently, the communal areas seem to be well looked after and maintained (green spaces, trees etc).

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I would have hired an independent snagging expert to carefully check over our new house

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Early snags were rectified quite quickly to a satisfactory standard. Our home was constructed without the necessary fire breaks which was later rectified.

2
Facilities
4
Design
4
Location
3
Value
3
Management
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