Welcome to the West Devon Borough Council website.

Facts and Figures relating to the borough of West Devon

AREA: 458 sq miles or 1160 sq km

• West Devon is the largest district in Devon
• 201 sq miles or 520 sq km of Dartmoor National Park lies within West Devon: (45% of West Devon)
• 32 sq miles or 88 sq km of the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty lies within West Devon:  (7.6% of WDBC)
• West Devon is one of the 60 most rural authorities in England

POPULATION: 51,200 as at 2006

• One third of the population lives in the main towns of Tavistock and Okehampton:
  > Tavistock population estimate: 11,599 (2007)
  > Okehampton population estimate: 7,155 (2007) 
• With a population density of 0.17 person per acre, West Devon is the most sparsely populated district in southern England and one of the most sparsely populated districts in England as a whole

FACILITIES

• 970 miles of roads
• Four Libraries Chagford, Princetown, Okehampton and Tavistock
• Two Tourist information Centres: Tavistock and Okehampton
• Three Secondary Schools:  Kelly, Tavistock, Okehampton
• 27 Primary Schools
• 90% of businesses employ fewer than 10 people
• Over 2,500 businesses
• 22,060 households (2007)