What is the crime rate in Reading? 106 crimes per 1,000 residents
Reading had 18,541 recorded crimes in the 12 months to August 2026, which is 106 per 1,000 residents and Very High for England and Wales. Crime rose 6.8% on the previous 12 months. The most common crime was violence and sexual offences.
- Recorded crimes
- 18,541
- Compared with England and Wales
- Very High
- On the previous 12 months
- +6.8%
Police-recorded crime in the 12 months to August 2026, per 1,000 residents (Census 2021). Anti-social behaviour is not included. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: police.uk. How we calculate this
All house prices in ReadingWhat are the most common crimes in Reading?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common crime in Reading, with 7,238 recorded in the 12 months to August 2026 (42 per 1,000 residents). The England and Wales rate is 35 per 1,000. 6 of 13 crime types are more than 10% above the England and Wales rate.
| Crime type | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offencesAbove England and Wales | 42 per 1,000 |
| ShopliftingAbove England and Wales | 19 per 1,000 |
| Other theftAbove England and Wales | 9.7 per 1,000 |
| Public orderAbove England and Wales | 9.1 per 1,000 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 6.9 per 1,000 |
| Vehicle crime | 5.3 per 1,000 |
| Burglary | 3.7 per 1,000 |
| DrugsBelow England and Wales | 2.9 per 1,000 |
| Bicycle theftAbove England and Wales | 2.5 per 1,000 |
| Other crime | 2.1 per 1,000 |
| RobberyAbove England and Wales | 2.0 per 1,000 |
| Theft from the personBelow England and Wales | 1.3 per 1,000 |
| Possession of weaponsBelow England and Wales | 0.8 per 1,000 |
Tags mark crime types more than 10% above or below the England and Wales rate for the same type.
Is crime going up or down in Reading?
Crime rose 6.8% on the previous 12 months. 18,541 crimes were recorded in the 12 months to August 2026, against 17,357 in the 12 months before.
Crimes and anti-social behaviour each month, September 2023 to August 2026
How does crime in Reading compare with nearby areas?
Crime rate in Reading compared with the 5 nearest other areas in Berkshire.
Reading vs Wokingham
- Reading
- 106 per 1,000
- Wokingham
- 42 per 1,000
Open comparison
Reading vs Bracknell Forest
- Reading
- 106 per 1,000
- Bracknell Forest
- 59 per 1,000
Open comparison
Reading vs West Berkshire
- Reading
- 106 per 1,000
- West Berkshire
- 57 per 1,000
Open comparison
Reading vs Windsor and Maidenhead
- Reading
- 106 per 1,000
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- 60 per 1,000
Open comparison
Reading vs Slough
- Reading
- 106 per 1,000
- Slough
- 98 per 1,000
Open comparison
Is Reading a safe place to live?
Reading had 106 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, which is Very High among areas in England and Wales. Crime rose 6.8% on the previous 12 months. The most common crime was violence and sexual offences. These are crimes reported to the police, not a safety rating. City-centre and retail areas have high rates because crimes against visitors and shops are counted, but only residents are in the population.
Crime rate is Very High, on a scale from Very Low to Very High.
Very High means the highest fifth of areas in England and Wales by crime rate. The bands split every area we cover into fifths by crime rate, from Very Low to Very High.
How much anti-social behaviour is there in Reading?
Police recorded 1,910 incidents of anti-social behaviour in Reading in the 12 months to August 2026, or 11 per 1,000 residents. Anti-social behaviour is counted separately and is not included in the crime figures.
What else do people ask about Reading?
More quick answers on house prices, sales, areas, green space and crime in Reading.
- What is the average house price in Reading?
- When did average house prices in Reading reach their peak?
- How many properties are being sold in Reading?
- What type of properties are sold in Reading?
- What price range do most homes sell for in Reading?
- What is the most expensive (and cheapest) area of Reading?
- How many parks and green spaces are in Reading?
- How do Reading house prices compare with another area?
Where does this data come from?
Price information is from HM Land Registry, location boundaries are from OpenStreetMap, and households and population are from Nomis Census 2021 postcode estimates (21 March 2021). Parks and green space are from OS Open Greenspace. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Crime is from police.uk street-level data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: police.uk.
Last updated 31 October 2026 at 18:17 with the latest Land Registry data (September 2026). The Reading dataset covers 8,525 postcodes.
Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.