What is the crime rate in Lewes? 57 crimes per 1,000 residents
Lewes had 5,645 recorded crimes in the 12 months to August 2026, which is 57 per 1,000 residents and High for England and Wales. Crime fell 1.9% on the previous 12 months. The most common crime was violence and sexual offences.
- Recorded crimes
- 5,645
- Compared with England and Wales
- High
- On the previous 12 months
- −1.9%
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 LewesWhat are the most common crimes in Lewes?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common crime in Lewes, with 2,586 recorded in the 12 months to August 2026 (26 per 1,000 residents). The England and Wales rate is 35 per 1,000.
| Crime type | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offencesBelow England and Wales | 26 per 1,000 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 6.5 per 1,000 |
| Public orderBelow England and Wales | 5.5 per 1,000 |
| ShopliftingBelow England and Wales | 5.1 per 1,000 |
| Other theftBelow England and Wales | 3.6 per 1,000 |
| Other crime | 2.4 per 1,000 |
| DrugsBelow England and Wales | 2.0 per 1,000 |
| BurglaryBelow England and Wales | 2.0 per 1,000 |
| Vehicle crimeBelow England and Wales | 1.7 per 1,000 |
| Possession of weaponsBelow England and Wales | 0.8 per 1,000 |
| RobberyBelow England and Wales | 0.5 per 1,000 |
| Bicycle theftBelow England and Wales | 0.4 per 1,000 |
| Theft from the personBelow England and Wales | 0.3 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 Lewes?
Crime fell 1.9% on the previous 12 months. 5,645 crimes were recorded in the 12 months to August 2026, against 5,756 in the 12 months before.
Crimes and anti-social behaviour each month, September 2023 to August 2026
Which part of Lewes has the lowest crime rate?
Newick has the lowest crime rate of the 12 areas of Lewes, at 20 crimes per 1,000 residents. Newhaven has the highest, at 114. Average house prices are shown alongside, so you can weigh crime against cost.
| Area | Per 1,000 | Band | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| NewickVery Low | 20 | Very Low | £580,525 |
| DitchlingVery Low | 24 | Very Low | £681,583 |
| BarcombeVery Low | 25 | Very Low | £562,800 |
| ChaileyVery Low | 28 | Very Low | £561,628 |
| PlumptonVery Low | 31 | Very Low | £624,567 |
| WivelsfieldLow | 31 | Low | £571,515 |
| TelscombeLow | 36 | Low | £412,852 |
| SeafordLow | 37 | Low | £391,591 |
| RingmerLow | 40 | Low | £456,639 |
| PeacehavenHigh | 57 | High | £333,868 |
| South HeightonHigh | 60 | High | £365,555 |
| NewhavenVery High | 114 | Very High | £300,255 |
How does crime in Lewes compare with nearby areas?
Crime rate in Lewes compared with the 4 nearest other areas in East Sussex.
Lewes vs Wealden
- Lewes
- 57 per 1,000
- Wealden
- 43 per 1,000
Open comparison
Lewes vs Eastbourne
- Lewes
- 57 per 1,000
- Eastbourne
- 112 per 1,000
Open comparison
Lewes vs Hastings
- Lewes
- 57 per 1,000
- Hastings
- 117 per 1,000
Open comparison
Lewes vs Rother
- Lewes
- 57 per 1,000
- Rother
- 59 per 1,000
Open comparison
Is Lewes a safe place to live?
Lewes had 57 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, which is High among areas in England and Wales. Crime fell 1.9% 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 High, on a scale from Very Low to Very High.
High means the second-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 Lewes?
Police recorded 1,768 incidents of anti-social behaviour in Lewes in the 12 months to August 2026, or 18 per 1,000 residents. Anti-social behaviour is counted separately and is not included in the crime figures.
What else do people ask about Lewes?
More quick answers on house prices, sales, areas, green space and crime in Lewes.
- What is the average house price in Lewes?
- When did average house prices in Lewes reach their peak?
- How many properties are being sold in Lewes?
- What type of properties are sold in Lewes?
- What price range do most homes sell for in Lewes?
- What is the most expensive (and cheapest) area of Lewes?
- How many parks and green spaces are in Lewes?
- How do Lewes 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 18:04 with the latest Land Registry data (September 2026). The Lewes dataset covers 5,028 postcodes.
Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.