What is the crime rate in Folkestone and Hythe? 71 crimes per 1,000 residents
Folkestone and Hythe had 7,788 recorded crimes in the 12 months to August 2026, which is 71 per 1,000 residents and High for England and Wales. Crime fell 4.6% on the previous 12 months. The most common crime was violence and sexual offences.
- Recorded crimes
- 7,788
- Compared with England and Wales
- High
- On the previous 12 months
- −4.6%
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 Folkestone and HytheWhat are the most common crimes in Folkestone and Hythe?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common crime in Folkestone and Hythe, with 3,393 recorded in the 12 months to August 2026 (31 per 1,000 residents). The England and Wales rate is 35 per 1,000. 4 of 13 crime types are more than 10% above the England and Wales rate.
| Crime type | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offencesBelow England and Wales | 31 per 1,000 |
| Criminal damage and arsonAbove England and Wales | 8.1 per 1,000 |
| ShopliftingBelow England and Wales | 7.6 per 1,000 |
| Other theft | 6.3 per 1,000 |
| DrugsAbove England and Wales | 4.0 per 1,000 |
| Public orderBelow England and Wales | 3.9 per 1,000 |
| Other crimeAbove England and Wales | 2.6 per 1,000 |
| Vehicle crimeBelow England and Wales | 2.6 per 1,000 |
| BurglaryBelow England and Wales | 2.1 per 1,000 |
| Possession of weaponsAbove England and Wales | 1.2 per 1,000 |
| RobberyBelow England and Wales | 0.8 per 1,000 |
| Bicycle theftBelow England and Wales | 0.5 per 1,000 |
| Theft from the personBelow England and Wales | 0.4 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 Folkestone and Hythe?
Crime fell 4.6% on the previous 12 months. 7,788 crimes were recorded in the 12 months to August 2026, against 8,166 in the 12 months before.
Crimes and anti-social behaviour each month, September 2023 to August 2026
Which part of Folkestone and Hythe has the lowest crime rate?
Lympne has the lowest crime rate of the 13 areas of Folkestone and Hythe, at 16 crimes per 1,000 residents. Folkestone has the highest, at 108. Average house prices are shown alongside, so you can weigh crime against cost.
| Area | Per 1,000 | Band | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| LympneVery Low | 16 | Very Low | £430,210 |
| ElhamVery Low | 16 | Very Low | £500,653 |
| LymingeVery Low | 25 | Very Low | £476,250 |
| SwingfieldVery Low | 28 | Very Low | £417,096 |
| St. Mary in the MarshLow | 33 | Low | £307,313 |
| HawkingeLow | 40 | Low | £372,350 |
| SellindgeTypical | 42 | Typical | £402,046 |
| LyddTypical | 43 | Typical | £295,857 |
| SandgateTypical | 44 | Typical | £370,855 |
| HytheTypical | 45 | Typical | £390,870 |
| DymchurchTypical | 48 | Typical | £335,079 |
| New RomneyTypical | 53 | Typical | £346,916 |
| FolkestoneVery High | 108 | Very High | £291,090 |
How does crime in Folkestone and Hythe compare with nearby areas?
Crime rate in Folkestone and Hythe compared with the 6 nearest other areas in Kent.
Folkestone and Hythe vs Ashford
- Folkestone and Hythe
- 71 per 1,000
- Ashford
- 66 per 1,000
Open comparison
Folkestone and Hythe vs Canterbury
- Folkestone and Hythe
- 71 per 1,000
- Canterbury
- 88 per 1,000
Open comparison
Folkestone and Hythe vs Dover
- Folkestone and Hythe
- 71 per 1,000
- Dover
- 72 per 1,000
Open comparison
Folkestone and Hythe vs Swale
- Folkestone and Hythe
- 71 per 1,000
- Swale
- 79 per 1,000
Open comparison
Folkestone and Hythe vs Maidstone
- Folkestone and Hythe
- 71 per 1,000
- Maidstone
- 73 per 1,000
Open comparison
Folkestone and Hythe vs Thanet
- Folkestone and Hythe
- 71 per 1,000
- Thanet
- 95 per 1,000
Open comparison
Is Folkestone and Hythe a safe place to live?
Folkestone and Hythe had 71 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, which is High among areas in England and Wales. Crime fell 4.6% 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 Folkestone and Hythe?
Police recorded 1,841 incidents of anti-social behaviour in Folkestone and Hythe in the 12 months to August 2026, or 17 per 1,000 residents. Anti-social behaviour is counted separately and is not included in the crime figures.
What else do people ask about Folkestone and Hythe?
More quick answers on house prices, sales, areas, green space and crime in Folkestone and Hythe.
- What is the average house price in Folkestone and Hythe?
- When did average house prices in Folkestone and Hythe reach their peak?
- How many properties are being sold in Folkestone and Hythe?
- What type of properties are sold in Folkestone and Hythe?
- What price range do most homes sell for in Folkestone and Hythe?
- What is the most expensive (and cheapest) area of Folkestone and Hythe?
- How many parks and green spaces are in Folkestone and Hythe?
- How do Folkestone and Hythe 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 17:35 with the latest Land Registry data (September 2026). The Folkestone and Hythe dataset covers 4,815 postcodes.
Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.