What is the crime rate in Medway? 85 crimes per 1,000 residents
Medway had 23,663 recorded crimes in the 12 months to August 2026, which is 85 per 1,000 residents and Very High for England and Wales. Crime fell 8.4% on the previous 12 months. The most common crime was violence and sexual offences.
- Recorded crimes
- 23,663
- Compared with England and Wales
- Very High
- On the previous 12 months
- −8.4%
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 MedwayWhat are the most common crimes in Medway?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common crime in Medway, with 10,900 recorded in the 12 months to August 2026 (39 per 1,000 residents). The England and Wales rate is 35 per 1,000. 3 of 13 crime types are more than 10% above the England and Wales rate.
| Crime type | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 39 per 1,000 |
| Criminal damage and arsonAbove England and Wales | 9.0 per 1,000 |
| ShopliftingBelow England and Wales | 7.7 per 1,000 |
| Other theft | 7.3 per 1,000 |
| Public orderBelow England and Wales | 4.7 per 1,000 |
| Vehicle crimeBelow England and Wales | 4.4 per 1,000 |
| Drugs | 3.5 per 1,000 |
| Other crimeAbove England and Wales | 3.2 per 1,000 |
| BurglaryBelow England and Wales | 2.4 per 1,000 |
| Possession of weaponsAbove England and Wales | 1.2 per 1,000 |
| RobberyBelow England and Wales | 1.1 per 1,000 |
| Bicycle theftBelow England and Wales | 0.8 per 1,000 |
| Theft from the personBelow England and Wales | 0.5 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 Medway?
Crime fell 8.4% on the previous 12 months. 23,663 crimes were recorded in the 12 months to August 2026, against 25,836 in the 12 months before.
Crimes and anti-social behaviour each month, September 2023 to August 2026
Which part of Medway has the lowest crime rate?
Cuxton has the lowest crime rate of the 13 areas of Medway, at 27 crimes per 1,000 residents. Chatham has the highest, at 106. Average house prices are shown alongside, so you can weigh crime against cost.
| Area | Per 1,000 | Band | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| CuxtonVery Low | 27 | Very Low | £459,687 |
| High HalstowLow | 32 | Low | £460,365 |
| Cliffe and Cliffe WoodsLow | 36 | Low | £435,786 |
| HallingLow | 39 | Low | £377,052 |
| StokeTypical | 44 | Typical | £364,357 |
| Isle of GrainTypical | 46 | Typical | £241,854 |
| Hoo St. WerburghHigh | 56 | High | £369,639 |
| FrindsburyHigh | 60 | High | £347,841 |
| AllhallowsHigh | 65 | High | £361,950 |
| GillinghamVery High | 84 | Very High | £312,917 |
| StroodVery High | 84 | Very High | £311,543 |
| RochesterVery High | 85 | Very High | £325,534 |
| ChathamVery High | 106 | Very High | £290,144 |
How does crime in Medway compare with nearby areas?
Crime rate in Medway compared with the 6 nearest other areas in England.
Medway vs Thurrock
- Medway
- 85 per 1,000
- Thurrock
- 91 per 1,000
Open comparison
Medway vs Southend-on-Sea
- Medway
- 85 per 1,000
- Southend-on-Sea
- 103 per 1,000
Open comparison
Medway vs Kent
- Medway
- 85 per 1,000
- Kent
- 74 per 1,000
Open comparison
Medway vs Essex
- Medway
- 85 per 1,000
- Essex
- 74 per 1,000
Open comparison
Medway vs Greater London
- Medway
- 85 per 1,000
- Greater London
- 101 per 1,000
Open comparison
Medway vs East Sussex
- Medway
- 85 per 1,000
- East Sussex
- 73 per 1,000
Open comparison
Is Medway a safe place to live?
Medway had 85 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, which is Very High among areas in England and Wales. Crime fell 8.4% 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 Medway?
Police recorded 6,176 incidents of anti-social behaviour in Medway in the 12 months to August 2026, or 22 per 1,000 residents. Anti-social behaviour is counted separately and is not included in the crime figures.
What else do people ask about Medway?
More quick answers on house prices, sales, areas, green space and crime in Medway.
- What is the average house price in Medway?
- When did average house prices in Medway reach their peak?
- How many properties are being sold in Medway?
- What type of properties are sold in Medway?
- What price range do most homes sell for in Medway?
- What is the most expensive (and cheapest) area of Medway?
- How many parks and green spaces are in Medway?
- How do Medway 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 16:36 with the latest Land Registry data (September 2026). The Medway dataset covers 8,467 postcodes.
Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.