What is the crime rate in Wakefield? 108 crimes per 1,000 residents
Wakefield had 38,045 recorded crimes in the 12 months to August 2026, which is 108 per 1,000 residents and Very High for England and Wales. Crime fell 7.4% on the previous 12 months. The most common crime was violence and sexual offences.
- Recorded crimes
- 38,045
- Compared with England and Wales
- Very High
- On the previous 12 months
- −7.4%
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 WakefieldWhat are the most common crimes in Wakefield?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common crime in Wakefield, with 17,901 recorded in the 12 months to August 2026 (51 per 1,000 residents). The England and Wales rate is 35 per 1,000. 7 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 | 51 per 1,000 |
| Public orderAbove England and Wales | 9.3 per 1,000 |
| Shoplifting | 9.1 per 1,000 |
| Criminal damage and arsonAbove England and Wales | 9.1 per 1,000 |
| Other theftAbove England and Wales | 7.4 per 1,000 |
| Vehicle crimeAbove England and Wales | 6.2 per 1,000 |
| BurglaryAbove England and Wales | 4.5 per 1,000 |
| Other crimeAbove England and Wales | 4.3 per 1,000 |
| Drugs | 3.6 per 1,000 |
| Robbery | 1.3 per 1,000 |
| Possession of weapons | 1.0 per 1,000 |
| Theft from the personBelow England and Wales | 0.6 per 1,000 |
| Bicycle theftBelow 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 Wakefield?
Crime fell 7.4% on the previous 12 months. 38,045 crimes were recorded in the 12 months to August 2026, against 41,102 in the 12 months before.
Crimes and anti-social behaviour each month, September 2023 to August 2026
Which part of Wakefield has the lowest crime rate?
Woolley has the lowest crime rate of the 18 areas of Wakefield, at 24 crimes per 1,000 residents. South Kirkby and Moorthorpe has the highest, at 129. Average house prices are shown alongside, so you can weigh crime against cost.
| Area | Per 1,000 | Band | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| WoolleyVery Low | 24 | Very Low | £338,020 |
| WaltonVery Low | 29 | Very Low | £350,646 |
| AckworthTypical | 53 | Typical | £257,180 |
| CroftonHigh | 55 | High | £269,634 |
| South HiendleyHigh | 60 | High | £190,228 |
| SitlingtonHigh | 61 | High | £311,928 |
| SharlstonHigh | 61 | High | £177,440 |
| Havercroft with Cold HiendleyHigh | 62 | High | £146,538 |
| CrigglestoneHigh | 63 | High | £263,529 |
| UptonHigh | 71 | High | £191,727 |
| RyhillHigh | 73 | High | £185,240 |
| NormantonVery High | 79 | Very High | £204,296 |
| South ElmsallVery High | 81 | Very High | £168,991 |
| DarringtonVery High | 88 | Very High | £356,038 |
| North ElmsallVery High | 98 | Very High | £162,162 |
| HemsworthVery High | 110 | Very High | £175,849 |
| FeatherstoneVery High | 117 | Very High | £203,591 |
| South Kirkby and MoorthorpeVery High | 129 | Very High | £160,183 |
How does crime in Wakefield compare with nearby areas?
Crime rate in Wakefield compared with the 4 nearest other areas in West Yorkshire.
Wakefield vs Leeds
- Wakefield
- 108 per 1,000
- Leeds
- 118 per 1,000
Open comparison
Wakefield vs Kirklees
- Wakefield
- 108 per 1,000
- Kirklees
- 90 per 1,000
Open comparison
Wakefield vs Bradford
- Wakefield
- 108 per 1,000
- Bradford
- 120 per 1,000
Open comparison
Wakefield vs Calderdale
- Wakefield
- 108 per 1,000
- Calderdale
- 105 per 1,000
Open comparison
Is Wakefield a safe place to live?
Wakefield had 108 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 7.4% 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 Wakefield?
Police recorded 4,700 incidents of anti-social behaviour in Wakefield in the 12 months to August 2026, or 13 per 1,000 residents. Anti-social behaviour is counted separately and is not included in the crime figures.
What else do people ask about Wakefield?
More quick answers on house prices, sales, areas, green space and crime in Wakefield.
- What is the average house price in Wakefield?
- When did average house prices in Wakefield reach their peak?
- How many properties are being sold in Wakefield?
- What type of properties are sold in Wakefield?
- What price range do most homes sell for in Wakefield?
- What is the most expensive (and cheapest) area of Wakefield?
- How many parks and green spaces are in Wakefield?
- How do Wakefield 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 18:02 with the latest Land Registry data (September 2026). The Wakefield dataset covers 12,090 postcodes.
Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.