Bristol is the most dangerous major city in Bristol, and is the most dangerous overall out of Bristol's 1 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Bristol in 2021 was 94 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Bristol's overall crime rate, coming in 20% lower than the Bristol rate of 113 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Bristol is the second safest major city, and the 761st most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2021, Bristol had the worst crime rate in Bristol for bicycle theft, with 86 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.15 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2021 was also a bad month for Bristol residents, when it was Bristol's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 264 crimes at a rate of 0.46 per 1,000 residents. Bristol recorded 436 reports of criminal damage and arson during December 2021, making its crime rate of 0.76 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Bristol that month.
The most common crimes in Bristol are violence and sexual offences, with 21,324 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 37. This is 15% higher than 2020's figure of 18,098 offences and a difference of 5.59 from 2020's crime rate of 31. Bristol's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 343 offences recorded in 2021, an increase of 6% from 2020's figure of 324 crimes.
Most Dangerous
Major Cities, Bristol
37% higher, regional crime rate
South West
18% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Bristol is 37% higher than the South West and 18% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Bristol | |
| South West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Bristol represent the time frame between July 2019 and June 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 04 Aug, 2022
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 04 Aug, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 94 | 54,128 |
| 2020 | 88 | 51,070 |
| 2019 | 91 | 52,682 |
| 2018 | 92 | 52,987 |
| 2017 | 96 | 55,647 |
| 2016 | 87 | 50,090 |
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| Bristol | Bristol | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 12,558 | 21.76 | 12,093 | 26.10 | 20% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,507 | 2.61 | 1,489 | 3.21 | 23% safer |
| Burglary | 2,926 | 5.07 | 2,832 | 6.11 | 21% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 5,931 | 10.27 | 5,736 | 12.38 | 21% safer |
| Drugs | 1,089 | 1.89 | 1,060 | 2.29 | 21% safer |
| Other Crime | 850 | 1.47 | 812 | 1.75 | 19% safer |
| Other Theft | 3,748 | 6.49 | 3,622 | 7.82 | 20% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 343 | 0.59 | 335 | 0.72 | 22% safer |
| Public Order | 8,074 | 13.99 | 7,855 | 16.95 | 21% safer |
| Robbery | 841 | 1.46 | 817 | 1.76 | 21% safer |
| Shoplifting | 2,579 | 4.47 | 2,379 | 5.13 | 15% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 454 | 0.79 | 448 | 0.97 | 23% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 4,462 | 7.73 | 4,302 | 9.28 | 20% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 21,324 | 36.94 | 20,567 | 44.39 | 20% safer |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Macauley Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Drugs | On or near North Street | Further action is not in the public interest |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Victoria Park | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Stradling Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near St John'S Lane | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Public order | On or near Shopping Area | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Filton Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Walton Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near High Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Broad Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Reading Court | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Public order | On or near Hospital | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Priory Gardens | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Morse Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Public order | On or near Cricket Lane | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Old Market Street | Offender given a caution |
| June 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Sweets Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Public order | On or near St Anne'S Terrace | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Petrol Station | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 29 | 26 | 27 | 22 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.6 | Safer |
| Burglary | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Getting worse |
| Drugs | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 1.9 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.47 | 0.57 | 0.56 | 0.59 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4.5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.83 | 0.79 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 30 | 30 | 31 | 37 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Bristol that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barton Fields | 3 | - | - | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.92 |
| Broad Plain | 11 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 0 | 4.2 |
| Coronation Park | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1.1 |
| Counterslip Baptist Church | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 0 | 13 |
| Doncaster Road Park | 6 | - | 2 | - | 3 | 6 | 4.5 |
| Gore's Marsh Park | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 4 | 3.3 |
| Kingswood Rugby Football Club | 5 | - | 2 | - | - | 2 | 1.8 |
| Knowle Cricket Club | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0.55 |
| Lees Hill Playing Field | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.33 |
| Marksbury Road Open Space | 14 | - | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 12 |
| Mowberry Road Open Space | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 1.2 |
| Netham Park | 20 | - | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2.0 |
| Nover's Common | 8 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 4 | 2.0 |
| Oldbury Court Estate | 25 | 1 | 2 | - | 4 | 2 | 0.63 |
| Ridgeway Playing Fields | 7 | - | 2 | - | - | 3 | 0.98 |
| Salcombe Road Open Space | 8 | 1 | 3 | - | 1 | 5 | 12 |
| South Street Park | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Southey Playing Field | 18 | - | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| St George's Park | 28 | - | 9 | 6 | 13 | 12 | 4.5 |
| Walker Playing Field | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0.38 |
| Major City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 40% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 14% safer |
| Sheffield | 91.10 | 2.9% safer |
| Bristol | 93.77 | - |
| Coventry | 102.37 | 8% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.75 | 16% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 127.90 | 27% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 137.17 | 32% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 145.60 | 36% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 153.06 | 39% more dangerous |
Bristol City Centre is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Bristol, followed by Temple Meads in second place, and Kingsdown & Stokes Croft as the third most dangerous area. Bristol's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Cadbury Heath North & Bridgeyate, Downend North, and Westbury on Trym.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashton | 432 | 63 | 40th |
| Barton Hill | 1,136 | 138 | 11th |
| Bedminster | 1,721 | 173 | Fifth |
| Bishopston | 723 | 57 | 45th |
| Bishopsworth | 340 | 57 | 44th |
| Brislington | 805 | 122 | 14th |
| Bristol City Centre | 5,805 | 306 | First |
| Broom Hill | 527 | 69 | 37th |
| Cadbury Heath North & Bridgeyate | 379 | 37 | 62nd |
| Cadbury Heath South & North Common | 418 | 40 | 61st |
| Clifton East | 580 | 64 | 39th |
| Clifton Village | 342 | 56 | 47th |
| Cotham | 476 | 53 | 49th |
| Crews Hole | 251 | 43 | 55th |
| Downend North | 174 | 28 | 63rd |
| Downend South | 285 | 43 | 57th |
| Eastville | 917 | 118 | 16th |
| Emersons Green | 546 | 45 | 54th |
| Fishponds North | 1,194 | 123 | 13th |
| Fishponds South | 465 | 73 | 33rd |
| Hanham | 451 | 49 | 51st |
| Hartcliffe | 1,325 | 186 | Fourth |
| Headley Park | 730 | 119 | 15th |
| Hengrove | 904 | 100 | 23rd |
| Henleaze | 256 | 43 | 56th |
| Highridge | 629 | 104 | 19th |
| Horfield | 438 | 58 | 43rd |
| Hotwells | 406 | 55 | 48th |
| Kingsdown & Stokes Croft | 1,976 | 192 | Third |
| Kingswood North East | 627 | 81 | 27th |
| Kingswood South | 639 | 68 | 38th |
| Knowle | 951 | 113 | 17th |
| Knowle Park | 460 | 56 | 46th |
| Knowle West | 1,063 | 141 | Eighth |
| Lawrence Weston | 1,241 | 150 | Sixth |
| Longwell Green & Oldland Common | 407 | 41 | 60th |
| Lower Easton | 971 | 110 | 18th |
| Mangotsfield | 322 | 48 | 52nd |
| Monks Park | 938 | 140 | Ninth |
| Redfield | 988 | 100 | 22nd |
| Redland & St Andrew's | 553 | 52 | 50th |
| Sea Mills | 414 | 70 | 35th |
| Shirehampton & Avonmouth | 883 | 89 | 24th |
| Southmead | 1,220 | 102 | 21st |
| Southville | 831 | 75 | 31st |
| Speedwell | 686 | 84 | 26th |
| St Annes | 751 | 76 | 30th |
| St George | 611 | 70 | 36th |
| St Paul's | 1,821 | 135 | 12th |
| Staple Hill North | 507 | 71 | 34th |
| Staple Hill South & Kingswood North West | 1,020 | 102 | 20th |
| Stapleton | 399 | 60 | 42nd |
| Stoke Bishop | 387 | 41 | 59th |
| Temple Meads | 2,489 | 256 | Second |
| Totterdown | 546 | 77 | 28th |
| Two Mile Hill | 478 | 73 | 32nd |
| Upper Easton | 1,022 | 141 | Seventh |
| Upper Horfield | 710 | 86 | 25th |
| Westbury on Trym | 147 | 23 | 64th |
| Westbury Park | 356 | 42 | 58th |
| Westbury Village | 366 | 60 | 41st |
| Whitchurch Park | 312 | 46 | 53rd |
| Windmill Hill | 569 | 77 | 29th |
| Withywood | 824 | 140 | Tenth |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Bristol for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Westbury Park (43) | Bristol City Centre (1,719) |
| Bicycle Theft | Cadbury Heath North & Bridgeyate (1) | Bristol City Centre (446) |
| Burglary | Cadbury Heath South & North Common (15) | Temple Meads (132) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Longwell Green & Oldland Common (22) | Bristol City Centre (520) |
| Drugs | Hotwells (1) | Temple Meads (127) |
| Other Crime | Hotwells (1) | Bishopston (72) |
| Other Theft | Whitchurch Park (6) | Bristol City Centre (496) |
| Possession of Weapons | Southville (1) | Temple Meads (29) |
| Public Order | Downend North (10) | Bristol City Centre (928) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Westbury Park (1) | Bristol City Centre (196) |
| Shoplifting | Westbury on Trym (1) | Kingsdown & Stokes Croft (210) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Cadbury Heath North & Bridgeyate (1) | Bristol City Centre (105) |
| Vehicle Crime | Cadbury Heath South & North Common (23) | Temple Meads (241) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Westbury on Trym (35) | Bristol City Centre (2,197) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Bristol change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in May, when Bristol saw a 79% increase in drugs. Bristol saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 69% compared to April in 2019. Theft From the Person saw a fall in every month of Bristol's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -3% | -11% | +1% | +13% | 0% | +33% | +2% | -6% | -5% | -7% |
| Bicycle Theft | -31% | -39% | -18% | -1% | +27% | +2% | +6% | +44% | +17% | +52% |
| Burglary | -1% | -34% | -40% | -22% | +7% | -2% | -19% | -23% | +2% | -17% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -8% | -20% | -27% | -12% | +0% | +11% | +8% | +30% | +4% | -9% |
| Drugs | +41% | +35% | +79% | +27% | +16% | -11% | -14% | -9% | -8% | -15% |
| Other Crime | +38% | +40% | +18% | +27% | +27% | +35% | +27% | +46% | +20% | -24% |
| Other Theft | -24% | -38% | -40% | -35% | -13% | -18% | -16% | -21% | -15% | -24% |
| Possession of Weapons | -32% | +19% | +32% | -21% | +74% | -34% | -6% | +35% | -31% | - |
| Public Order | +2% | -10% | +7% | -5% | +0% | +24% | -1% | -1% | -7% | -5% |
| Robbery | +16% | -24% | -38% | -7% | +43% | +58% | +3% | -39% | -9% | -26% |
| Shoplifting | -24% | -46% | -51% | -37% | -23% | -20% | -20% | -25% | -20% | -10% |
| Theft From the Person | +20% | -69% | -46% | -49% | -48% | -38% | -24% | -41% | -53% | -30% |
| Vehicle Crime | -25% | -46% | -51% | -50% | -3% | -7% | -19% | -2% | +12% | +7% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +3% | -9% | +3% | +2% | +7% | +31% | +2% | -1% | -5% | -4% |
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