Northam Crime Overview
Northam is among the top 10 safest small towns in Devon, and is the 139th most dangerous overall out of Devon's 430 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Northam in 2020 was 28 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Devon's overall crime rate, coming in 84% lower than the Devon rate of 51 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Northam is the 100th safest small town, and the 4,455th safest location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
The most common crimes in Northam are violence and sexual offences, with 181 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 14. This is 12% higher than 2019's figure of 159 offences and a difference of 1.76 from 2019's crime rate of 13. Northam's least common crime is robbery, with 1 offence recorded in 2020, the same as 2019's figure of 1 crime.
Compare Northam to other towns and cities
See how Northam shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Northam and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Northam Crime Map
Crime in Northam Compared To Devon
Summary of Crimes in Northam This Year
| Northam | Devon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 188 | 15.07 | 28,259 | 23.54 | 56% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2 | 0.16 | 439 | 0.37 | 131% safer |
| Burglary | 18 | 1.44 | 2,644 | 2.20 | 53% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 61 | 4.89 | 8,119 | 6.76 | 38% safer |
| Drugs | 20 | 1.60 | 3,313 | 2.76 | 72% safer |
| Other Crime | 5 | 0.40 | 1,615 | 1.35 | 238% safer |
| Other Theft | 24 | 1.92 | 4,370 | 3.64 | 90% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 5 | 0.40 | 839 | 0.70 | 75% safer |
| Public Order | 17 | 1.36 | 4,841 | 4.03 | 196% safer |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.08 | 387 | 0.32 | 300% safer |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 0.56 | 2,897 | 2.41 | 330% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 7 | 0.56 | 2,262 | 1.88 | 236% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 181 | 14.50 | 29,573 | 24.64 | 70% safer |
Northam Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broad Clyst | 216 | 25.01 | 12% safer |
| Fremington | 297 | 25.11 | 11% safer |
| Ottery St. Mary | 244 | 25.66 | 9% safer |
| Bovey Tracey | 213 | 27.36 | 1.9% safer |
| Seaton | 208 | 27.60 | 1.1% safer |
| Northam | 348 | 27.89 | - |
| Sidmouth | 423 | 29.22 | 4.6% more dangerous |
| Tavistock | 370 | 29.49 | 5% more dangerous |
| Ivybridge | 351 | 29.85 | 7% more dangerous |
| Kingsteignton | 378 | 33.27 | 16% more dangerous |
| Cullompton | 372 | 36.35 | 23% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Northam
View crime percentage over time forNortham Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 13 | 13 | 9 | 15 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.08 | - | - | 0.16 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 1.8 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 4.8 | 6 | 3.9 | 4.9 | Safer |
| Drugs | 0.72 | 0.72 | 1.1 | 1.6 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.40 | 0.64 | 0.48 | 0.40 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 2.8 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 1.9 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.40 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 1.9 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | - | - | 0.08 | 0.08 | No change |
| Shoplifting | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.24 | 0.56 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.88 | 0.56 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 16 | 13 | 13 | 14 | Getting worse |
Changes In Northam's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Northam to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Northam | 27.89 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 59% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 64% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 66% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 67% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 68% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 71% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 73% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 74% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 79% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 80% more dangerous |
Crime in Northam's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appledore & Northam North | 185 | 30 | First |
| Westward Ho! & Northam South | 164 | 26 | Second |
Crime in Northam During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Northam change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in October, when Northam saw a 500% increase in drugs. Northam saw a large fall in criminal damage and arson during March, when it fell by 86% compared to March in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -17% | +110% | +288% | +100% | -6% | +82% | +64% | +43% | +63% | +71% |
| Burglary | - | +100% | - | - | -50% | -50% | - | +100% | +400% | - |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -86% | -20% | -40% | +400% | +175% | +150% | +14% | -40% | +25% | +67% |
| Drugs | - | - | -50% | - | - | - | - | +500% | +100% | -33% |
| Other Crime | - | - | - | - | - | - | -67% | - | - | - |
| Other Theft | -50% | - | - | -50% | +50% | +400% | -33% | - | -50% | - |
| Public Order | - | -33% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -67% | - | - | - | - | - | -50% | - | - | - |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -57% | +6% | +75% | -8% | +40% | +31% | +75% | +43% | +54% | +80% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Northam
What police force serves Northam?
Northam's local territorial police force is the Devon & Cornwall Police.How dangerous is Northam?
Northam is among the top 10 safest small towns in Devon.What is Northam's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Northam are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Northam?
Northam's least common crime is robbery (inc. mugging).Last updated: 07 May 2021