Crime and Safety in Northampton
Last updated: 07 Jun 2026
Northampton is the most dangerous city in Northamptonshire, and is among the top 10 most dangerous overall out of Northamptonshire's 261 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Northampton in 2026 is 100 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Northamptonshire's overall crime rate, coming in 57% higher than the Northamptonshire rate of 64 per 1,000 daytime population. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Northampton is among the top 10 most dangerous cities, and the 426th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In February 2025, Northampton had the worst crime rate in Northamptonshire for robbery, with 23 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.14 per 1,000 daytime population. May 2025 was also a bad month for Northampton residents, when it was Northamptonshire's most dangerous area for theft from the person, recording 11 crimes at a rate of 0.07 per 1,000 daytime population.
The most common crimes in Northampton are violence and sexual offences, with 6,882 offences during 2026, giving a crime rate of 41. This is 1.3% lower than 2025's figure of 6,971 offences and a difference of 0.58 from 2025's crime rate of 42. Northampton's least common crime is theft from the person, with 105 offences recorded in 2026, an increase of 2.9% from 2025's figure of 102 crimes.
Northampton 2026 Crime Scorecard
Most Dangerous
Cities, Northamptonshire
43% higher, regional crime rate
East Midlands
40% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
Local Crime in Context
As of April 2026, the crime rate in Northampton is 43% higher than the East Midlands and 40% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
Northampton Crime Rate Over Time
| Northampton | |
| East Midlands | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Northampton Crime Map
Incidents mapped in Northampton represent the time frame between January 2016 and April 2026. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Use Crime Map
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 visualise the data you need.
See How Northampton Compares
You can compare Northampton's crime statistics against any other town, village, or city from across the country. Search for a location's name below to see how they stack up.
Introduction to Northampton's crime statistics
This crime profile provides a detailed view of crime and safety around Northampton up to April 2026, the most recent data release available. The crime figures and statistics have been calculated across each of Northampton's 2,688 postcodes using three area sizes for comparison:
- Within a Five-Minute Walk
- Within a Ten-Minute Walk
- Within a Fifteen-Minute Walk
Individual crime risk scores and index figures are for the 12-month period ending April 2026 unless otherwise stated.
CrimeRate Insights
Looking into a specific address in Northampton? CrimeRate Insights reports convert raw numbers into practical insight for any location, from single addresses and postcodes, up to major towns and cities.
Crime rates don’t happen by themselves; they follow people and patterns. Where crowds gather - near pubs and late-night venues, around the station, by supermarkets and forecourts - incidents naturally concentrate.
That doesn’t mean an area is "bad"; it usually means footfall is higher.
Your report explores these factors in a calm, non-judgemental way, putting the numbers in context and helping you spot what’s typical for places like this.
Crime Risk Scores
Northampton • 12 Months Ending April 2026
The typical five-minute walk within Northampton has a crime risk score of 636. This is based on analysis of 2,688 nearby areas within Northampton, with "most" referring to roughly two thirds of the nearby locations.
Crime risk scores are on a scale of 1 to 1,000 and consider the severity of the crimes involved, as determined by sentencing guidelines. A score of 1 represents the lowest risk, and 1,000 the highest risk. This approach ensures that - unlike overall crime rate figures - bicycle theft is not given the same importance in Northampton's risk scores as, for example, robbery, or violence & sexual offences.
Within a five-minute walk of the typical location in Northampton, crime risk scores are typically around 636, while in Northamptonshire they are average 442.
Areas within a ten-minute walk typically see crime risk scores of 725 (429 for Northamptonshire), and scores within a fifteen-minute walk are most often around 757 (Northamptonshire 422).
Trends in Crime Risk
Northampton
Calculated via Seasonal and Trend decomposition using Loess, the Seasonality Adjusted line represents the original data with seasonality subtracted, and the Trend line has been plotted unadjusted. Overall trend direction has been identified using the Mann-Kendall trend test, and rate calculated from the slope of the best-fit line identified from linear regression.
The 10-year trend indicates a decrease of 14% in Northampton's crime risk score. This is potentially a strong signal of how the crime risk is evolving. Cross-referencing with major cultural events and Covid's impact during this time is advised.
Looking at the previous five years, the trend in Northampton's crime risk score is down by 13%. While potentially a good indicator of the overall risk trend, analysis may offer further insight when combined with the checks mentioned above.
Over the last year, Northampton's crime risk score has shown a downward trend of approximately 2.4%, indicating that the risk profile is going down. This is an extremely short time period for crime trend analysis, and caution should be exercised when interpreting this figure.
Crime Rates and Indexes
Northampton
The CrimeRate Index shows how crime rates compare against the national average.
1.0 equals the average
2.0 is double
3.0 triple
0.5 is half and
0.25 a quarter.
Highest Crime Rates
Northampton • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Excluding other crime and other theft because their geographic location is often not relevant, anti-social behaviour as its definition is too wide, and bicycle theft for its specificity.
Robbery offences have a crime rate of 2.91 reports per 1,000 people in Northampton, which is 2.47 times the national average. This figure is calculated from 485 crime reports logged by Northamptonshire Police during the 12-month period ending April 2026.
For the same period, Northamptonshire Police recorded 317 reports of Possession of Weapons in Northampton, resulting in a crime rate of 1.90 reports per 1,000, and a CrimeRate Index of 2.24.
The crime rate for Shoplifting is 1.79 times the national average at 13 reports per 1,000. This is from 2,126 crime reports reported to Northamptonshire Police.
Most Significant 3-Year Increases in Crime Types
Northampton
Excluding other crime and other theft, anti-social behaviour, and bicycle theft, and calculated with the same STL method described in Trends in Crime Risk, using CrimeRate Index figures to identify crime types that are trending above or below the national average, and the analysis timeframe limited to the last three years.
Public Order offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.33 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Public Order CrimeRate Index was 0.97 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 37% over this timeframe.
Robbery offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 2.00 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Robbery CrimeRate Index was 1.89 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 6% over this timeframe.
Shoplifting offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.80 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Shoplifting CrimeRate Index was 2.02 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 60% over this timeframe.
Most Significant 3-Year Decreases in Crime Types
Northampton
Calculated with the same methodology as the largest increases section above.
Violence and Sexual Offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.35 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Violence and Sexual Offences CrimeRate Index was 1.58 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 15% over this timeframe.
Drugs offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.39 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Drugs CrimeRate Index was 1.48 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 6% over this timeframe.
Criminal Damage and Arson offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.28 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Criminal Damage and Arson CrimeRate Index was 1.48 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 14% over this timeframe.
Crime Type Breakdown & Heat Map
Northampton • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Size and colour reflect the CrimeRate Index figures for each type of crime.
Northampton | Northamptonshire | East Midlands | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Type | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 4,464 | 26.80 | 1.90 | 16,213 | 18.20 | 1.29 | 82,288 | 14.84 | 1.05 |
| Bicycle Theft | 181 | 1.09 | 1.49 | 376 | 0.42 | 0.58 | 3,605 | 0.66 | 0.90 |
| Burglary | 745 | 4.47 | 1.43 | 2,664 | 3.01 | 0.96 | 16,428 | 2.97 | 0.95 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,236 | 7.42 | 1.18 | 4,602 | 5.19 | 0.83 | 36,709 | 6.63 | 1.06 |
| Drugs | 738 | 4.43 | 1.43 | 2,513 | 2.82 | 0.91 | 14,102 | 2.53 | 0.82 |
| Other Crime | 315 | 1.88 | 1.02 | 1,363 | 1.54 | 0.83 | 11,549 | 2.09 | 1.13 |
| Other Theft | 1,180 | 7.08 | 1.24 | 4,118 | 4.60 | 0.81 | 28,010 | 5.03 | 0.88 |
| Possession of Weapons | 317 | 1.90 | 2.24 | 1,013 | 1.14 | 1.34 | 5,077 | 0.92 | 1.08 |
| Public Order | 1,257 | 7.53 | 1.30 | 4,103 | 4.60 | 0.79 | 33,621 | 6.06 | 1.04 |
| Robbery | 485 | 2.91 | 2.47 | 1,114 | 1.25 | 1.06 | 5,222 | 0.95 | 0.81 |
| Shoplifting | 2,126 | 12.78 | 1.79 | 5,868 | 6.59 | 0.92 | 41,773 | 7.51 | 1.05 |
| Theft From the Person | 105 | 0.63 | 0.41 | 202 | 0.23 | 0.15 | 2,834 | 0.51 | 0.33 |
| Vehicle Crime | 1,163 | 6.98 | 1.62 | 3,628 | 4.08 | 0.95 | 20,391 | 3.67 | 0.85 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 6,882 | 41.32 | 1.36 | 25,332 | 28.45 | 0.94 | 169,276 | 30.51 | 1.00 |
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Total Crime by Year
Northampton | Northamptonshire | East Midlands | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| 2026 | 16,730 | 100.42 | 1.40 | 56,896 | 63.92 | 0.89 | 388,597 | 70.04 | 0.97 |
| 2025 | 17,933 | 108.59 | 1.47 | 59,808 | 67.74 | 0.92 | 391,366 | 71.16 | 0.96 |
| 2024 | 17,732 | 108.41 | 1.44 | 59,826 | 68.52 | 0.91 | 401,136 | 73.81 | 0.98 |
| 2023 | 18,584 | 114.40 | 1.45 | 64,169 | 74.24 | 0.94 | 420,118 | 78.15 | 0.99 |
| 2022 | 18,041 | 111.83 | 1.46 | 62,563 | 73.20 | 0.95 | 404,389 | 76.27 | 0.99 |
| 2021 | 17,161 | 106.22 | 1.55 | 62,324 | 73.61 | 1.07 | 361,494 | 68.61 | 1.00 |
| 2020 | 16,769 | 103.50 | 1.40 | 61,660 | 73.35 | 0.99 | 388,888 | 74.15 | 1.00 |
| 2019 | 17,581 | 108.81 | 1.43 | 60,958 | 73.05 | 0.96 | 375,243 | 71.88 | 0.94 |
| 2018 | 16,217 | 101.27 | 1.42 | 54,751 | 66.53 | 0.94 | 331,940 | 64.14 | 0.90 |
| 2017 | 16,326 | 103.07 | 1.61 | 54,549 | 67.50 | 1.06 | 297,381 | 58.03 | 0.91 |
| 2016 | 4,947 | 31.33 | 1.64 | 16,396 | 20.45 | 1.07 | 87,914 | 17.17 | 0.90 |
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Comparing Northampton to the UK's Major Cities
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| City Name | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 79.55 | 21% safer |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 82.69 | 18% safer |
| Sheffield | 84.09 | 16% safer |
| Leicester | 97.87 | 2.5% safer |
| Northampton | 100.42 | - |
| Bristol | 104.64 | 4.2% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 105.05 | 4.6% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 106.48 | 6% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 107.10 | 7% more dangerous |
| Nottingham | 107.74 | 7% more dangerous |
| Westminster | 125.00 | 24% more dangerous |
CrimeRate Pro
To download charts and tables, you must subscribed to CrimeRate Pro
You can find out more, or get a CrimeRate Insights report that includes further analysis.
Offences In and Around Northampton's Parks & Leisure Spaces
Limited to spaces in Northampton that are named and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries in the 12 months to Apr 2026.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lings Forum | 3 | - | 1 | - | 6 | 13 |
| Glebelands Allotments | 5 | - | - | - | 12 | 8 |
| Rectory Farm Pocket Park | 17 | 1 | 2 | - | 21 | 13 |
| Bold Dragons Cricket Club | 4 | - | - | - | 4 | 5 |
| Victoria Park | 102 | 18 | 24 | 15 | 89 | 92 |
| Hunsbury Hill Country Park | 24 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 20 |
| Kingsthorpe Park | 24 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 20 |
| Eastfield Park | 21 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 32 | 13 |
| Abington Park | 36 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 38 | 22 |
| Beckett's Park | 18 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 24 |
| King's Heath Park | 12 | 1 | 2 | - | 15 | 9 |
| Thornton Park | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Bants Lane Allotments | 4 | - | 1 | - | - | 5 |
| Dallington Health Club | 2 | - | - | - | 15 | 7 |
| Dallington Park | 30 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 36 | 12 |
| Benham Sports Arena | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 |
| The Racecourse | 80 | 15 | 19 | 15 | 103 | 86 |
| Abington Bowling Club | 1 | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| Midsummer Meadow | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 12 |
| Northampton Old Scouts Rugby Football Club | 2 | - | - | - | 4 | 3 |
| Upton Country Park | 20 | - | 2 | - | 8 | 4 |
Recent Crimes in Northampton
The 20 most recent crime reports in Northampton.
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near St Paul'S Road | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Longford Avenue | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Elmhurst Court | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Emerald Way | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Hunter Street | |
| April 2026 | Burglary | On or near Kingsley Gardens | |
| April 2026 | Drugs | On or near Mapperley Drive | |
| April 2026 | Drugs | On or near Streatfeild Road | |
| April 2026 | Other crime | On or near Northampton Lane South | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near Lowlands Close | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near Underbank Lane | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near Cottingham Drive | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near Magee Street | |
| April 2026 | Possession of weapons | On or near Witham Green | |
| April 2026 | Public order | On or near Kingsley Gardens | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Park Avenue North | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Emerald Way | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Elm Street | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Oleander Crescent | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Wheatfield Road South |
Methodology & Data Sources
Northampton Crime Report
Data Sources & Processing
Every month, CrimeRate processes crime reports from data.police.uk, the UK's official provider of open crime report data. Each crime report includes anonymised coordinates, most often "snapped" to the middle of the nearest street, or to the nearest major landmark. The reports also include the month and year the crime was reported, as well as the type of crime.
Data releases on data.police.uk happen once a month, with a two-month delay. This means that, for example, crimes reported in Northampton during August 2026 will typically become available in October 2026. The latest release is for Apr 2026 and was released in Jun 2026. To provide current and historical crime statistics, CrimeRate processed 61,669,232 crime reports for the latest release.
Northampton Data Points
For Northampton, CrimeRate uses the geographic boundaries provided by The Office for National Statistics in the December 2023 release of their Parishes and Non Civil Parished Areas dataset, using the PARNCP23CD column value E04013033.
Due to the 2021 Census being conducted during a UK-wide Coronavirus lockdown, the daytime population figures released so far cannot be relied on for purposes such as comparing crime rates. Instead, CrimeRate uses Northampton's daytime - or "workday" - population of 138,770 from the ONS 2011 Census for calculations throughout the site.
All geographic boundaries use the full resolution - extent of the realm versions where provided to avoid missing crime reports near coastlines and rivers - the banks of the Thames in particular - that would otherwise not be included when using the clipped to the coastline datasets.
Calculating Crime Rates
CrimeRate locates the UK region, county, and town/city/village locality for each crime report, and calculates the crime rate by taking the sum of all crime reports, dividing it by the locality's daytime / "workday" population, and multiplying the result by 1,000 to get the crime rate per 1,000.
Crime Risk Score Calculations
CrimeRate calculates crime counts for local, nearby, and wider areas for every postcode in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The postcodes locations are deduplicated by a process that ensures distinct points are approximately 50 metres apart. This process removes the bias that would otherwise come from counting the same crimes several times in heavily populated areas.
Using a custom algorithm developed in-house, CrimeRate applies a crime severity weighting to each area's crime counts, based on the type of crime reported. This increases or decreases the crime count, or zeroes it out entirely, depending on the crime type. A separate crime severity rate is then calculated, standardised, and scaled to fit the crime risk score range of 1 to 1,000, with 1 being the lowest score, and 1,000 the highest.
Crime risk scores undergo further analysis per town, city, and village plus other areas including police forces and neighbourhoods. CrimeRate uses percentiles to work out the most common range of crime risk scores in each locality. This includes identifying the high and low bounds where approximately 68% of scores fall, and finding the median (50th percentile) for easy reference.
The crime types with a weight of zero are: Anti-Social Behaviour; Bicycle Theft; Other Crime; Other Theft; and Shoplifting. The highest weights to are assigned to Violence & Sexual Offences, and the lowest to Vehicle Crime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crime in Northampton