Northampton Crime Overview
Northampton is the most dangerous city in Northamptonshire, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Northamptonshire's 272 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Northampton in 2020 was 97 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Northamptonshire's overall crime rate, coming in 14% higher than the Northamptonshire rate of 84 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Northampton is among the top 20 most dangerous cities, and the 540th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Northampton had the worst crime rate in Northamptonshire for bicycle theft, with 22 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.10 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Northampton residents, when it was Northamptonshire's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 130 crimes at a rate of 0.57 per 1,000 residents. Northampton recorded 179 reports of criminal damage and arson during December 2020, making its crime rate of 0.78 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Northamptonshire that month.
The most common crimes in Northampton are violence and sexual offences, with 10,696 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 46. This is 17% higher than 2019's figure of 8,874 offences and a difference of 7.92 from 2019's crime rate of 39. Northampton's least common crime is theft from the person, with 142 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 76% from 2019's figure of 250 crimes.
Compare Northampton to other towns and cities
See how Northampton shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Northampton and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Northampton Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Northampton This Year
| Northampton | Northamptonshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 7,396 | 32.15 | 22,723 | 30.20 | 6% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 354 | 1.54 | 676 | 0.90 | 42% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 1,281 | 5.57 | 3,619 | 4.81 | 14% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 2,007 | 8.72 | 6,105 | 8.11 | 7% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 942 | 4.10 | 2,024 | 2.69 | 34% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 544 | 2.36 | 1,671 | 2.22 | 6% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 1,435 | 6.24 | 4,434 | 5.89 | 6% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 230 | 1.00 | 649 | 0.86 | 14% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,842 | 8.01 | 5,248 | 6.97 | 13% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 318 | 1.38 | 833 | 1.11 | 20% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 919 | 4.00 | 2,747 | 3.65 | 9% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 142 | 0.62 | 283 | 0.38 | 39% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 1,693 | 7.36 | 4,616 | 6.13 | 17% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 10,696 | 46.50 | 29,989 | 39.85 | 14% more dangerous |
Crime in Northampton Compared To Northamptonshire
Northampton Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 40 | 32 | 27 | 32 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.5 | Safer |
| Burglary | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 4.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.88 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.0 | Safer |
| Public Order | 2.7 | 4.1 | 5 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 2.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 7 | 7 | 4.0 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.62 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 12 | 13 | 11 | 7 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 31 | 34 | 39 | 46 | Getting worse |
Changes In Northampton's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Northampton to the UK's Major Cities
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 44% safer |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 26% safer |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 17% safer |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 13% safer |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 13% safer |
| Northampton | 97.39 | - |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 0.05% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 5% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 9% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 27% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 29% more dangerous |
Crime in Northampton's Neighbourhoods
Cliftonville & Rushmere is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Northampton, followed by Town Centre & Semilong in second place, and St Michael's Road as the third most dangerous area. Northampton's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Abington Vale, New Duston West, and Westone.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abington | 758 | 100 | 12th |
| Abington Vale | 267 | 46 | 25th |
| Blackthorn & Lings | 791 | 131 | Sixth |
| Boothville & Spinney Hill | 558 | 92 | 13th |
| Boughton | 384 | 59 | 23rd |
| Briar Hill & Hunsbury Hill | 526 | 88 | 17th |
| Cliftonville & Rushmere | 2,593 | 286 | First |
| Delapre | 552 | 92 | 14th |
| Eastfield | 771 | 113 | Eighth |
| King's Heath & Spencer | 1,110 | 132 | Fourth |
| Kingsley Park & Racecourse | 744 | 126 | Seventh |
| Kingsthorpe | 671 | 112 | Tenth |
| Little Billing | 601 | 78 | 20th |
| Lodge Farm | 615 | 92 | 15th |
| Moulton | 378 | 63 | 22nd |
| New Duston East | 424 | 69 | 21st |
| New Duston West | 225 | 43 | 26th |
| Overstone Lodge & Rectory Farm | 706 | 85 | 18th |
| Phippsville | 596 | 91 | 16th |
| St David's | 734 | 113 | Ninth |
| St Michael's Road | 1,300 | 153 | Third |
| Stornton & Sixfields | 950 | 132 | Fifth |
| Sunnyside | 504 | 83 | 19th |
| Thorplands & Round Spinney | 853 | 100 | 11th |
| Town Centre & Semilong | 2,700 | 273 | Second |
| Westone | 327 | 58 | 24th |
Northampton Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Northampton for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Westone (87) | Town Centre & Semilong (825) |
| Bicycle Theft | Little Billing (1) | Cliftonville & Rushmere (73) |
| Burglary | Boughton (20) | Cliftonville & Rushmere (148) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | New Duston West (19) | Town Centre & Semilong (207) |
| Drugs | New Duston West (5) | Town Centre & Semilong (172) |
| Other Crime | New Duston West (5) | Town Centre & Semilong (58) |
| Other Theft | New Duston West (10) | Cliftonville & Rushmere (205) |
| Possession of Weapons | Boughton (1) | Town Centre & Semilong (54) |
| Public Order | New Duston West (11) | Cliftonville & Rushmere (254) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Westone (1) | Town Centre & Semilong (53) |
| Shoplifting | Boughton (1) | Town Centre & Semilong (303) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | King's Heath & Spencer (1) | Cliftonville & Rushmere (37) |
| Vehicle Crime | New Duston West (12) | Cliftonville & Rushmere (130) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Abington Vale (120) | Cliftonville & Rushmere (1,234) |
Crime in Northampton During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Northampton change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in September, when Northampton saw a 110% increase in other crime. Northampton saw a large fall in theft from the person during May, when it fell by 89% compared to May in 2019. Other Theft saw a fall in every month of Northampton's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -23% | +102% | +93% | +27% | +7% | +13% | +23% | +9% | +24% | +5% |
| Bicycle Theft | -22% | -67% | -20% | +12% | - | -8% | -19% | -41% | -26% | -33% |
| Burglary | -39% | -60% | -38% | -53% | -23% | -30% | +14% | +6% | -2% | +15% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -17% | -39% | -16% | -4% | -16% | +2% | -16% | -37% | -2% | - |
| Drugs | +104% | +25% | +35% | +19% | +27% | - | -5% | -20% | -22% | -21% |
| Other Crime | +40% | -17% | -13% | -33% | +70% | +48% | +110% | +7% | -9% | +52% |
| Other Theft | -10% | -47% | -35% | -34% | -3% | -11% | +16% | -4% | -22% | -25% |
| Possession of Weapons | -32% | -22% | - | +24% | +16% | -22% | +35% | +5% | -30% | -38% |
| Public Order | -10% | +13% | +81% | +61% | +61% | +81% | +62% | +55% | +108% | +39% |
| Robbery | -30% | -43% | -38% | -53% | -43% | - | +10% | - | -31% | - |
| Shoplifting | -34% | -63% | -61% | -11% | -38% | -59% | -62% | -27% | -49% | -52% |
| Theft From the Person | -55% | -78% | -89% | -56% | -29% | -43% | +20% | -37% | -50% | +33% |
| Vehicle Crime | -57% | -57% | -25% | -24% | -47% | -54% | -59% | -43% | +8% | +28% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -3% | -1% | +1% | +25% | +31% | +36% | +35% | +24% | +20% | +17% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Northampton
What police force serves Northampton?
Northampton's local territorial police force is the Northamptonshire Police.How dangerous is Northampton?
Northampton is the most dangerous city in Northamptonshire.What is Northampton's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Northampton are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Northampton?
Northampton's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021