Crime and Safety in Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear
Last updated: 07 Jun 2026
Houghton-le-Spring is the second most dangerous small town in Tyne & Wear, and is among the top 10 most dangerous overall out of Tyne & Wear's 28 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Houghton-le-Spring in 2026 is 79 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Tyne & Wear's overall crime rate, coming in 3.5% higher than the Tyne & Wear rate of 76 per 1,000 daytime population. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Houghton-le-Spring is the 262nd most dangerous small town, and the 1,667th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In January 2026, Houghton-le-Spring had the worst crime rate in Tyne & Wear for burglary, with 8 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.61 per 1,000 daytime population. January 2026 was also a bad month for Houghton-le-Spring residents, when it was Tyne & Wear's most dangerous area for robbery, recording 1 crime at a rate of 0.08 per 1,000 daytime population.
The most common crimes in Houghton-le-Spring are violence and sexual offences, with 376 offences during 2026, giving a crime rate of 29. This is 18% lower than 2025's figure of 456 offences and a difference of 6.15 from 2025's crime rate of 35. Houghton-le-Spring's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 2 offences recorded in 2026, a decrease of 50% from 2025's figure of 4 crimes.
Houghton-le-Spring 2026 Crime Scorecard
Second Most Dangerous
Small Towns, Tyne & Wear
7% lower, regional crime rate
North East
10% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
Local Crime in Context
As of April 2026, the crime rate in Houghton-le-Spring is 7% lower than the North East and 10% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
Houghton-le-Spring Crime Rate Over Time
| Houghton-le-Spring | |
| North East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Houghton-le-Spring Crime Map
Incidents mapped in Houghton-le-Spring 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 Houghton-le-Spring Compares
You can compare Houghton-le-Spring'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 Houghton-le-Spring's crime statistics
This crime profile provides a detailed view of crime and safety around Houghton-le-Spring up to April 2026, the most recent data release available. The crime figures and statistics have been calculated across each of Houghton-le-Spring's 313 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 Houghton-le-Spring? 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
Houghton-le-Spring • 12 Months Ending April 2026
The typical five-minute walk within Houghton-le-Spring has a crime risk score of 465. This is based on analysis of 313 nearby areas within Houghton-le-Spring, 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 Houghton-le-Spring's risk scores as, for example, robbery, or violence & sexual offences.
Within a five-minute walk of the typical location in Houghton-le-Spring, crime risk scores are typically around 465, while in Tyne & Wear they are average 515.
Areas within a ten-minute walk typically see crime risk scores of 500 (576 for Tyne & Wear), and scores within a fifteen-minute walk are most often around 584 (Tyne & Wear 622).
Trends in Crime Risk
Houghton-le-Spring
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 10% in Houghton-le-Spring'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 Houghton-le-Spring's crime risk score is down by 10%. 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, Houghton-le-Spring's crime risk score has shown an upward trend of approximately 4.3%, indicating that the risk profile is going up. This is an extremely short time period for crime trend analysis, and caution should be exercised when interpreting this figure.
Crime Rates and Indexes
Houghton-le-Spring
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
Houghton-le-Spring • 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.
Burglary offences have a crime rate of 7.29 reports per 1,000 people in Houghton-le-Spring, which is 2.33 times the national average. This figure is calculated from 95 crime reports logged by Northumbria Police during the 12-month period ending April 2026.
For the same period, Northumbria Police recorded 7 reports of Possession of Weapons in Houghton-le-Spring, resulting in a crime rate of 0.54 reports per 1,000, and a CrimeRate Index of 1.50.
The crime rate for Criminal Damage and Arson is 1.49 times the national average at 9.36 reports per 1,000. This is from 122 crime reports reported to Northumbria Police.
Most Significant 3-Year Increases in Crime Types
Houghton-le-Spring
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.
Burglary offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 5.13 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Burglary CrimeRate Index was 1.03 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 398% over this timeframe.
Shoplifting offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.17 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Shoplifting CrimeRate Index was 1.08 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 8% over this timeframe.
Robbery offences are trending upwards, though the CrimeRate Index three years ago is too low to measure, and the trend should be reviewed with caution.
Most Significant 3-Year Decreases in Crime Types
Houghton-le-Spring
Calculated with the same methodology as the largest increases section above.
Vehicle Crime offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.31 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Vehicle Crime CrimeRate Index was 1.05 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 25% over this timeframe.
Criminal Damage and Arson offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.85 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Criminal Damage and Arson CrimeRate Index was 1.95 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 5% over this timeframe.
Possession of Weapons offences are trending downwards, though the CrimeRate Index three years ago is too low to measure, and the trend should be reviewed with caution.
Crime Type Breakdown & Heat Map
Houghton-le-Spring • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Size and colour reflect the CrimeRate Index figures for each type of crime.
Houghton-le-Spring | Tyne & Wear | North East | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Type | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 220 | 16.87 | 1.19 | 23,059 | 17.10 | 1.21 | 60,647 | 19.76 | 1.40 |
| Bicycle Theft | 2 | 0.16 | 1.78 | 710 | 0.54 | 0.74 | 1,566 | 0.51 | 0.70 |
| Burglary | 95 | 7.29 | 2.33 | 5,081 | 3.77 | 1.20 | 12,568 | 4.10 | 1.31 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 122 | 9.36 | 1.49 | 11,024 | 8.17 | 1.30 | 31,671 | 10.32 | 1.64 |
| Drugs | 22 | 1.69 | 0.59 | 2,980 | 2.21 | 0.72 | 7,960 | 2.59 | 0.84 |
| Other Crime | 44 | 3.37 | 1.82 | 4,262 | 3.16 | 1.71 | 10,427 | 3.40 | 1.84 |
| Other Theft | 50 | 3.82 | 0.79 | 7,032 | 5.20 | 0.91 | 16,082 | 5.24 | 0.92 |
| Possession of Weapons | 7 | 0.54 | 1.50 | 1,082 | 0.79 | 0.93 | 2,627 | 0.84 | 0.99 |
| Public Order | 96 | 7.35 | 1.36 | 9,204 | 6.82 | 1.18 | 22,100 | 7.21 | 1.24 |
| Robbery | 17 | 1.31 | 1.46 | 1,813 | 1.35 | 1.14 | 3,786 | 1.23 | 1.04 |
| Shoplifting | 136 | 10.44 | 1.46 | 14,098 | 10.46 | 1.47 | 33,748 | 10.99 | 1.54 |
| Theft From the Person | 5 | 0.39 | 0.76 | 824 | 0.61 | 0.39 | 1,449 | 0.47 | 0.30 |
| Vehicle Crime | 57 | 4.36 | 1.10 | 4,898 | 3.61 | 0.84 | 11,617 | 3.77 | 0.88 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 376 | 28.82 | 0.95 | 39,832 | 29.55 | 0.97 | 104,999 | 34.22 | 1.13 |
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Total Crime by Year
Houghton-le-Spring | Tyne & Wear | North East | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| 2026 | 1,029 | 78.90 | 1.17 | 102,840 | 76.24 | 1.06 | 260,600 | 84.89 | 1.18 |
| 2025 | 1,170 | 89.70 | 1.26 | 117,105 | 87.13 | 1.18 | 272,201 | 89.21 | 1.21 |
| 2024 | 1,160 | 89.23 | 1.23 | 120,036 | 90.33 | 1.20 | 285,067 | 94.47 | 1.25 |
| 2023 | 1,098 | 85.37 | 1.13 | 121,430 | 92.52 | 1.17 | 295,603 | 99.04 | 1.25 |
| 2022 | 1,130 | 88.93 | 1.21 | 116,049 | 89.56 | 1.17 | 273,599 | 93.03 | 1.21 |
| 2021 | 1,220 | 97.28 | 1.48 | 107,826 | 83.61 | 1.22 | 250,848 | 85.95 | 1.25 |
| 2020 | 1,314 | 106.31 | 1.51 | 122,585 | 94.98 | 1.28 | 276,026 | 94.68 | 1.28 |
| 2019 | 1,350 | 110.52 | 1.54 | 139,523 | 108.10 | 1.42 | 298,335 | 102.44 | 1.34 |
| 2018 | 1,296 | 106.84 | 1.58 | 134,395 | 104.16 | 1.46 | 280,195 | 96.33 | 1.35 |
| 2017 | 810 | 67.28 | 1.13 | 108,660 | 84.25 | 1.32 | 226,807 | 78.00 | 1.22 |
| 2016 | 273 | 22.74 | 1.35 | 31,151 | 24.16 | 1.27 | 66,798 | 22.96 | 1.20 |
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Houghton-le-Spring Compared to Nearby Small Towns
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
Comparing Houghton-le-Spring to the UK's Major Cities
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| City Name | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Houghton-le-Spring | 78.90 | - |
| Cardiff | 79.55 | 0.82% more dangerous |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 82.69 | 4.8% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 84.09 | 7% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.87 | 24% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 104.64 | 33% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 105.05 | 33% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 106.48 | 35% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 107.10 | 36% more dangerous |
| Nottingham | 107.74 | 37% more dangerous |
| Westminster | 125.00 | 58% more dangerous |
CrimeRate Pro
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You can find out more, or get a CrimeRate Insights report that includes further analysis.
Offences In and Around Houghton-le-Spring's Parks & Leisure Spaces
Limited to spaces in Houghton-le-Spring 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton Sports Complex | 11 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 55 |
| Rectory Park | 48 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 40 | 38 |
| Russell Foster Football Centre | 9 | - | - | - | 11 | 2 |
Recent Crimes in Houghton-le-Spring
The 20 most recent crime reports in Houghton-le-Spring.
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Shakespeare Street | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near A182 | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near A182 | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Marlborough Court | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Church Street | |
| April 2026 | Burglary | On or near Burn Promenade | |
| April 2026 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Seaham Road | |
| April 2026 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Burn Promenade | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near North Road | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near Greenwood Avenue | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near Rosedale Crescent | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near Church Street | |
| April 2026 | Possession of weapons | On or near Nine Lands | |
| April 2026 | Theft from the person | On or near Seaham Road | |
| April 2026 | Vehicle crime | On or near Castle Dene Grove | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Dunkirk Avenue | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Grasswell Terrace | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Grasswell Terrace | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Leyburn Close | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Burn Promenade |
Methodology & Data Sources
Houghton-le-Spring 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 Houghton-le-Spring during June 2026 will typically become available in August 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.
Houghton-le-Spring Data Points
For Houghton-le-Spring, CrimeRate uses the geographic boundaries provided by The Office for National Statistics in the December 2022 release of their Built Up Areas dataset, using the BUA22CD column value E63000166.
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 Houghton-le-Spring's daytime - or "workday" - population of 8,626 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 Houghton-le-Spring