Crime in Norfolk: statistics, rates and trends
66,675 crimes were recorded in Norfolk in the 12 months to August 2026, 70.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (28,098), anti-social behaviour (9,198) and criminal damage and arson (5,962) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 14th of the 20 counties covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Norfolk | East of England | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 66,675 | 530,364 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 70.9 | 80.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 940,359 | 6,576,306 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Norfolk peaked in the year to August 2022 (78,454 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (66,648). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 8%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 66,675 | 70.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 66,803 | 71.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 66,648 | 70.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 71,164 | 75.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 78,454 | 83.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 73,946 | 78.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 74,676 | 79.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 73,342 | 78.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 72,290 | 76.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 6,172 |
| July 2026 | 6,506 |
| June 2026 | 6,091 |
| May 2026 | 5,861 |
| April 2026 | 5,428 |
| March 2026 | 5,657 |
| February 2026 | 4,750 |
| January 2026 | 4,830 |
| December 2025 | 5,071 |
| November 2025 | 5,178 |
| October 2025 | 5,610 |
| September 2025 | 5,521 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and theft from the person (78% below) and robbery (69% below) were well below it.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 28,098 | 29.9 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 9,198 | 9.8 | 15.4 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 5,962 | 6.3 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 5,673 | 6.0 | 8.5 | -5% |
| Public order | 4,506 | 4.8 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Other theft | 4,059 | 4.3 | 6.4 | +2% |
| Other crime | 1,854 | 2.0 | 2.1 | -7% |
| Drugs | 1,843 | 2.0 | 3.3 | +8% |
| Burglary | 1,717 | 1.8 | 3.6 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 1,480 | 1.6 | 5.0 | -8% |
| Possession of weapons | 837 | 0.9 | 1.0 | +8% |
| Bicycle theft | 706 | 0.8 | 0.8 | -7% |
| Robbery | 395 | 0.4 | 1.4 | -6% |
| Theft from the person | 347 | 0.4 | 1.7 | -10% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest counties have a higher crime rate than Norfolk; the highest is Lincolnshire (92.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Suffolk (61.9).
| County | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Norfolk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk | 48,655 | 61.9 | -13% |
| Cambridgeshire | 54,865 | 77.2 | +9% |
| Lincolnshire | 72,613 | 92.0 | +30% |
| Essex | 125,970 | 80.6 | +14% |
| Hertfordshire | 106,430 | 86.1 | +21% |
| Leicestershire | 51,097 | 68.5 | -3% |
| Kent | 145,778 | 88.9 | +25% |
| Nottinghamshire | 73,574 | 85.8 | +21% |
Of the 7 areas within Norfolk, Norwich had the highest crime rate (124.7 per 1,000) and Broadland the lowest (39.8), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwich | District | 147,182 | 18,355 | 124.7 |
| Great Yarmouth | District | 100,529 | 11,347 | 112.9 |
| King's Lynn and West Norfolk | District | 156,206 | 10,306 | 66.0 |
| Breckland | District | 146,620 | 8,523 | 58.1 |
| North Norfolk | District | 103,217 | 5,331 | 51.6 |
| South Norfolk | District | 148,448 | 7,321 | 49.3 |
| Broadland | District | 138,157 | 5,492 | 39.8 |
Of the 57,477 crimes in Norfolk with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 9,198 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 26,283 | 45.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 11,875 | 20.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 6,008 | 10.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 4,003 | 7.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 2,440 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 2,296 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,598 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1,497 | 2.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 695 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 324 | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 225 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 125 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Norfolk has an estimated population of 940,359 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (25%, against 19%), more retired residents (28%, against 22%) and fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Norfolk average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Norfolk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 5.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Norfolk a safe place to live?
Norfolk recorded 70.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 14th of the 20 counties on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Norfolk?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 28,098 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (9,198).
Is crime in Norfolk going up or down?
Recorded crime in Norfolk was almost unchanged on the year before: 66,675 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 66,803 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Norfolk?
About 940,359 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Norfolk?
Norfolk is policed by Norfolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.