Crime in Ashford: statistics, rates and trends
10,895 crimes were recorded in Ashford in the 12 months to August 2026, 77.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ashford at a glance
- Crime trends in Ashford
- Types of crime in Ashford
- Ashford compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Ashford
- Streets with the most crime in Ashford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ashford
- Demographics of Ashford
- Fly-tipping in Ashford
- Questions about crime in Ashford
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,985), anti-social behaviour (2,134) and criminal damage and arson (978) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 193rd of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Ashford | Kent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 10,895 | 145,778 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 77.3 | 88.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 140,936 | 1,639,029 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Ashford of any year here (10,895 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 24%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 10,895 | 77.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 11,030 | 78.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 12,026 | 85.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 12,405 | 88.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 13,543 | 96.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 13,413 | 95.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 13,406 | 95.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 13,125 | 93.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 14,268 | 101.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,074 |
| July 2026 | 1,021 |
| June 2026 | 911 |
| May 2026 | 904 |
| April 2026 | 837 |
| March 2026 | 911 |
| February 2026 | 764 |
| January 2026 | 836 |
| December 2025 | 1,003 |
| November 2025 | 932 |
| October 2025 | 919 |
| September 2025 | 783 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and theft from the person (84% below) and robbery (62% below) were well below it. On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 65 to 111 and robbery rose from 48 to 72, while shoplifting fell from 1,206 to 879 and public order fell from 524 to 429.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,985 | 28.3 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 2,134 | 15.1 | 15.4 | +35% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 978 | 6.9 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Shoplifting | 879 | 6.2 | 8.5 | -27% |
| Other theft | 781 | 5.5 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Public order | 429 | 3.0 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Vehicle crime | 377 | 2.7 | 5.0 | +4% |
| Drugs | 340 | 2.4 | 3.3 | -3% |
| Burglary | 317 | 2.2 | 3.6 | +1% |
| Other crime | 311 | 2.2 | 2.1 | -4% |
| Possession of weapons | 143 | 1.0 | 1.0 | +8% |
| Bicycle theft | 111 | 0.8 | 0.8 | +71% |
| Robbery | 72 | 0.5 | 1.4 | +50% |
| Theft from the person | 38 | 0.3 | 1.7 | -3% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest districts have a higher crime rate than Ashford; the highest is Hastings district (146.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Rother (72.0).
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ashford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folkestone and Hythe | 9,645 | 85.8 | +11% |
| Maidstone | 16,356 | 87.1 | +13% |
| Swale | 15,704 | 99.2 | +28% |
| Canterbury | 17,480 | 107.8 | +39% |
| Dover | 10,506 | 87.7 | +13% |
| Medway | 29,963 | 102.4 | +32% |
| Rother | 6,923 | 72.0 | -7% |
| Hastings | 13,338 | 146.2 | +89% |
Of the 56 areas within Ashford, Victoria had the highest crime rate (226.7 per 1,000) and Park Farm North the lowest (29.5), 8 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Neighbourhood | 8,055 | 1,826 | 226.7 |
| Norman | Neighbourhood | 3,190 | 595 | 186.5 |
| Bockhanger | Neighbourhood | 4,098 | 521 | 127.1 |
| Godinton | Neighbourhood | 1,467 | 150 | 102.2 |
| Stanhope | Neighbourhood | 3,862 | 392 | 101.5 |
| Willesborough | Neighbourhood | 8,118 | 784 | 96.6 |
| Ashford (Ashford) | Town | 83,167 | 7,962 | 95.7 |
| Tenterden South | Neighbourhood | 2,837 | 266 | 93.8 |
| Aylesford & East Stour | Neighbourhood | 6,662 | 580 | 87.1 |
| Beaver | Neighbourhood | 9,253 | 777 | 84.0 |
| Furley | Neighbourhood | 5,798 | 473 | 81.6 |
| Goat Lees | Neighbourhood | 3,347 | 266 | 79.5 |
| Hothfield | Town | 1,368 | 108 | 78.9 |
| Washford | Neighbourhood | 3,632 | 280 | 77.1 |
| Tenterden | Town | 7,498 | 530 | 70.7 |
| Upper Weald | Neighbourhood | 3,313 | 220 | 66.4 |
| Bybrook | Neighbourhood | 3,087 | 201 | 65.1 |
| Tenterden North | Neighbourhood | 2,215 | 144 | 65.0 |
| Mersham, Sevington South with Finberry | Neighbourhood | 3,979 | 257 | 64.6 |
| Singleton East | Neighbourhood | 1,291 | 83 | 64.3 |
| Wye | Town | 2,516 | 161 | 64.0 |
| Wye with Hinxhill | Neighbourhood | 2,516 | 161 | 64.0 |
| Repton | Neighbourhood | 5,845 | 348 | 59.5 |
| Charing | Town | 2,852 | 169 | 59.3 |
| Pluckley | Town | 1,945 | 112 | 57.6 |
| Weald Central | Neighbourhood | 6,632 | 375 | 56.5 |
| Roman | Neighbourhood | 4,282 | 237 | 55.3 |
| High Halden | Town | 2,388 | 129 | 54.0 |
| Bethersden | Town | 1,748 | 93 | 53.2 |
| Highfield | Neighbourhood | 2,522 | 125 | 49.6 |
| Tenterden St Michael's | Neighbourhood | 2,446 | 120 | 49.1 |
| Rolvenden & Tenterden West | Neighbourhood | 2,773 | 136 | 49.0 |
| Conningbrook & Little Burton Farm | Neighbourhood | 1,608 | 73 | 45.4 |
| Wittersham | Town | 1,231 | 55 | 44.7 |
| Smarden | Town | 1,568 | 70 | 44.6 |
| Biddenden | Town | 1,412 | 63 | 44.6 |
| Woodchurch | Town | 2,059 | 91 | 44.2 |
| Kingsnorth Village & Bridgefield | Neighbourhood | 2,577 | 113 | 43.8 |
| Kennington | Neighbourhood | 2,320 | 101 | 43.5 |
| Downs North | Neighbourhood | 2,671 | 116 | 43.4 |
| Weald North | Neighbourhood | 2,656 | 111 | 41.8 |
| Finberry | Town | 2,167 | 89 | 41.1 |
| Weald South | Neighbourhood | 5,982 | 245 | 41.0 |
| Old Wives Lees | Town | 1,058 | 43 | 40.6 |
| Hamstreet | Town | 2,253 | 90 | 39.9 |
| Biddenden | Neighbourhood | 2,829 | 113 | 39.9 |
| Challock | Town | 1,408 | 56 | 39.8 |
| Downs West | Neighbourhood | 1,408 | 56 | 39.8 |
| Shadoxhurst | Town | 1,670 | 64 | 38.3 |
| Park Farm South | Neighbourhood | 1,801 | 63 | 35.0 |
| Singleton West | Neighbourhood | 1,920 | 67 | 34.9 |
| Isle of Oxney | Neighbourhood | 2,851 | 98 | 34.4 |
| Saxon Shore | Neighbourhood | 1,908 | 60 | 31.4 |
| Bircholt | Neighbourhood | 3,523 | 110 | 31.2 |
| Rolvenden | Town | 1,441 | 43 | 29.8 |
| Park Farm North | Neighbourhood | 2,810 | 83 | 29.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 22% of the crime recorded in Ashford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (528).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 528 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 404 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 289 |
| On or near Supermarket | 256 |
| On or near Hospital | 239 |
| On or near High Street | 210 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 149 |
| On or near Church Road | 135 |
| On or near Rectory Way | 118 |
| On or near Kimberley Way | 90 |
Of the 8,761 crimes in Ashford with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 2,134 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 3,232 | 36.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 3,126 | 35.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 606 | 6.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 520 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 386 | 4.4% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 325 | 3.7% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 258 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 205 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 60 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 26 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Ashford has an estimated population of 140,936 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%) and fewer students (5.4%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ashford average decile 5.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Ashford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.1% | 10.1% (England) |
1,454 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Ashford in 2024/25 (10.3 per 1,000 residents, against 21.1 across the councils in England that count all incidents), according to the council's return to Defra. Fly-tipping is not in the police figures on this page: fly-tipping in Ashford has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Ashford a safe place to live?
Ashford recorded 77.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 193rd of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ashford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,985 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (2,134).
Is crime in Ashford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ashford was down 1% on the year before: 10,895 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 11,030 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ashford?
About 140,936 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ashford?
Ashford is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.