Crime in Bristol, City of: statistics, rates and trends
73,581 crimes were recorded in Bristol, City of in the 12 months to August 2026, 148.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bristol, City of at a glance
- Crime trends in Bristol, City of
- Types of crime in Bristol, City of
- Home Office recorded crime in Bristol, City of
- Bristol, City of compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Bristol, City of
- Streets with the most crime in Bristol, City of
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bristol, City of
- Demographics of Bristol, City of
- Fly-tipping in Bristol
- Questions about crime in Bristol, City of
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (25,105), anti-social behaviour (10,780) and shoplifting (6,891) made up 58% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 13th of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Bristol, City of | South West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 73,581 | 437,109 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 148.8 | 83.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 494,399 | 5,220,315 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Bristol, City of of any year here (73,581 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 73,581 | 148.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 66,917 | 135.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 67,908 | 137.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 60,825 | 123.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 60,667 | 122.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 58,007 | 117.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 60,669 | 122.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 60,971 | 123.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 62,823 | 127.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 5,806 |
| July 2026 | 6,402 |
| June 2026 | 5,980 |
| May 2026 | 6,128 |
| April 2026 | 6,122 |
| March 2026 | 6,436 |
| February 2026 | 5,509 |
| January 2026 | 5,953 |
| December 2025 | 5,902 |
| November 2025 | 6,350 |
| October 2025 | 6,786 |
| September 2025 | 6,207 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bristol, City of recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.5 times the national rate), robbery (2.2 times the national rate) and public order (90% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (44% below). On the year before, theft from the person rose from 258 to 463 and possession of weapons rose from 365 to 483.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 25,105 | 50.8 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 10,780 | 21.8 | 15.4 | +8% |
| Shoplifting | 6,891 | 13.9 | 8.5 | +23% |
| Public order | 6,256 | 12.7 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Other theft | 5,543 | 11.2 | 6.4 | +10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 5,263 | 10.6 | 6.7 | +24% |
| Vehicle crime | 4,655 | 9.4 | 5.0 | +22% |
| Burglary | 3,016 | 6.1 | 3.6 | +26% |
| Robbery | 1,505 | 3.0 | 1.4 | +25% |
| Drugs | 1,465 | 3.0 | 3.3 | +2% |
| Other crime | 1,120 | 2.3 | 2.1 | +5% |
| Bicycle theft | 1,036 | 2.1 | 0.8 | +13% |
| Possession of weapons | 483 | 1.0 | 1.0 | +32% |
| Theft from the person | 463 | 0.9 | 1.7 | +79% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
64,759 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in Bristol, City of in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 131.0 per 1,000 residents, higher than the England and Wales rate of 83.2. Among the 272 districts of England and Wales with a figure for that year, Bristol, City of had the 10th highest rate (the street-level ranking above is among the 302 districts with street-level pages on this site, over the 12 months to August 2026).
Of the crimes recorded in the Avon and Somerset Police area in the year ending March 2026, 2.5% were not assigned to a district. Those crimes are counted in the force and England and Wales totals but in no district, so the figure for Bristol, City of is an undercount.
No change on the year or longer series is given for Bristol, City of: comparable figures start in the year ending March 2026, because the share of crimes in the Avon and Somerset Police area not assigned to a district moved from 1.4% in the year ending March 2025 to 2.5% in the year ending March 2026, which changes district totals without any change in crime.
Offences recorded in Bristol, City of, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was violence without injury, with 10,185 offences (16% of the total). Relative to England and Wales, rates were highest for robbery of business property (2.9 times the national rate), bicycle theft (2.5 times the national rate) and public order offences (2.2 times the national rate). Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for theft from the person (0.45 times).
| Offence | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence without injury | 10,185 | 20.6 | 13.2 | 1.56 |
| Stalking and harassment | 8,500 | 17.2 | 10.1 | 1.71 |
| Public order offences | 7,692 | 15.6 | 7.0 | 2.24 |
| Shoplifting | 6,309 | 12.8 | 8.1 | 1.57 |
| Other theft offences | 5,631 | 11.4 | 6.5 | 1.74 |
| Criminal damage | 5,077 | 10.3 | 6.8 | 1.50 |
| Vehicle offences | 4,835 | 9.8 | 5.0 | 1.94 |
| Violence with injury | 4,747 | 9.6 | 8.1 | 1.18 |
| Residential burglary | 1,766 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 1.43 |
| Other sexual offences | 1,433 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 1.27 |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 1,123 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 1.08 |
| Rape | 1,120 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.88 |
| Non-residential burglary | 1,057 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 1.91 |
| Bicycle theft | 1,034 | 2.1 | 0.85 | 2.45 |
| Possession of drugs | 943 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 0.76 |
| Robbery of personal property | 810 | 1.6 | 0.91 | 1.80 |
| Trafficking of drugs | 788 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.35 |
| Robbery of business property | 680 | 1.4 | 0.47 | 2.90 |
| Possession of weapons | 421 | 0.85 | 1.00 | 0.86 |
| Theft from the person | 396 | 0.80 | 1.8 | 0.45 |
| Arson | 206 | 0.42 | 0.38 | 1.10 |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 5 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.29 |
| Homicide | 1 | <0.01 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
Districts in the Avon and Somerset Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 5 districts in the Avon and Somerset Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Bristol, City of had the highest rate.
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol, City of | 64,759 | 131.0 | 1.57 |
| Somerset | 49,467 | 84.1 | 1.01 |
| North Somerset | 18,369 | 81.8 | 0.98 |
| Bath and North East Somerset | 15,811 | 79.0 | 0.95 |
| South Gloucestershire | 22,595 | 73.8 | 0.89 |
Source: Home Office police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables (released 23 July 2026), gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Financial years, excluding fraud; how they differ from the street-level figures: methodology.
Bristol, City of has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest districts.
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bristol, City of |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Gloucestershire | 23,911 | 78.1 | -48% |
| Bath and North East Somerset | 18,013 | 90.1 | -39% |
| North Somerset | 19,384 | 86.3 | -42% |
| Newport | 23,166 | 138.0 | -7% |
| Monmouthshire | 7,626 | 80.3 | -46% |
| Torfaen | 11,756 | 124.9 | -16% |
| Cardiff | 42,811 | 111.5 | -25% |
| Wiltshire | 31,724 | 60.6 | -59% |
Of the 36 areas within Bristol, City of, Central had the highest crime rate (520.2 per 1,000) and Redland the lowest (50.3), 10 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central | Neighbourhood | 23,555 | 12,253 | 520.2 |
| Lawrence Hill | Neighbourhood | 21,987 | 5,818 | 264.6 |
| Avonmouth | Town | 2,109 | 495 | 234.7 |
| Lockleaze | Neighbourhood | 14,029 | 2,898 | 206.6 |
| Hartcliffe and Withywood | Neighbourhood | 19,421 | 3,828 | 197.1 |
| Hotwells and Harbourside | Neighbourhood | 6,705 | 1,235 | 184.2 |
| Ashley | Neighbourhood | 21,827 | 3,845 | 176.2 |
| Southville | Neighbourhood | 14,773 | 2,589 | 175.3 |
| St George West | Neighbourhood | 6,605 | 1,038 | 157.2 |
| Horfield | Neighbourhood | 13,504 | 2,056 | 152.3 |
| Eastville | Neighbourhood | 17,019 | 2,568 | 150.9 |
| Bristol | Town | 446,069 | 67,024 | 150.3 |
| Frome Vale | Neighbourhood | 14,152 | 2,125 | 150.2 |
| Brislington West | Neighbourhood | 12,677 | 1,834 | 144.7 |
| Filwood | Neighbourhood | 13,401 | 1,888 | 140.9 |
| Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston | Neighbourhood | 22,931 | 3,084 | 134.5 |
| Easton | Neighbourhood | 14,551 | 1,946 | 133.7 |
| Southmead | Neighbourhood | 13,698 | 1,804 | 131.7 |
| Henbury and Brentry | Neighbourhood | 13,986 | 1,812 | 129.6 |
| St George Central | Neighbourhood | 14,285 | 1,751 | 122.6 |
| Bishopsworth | Neighbourhood | 13,937 | 1,613 | 115.7 |
| Hengrove and Whitchurch Park | Neighbourhood | 20,852 | 2,386 | 114.4 |
| Hillfields | Neighbourhood | 13,070 | 1,473 | 112.7 |
| Brislington East | Neighbourhood | 12,681 | 1,343 | 105.9 |
| Knowle | Neighbourhood | 14,563 | 1,426 | 97.9 |
| Stockwood | Neighbourhood | 11,160 | 1,078 | 96.6 |
| Clifton Down | Neighbourhood | 13,096 | 1,195 | 91.2 |
| Bishopston and Ashley Down | Neighbourhood | 13,830 | 1,244 | 89.9 |
| Cotham | Neighbourhood | 9,045 | 780 | 86.2 |
| Clifton | Neighbourhood | 13,010 | 1,070 | 82.2 |
| Windmill Hill | Neighbourhood | 14,817 | 1,207 | 81.5 |
| Bedminster | Neighbourhood | 10,617 | 856 | 80.6 |
| Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze | Neighbourhood | 20,912 | 1,596 | 76.3 |
| Stoke Bishop | Neighbourhood | 13,617 | 880 | 64.6 |
| St George Troopers Hill | Neighbourhood | 6,249 | 366 | 58.6 |
| Redland | Neighbourhood | 13,837 | 696 | 50.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 16% of the crime recorded in Bristol, City of over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (2,465).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 2,465 |
| On or near Parking Area | 2,427 |
| On or near Nightclub | 1,780 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 1,715 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 1,148 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 603 |
| On or near Hospital | 565 |
| On or near Ferry Terminal | 558 |
| On or near Cannon Street | 479 |
| On or near Lanes End | 383 |
Of the 62,801 crimes in Bristol, City of with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 10,780 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 24,434 | 38.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 22,492 | 35.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 4,711 | 7.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 4,101 | 6.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2,625 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 1,453 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 915 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 733 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 592 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 261 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 257 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 165 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
Bristol, City of has an estimated population of 494,399 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (13.7%, against 7.9%), a younger population (13%, against 19%) and fewer retired residents (14%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bristol, City of average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Bristol, City of | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 13.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 42.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 11.3% | 10.1% (England) |
10,266 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Bristol in 2024/25 (20.8 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 Bristol has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Bristol, City of a safe place to live?
Bristol, City of recorded 148.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 13th of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and robbery.
What is the most common crime in Bristol, City of?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 25,105 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (10,780).
Is crime in Bristol, City of going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bristol, City of was up 10% on the year before: 73,581 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 66,917 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bristol, City of?
About 494,399 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bristol, City of?
Bristol, City of is policed by Avon and Somerset.
How many crimes did the police record in Bristol, City of in the year ending March 2026?
64,759 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 131.0 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales.
Which offences are more common in Bristol, City of than across England and Wales?
Relative to the national rate, the most over-represented categories in the year ending March 2026 were robbery of business property (680 offences, 2.9 times the England and Wales rate), bicycle theft (1,034 offences, 2.5 times the England and Wales rate) and public order offences (7,692 offences, 2.2 times the England and Wales rate).
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.