Crime in Canterbury district: statistics, rates and trends
17,480 crimes were recorded in Canterbury district in the 12 months to August 2026, 107.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Canterbury district at a glance
- Crime trends in Canterbury district
- Types of crime in Canterbury district
- Canterbury district compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Canterbury district
- Streets with the most crime in Canterbury district
- What happened after crimes were reported in Canterbury district
- Demographics of Canterbury district
- Fly-tipping in Canterbury
- Questions about crime in Canterbury district
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (5,804), anti-social behaviour (3,481) and shoplifting (2,343) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 79th of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Canterbury district | Kent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 17,480 | 145,778 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 107.8 | 88.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 162,100 | 1,639,029 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Canterbury district peaked in the year to August 2018 (18,681 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (16,296). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 6%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 17,480 | 107.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 16,911 | 104.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 16,296 | 100.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 17,064 | 105.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 17,588 | 108.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 18,287 | 112.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 18,628 | 114.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 17,473 | 107.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 18,681 | 115.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,562 |
| July 2026 | 1,674 |
| June 2026 | 1,520 |
| May 2026 | 1,517 |
| April 2026 | 1,453 |
| March 2026 | 1,495 |
| February 2026 | 1,308 |
| January 2026 | 1,297 |
| December 2025 | 1,410 |
| November 2025 | 1,463 |
| October 2025 | 1,477 |
| September 2025 | 1,304 |
Compared with England and Wales, Canterbury district recorded notably more shoplifting (71% above the national rate), criminal damage and arson (40% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (40% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (71% below) and public order (46% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 2,475 to 3,481 and robbery rose from 138 to 187.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 5,804 | 35.8 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 3,481 | 21.5 | 15.4 | +41% |
| Shoplifting | 2,343 | 14.5 | 8.5 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,529 | 9.4 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Other theft | 1,123 | 6.9 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 656 | 4.0 | 5.0 | +1% |
| Drugs | 597 | 3.7 | 3.3 | -10% |
| Public order | 587 | 3.6 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Burglary | 401 | 2.5 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Other crime | 372 | 2.3 | 2.1 | -13% |
| Robbery | 187 | 1.2 | 1.4 | +36% |
| Bicycle theft | 175 | 1.1 | 0.8 | +10% |
| Possession of weapons | 147 | 0.9 | 1.0 | -14% |
| Theft from the person | 78 | 0.5 | 1.7 | -12% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest districts have a higher crime rate than Canterbury district; the highest is Thanet (115.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Ashford (77.3).
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Canterbury district |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | 10,506 | 87.7 | -19% |
| Thanet | 16,491 | 115.6 | +7% |
| Swale | 15,704 | 99.2 | -8% |
| Ashford | 10,895 | 77.3 | -28% |
| Folkestone and Hythe | 9,645 | 85.8 | -20% |
| Southend-on-Sea | 21,255 | 114.7 | +6% |
| Medway | 29,963 | 102.4 | -5% |
| Maidstone | 16,356 | 87.1 | -19% |
Of the 33 areas within Canterbury district, Westgate had the highest crime rate (304.2 per 1,000) and Blean the lowest (23.7), 13 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westgate | Neighbourhood | 10,879 | 3,309 | 304.2 |
| Northgate | Neighbourhood | 8,267 | 2,017 | 244.0 |
| Canterbury | Town | 57,896 | 9,598 | 165.8 |
| Barton | Neighbourhood | 12,588 | 1,904 | 151.3 |
| Heron | Neighbourhood | 15,552 | 2,146 | 138.0 |
| Gorrell | Neighbourhood | 11,920 | 1,363 | 114.3 |
| Wincheap | Neighbourhood | 11,324 | 1,259 | 111.2 |
| St Stephen's | Neighbourhood | 8,137 | 845 | 103.8 |
| Herne Bay | Town | 24,618 | 2,506 | 101.8 |
| Seasalter | Neighbourhood | 8,095 | 706 | 87.2 |
| Whitstable | Town | 31,070 | 2,675 | 86.1 |
| Sturry | Neighbourhood | 8,620 | 679 | 78.8 |
| Chartham | Town | 2,451 | 179 | 73.0 |
| West Bay | Neighbourhood | 3,120 | 212 | 67.9 |
| Hersden | Town | 2,285 | 155 | 67.8 |
| Greenhill | Neighbourhood | 3,728 | 240 | 64.4 |
| Swalecliffe | Neighbourhood | 2,845 | 183 | 64.3 |
| Chartham & Stone Street | Neighbourhood | 7,693 | 494 | 64.2 |
| Herne | Town | 14,401 | 821 | 57.0 |
| Reculver | Neighbourhood | 4,434 | 250 | 56.4 |
| Sturry | Town | 3,165 | 174 | 55.0 |
| Tankerton | Neighbourhood | 3,160 | 169 | 53.5 |
| Little Stour & Adisham | Neighbourhood | 4,684 | 220 | 47.0 |
| Rough Common | Town | 1,676 | 76 | 45.3 |
| Chestfield | Neighbourhood | 6,792 | 300 | 44.2 |
| Herne & Broomfield | Neighbourhood | 10,163 | 418 | 41.1 |
| Littlebourne | Town | 1,352 | 54 | 39.9 |
| Blean Forest | Neighbourhood | 9,558 | 368 | 38.5 |
| Nailbourne | Neighbourhood | 4,196 | 160 | 38.1 |
| Beltinge | Neighbourhood | 6,345 | 238 | 37.5 |
| Bridge | Town | 2,832 | 93 | 32.8 |
| Upper Harbledown | Town | 1,289 | 42 | 32.6 |
| Blean | Town | 1,181 | 28 | 23.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 23% of the crime recorded in Canterbury district over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (1,388).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 1,388 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 622 |
| On or near Parking Area | 517 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 289 |
| On or near Hospital | 242 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 231 |
| On or near Butchery Lane | 219 |
| On or near Vauxhall Avenue | 205 |
| On or near St Dunstan'S Street | 199 |
| On or near High Street | 178 |
Of the 13,999 crimes in Canterbury district with a recorded outcome, 40% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 3,481 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 5,603 | 40.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 4,848 | 34.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 940 | 6.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 855 | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 663 | 4.7% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 346 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 332 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 258 | 1.8% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 99 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 37 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Canterbury district has an estimated population of 162,100 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (16.1%, against 7.9%) and less social housing (12%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Canterbury district average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Canterbury district | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 16.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.5% | 10.1% (England) |
3,012 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Canterbury in 2024/25 (18.6 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 Canterbury has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Canterbury district a safe place to live?
Canterbury district recorded 107.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 79th of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Canterbury district?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 5,804 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (3,481).
Is crime in Canterbury district going up or down?
Recorded crime in Canterbury district was up 3% on the year before: 17,480 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 16,911 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Canterbury district?
About 162,100 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Canterbury district?
Canterbury district 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.