Crime in Darlington district: statistics, rates and trends
14,196 crimes were recorded in Darlington district in the 12 months to August 2026, 126.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Darlington district at a glance
- Crime trends in Darlington district
- Types of crime in Darlington district
- Home Office recorded crime in Darlington district
- Darlington district compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Darlington district
- Streets with the most crime in Darlington district
- What happened after crimes were reported in Darlington district
- Demographics of Darlington district
- Fly-tipping in Darlington
- Questions about crime in Darlington district
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (4,476), anti-social behaviour (3,353) and criminal damage and arson (1,383) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 36th of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Darlington district | North East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 14,196 | 319,289 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 126.2 | 115.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 112,489 | 2,760,678 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Darlington district peaked in the year to August 2018 (16,416 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (13,296). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 14,196 | 126.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 13,296 | 118.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 13,673 | 121.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 14,378 | 127.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 14,278 | 126.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 14,037 | 124.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 15,686 | 139.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 15,313 | 136.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 16,416 | 145.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,355 |
| July 2026 | 1,391 |
| June 2026 | 1,353 |
| May 2026 | 1,259 |
| April 2026 | 1,190 |
| March 2026 | 1,132 |
| February 2026 | 1,017 |
| January 2026 | 1,062 |
| December 2025 | 1,049 |
| November 2025 | 1,137 |
| October 2025 | 1,145 |
| September 2025 | 1,106 |
Compared with England and Wales, Darlington district recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (94% above the national rate), criminal damage and arson (82% above the national rate) and other crime (55% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (69% below) and drugs (50% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 61 to 104 and other crime rose from 268 to 369, while drugs fell from 322 to 183.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 4,476 | 39.8 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 3,353 | 29.8 | 15.4 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,383 | 12.3 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Shoplifting | 1,325 | 11.8 | 8.5 | +18% |
| Public order | 886 | 7.9 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Other theft | 669 | 5.9 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 579 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Burglary | 578 | 5.1 | 3.6 | +27% |
| Other crime | 369 | 3.3 | 2.1 | +38% |
| Drugs | 183 | 1.6 | 3.3 | -43% |
| Possession of weapons | 120 | 1.1 | 1.0 | +20% |
| Bicycle theft | 113 | 1.0 | 0.8 | +4% |
| Robbery | 104 | 0.9 | 1.4 | +70% |
| Theft from the person | 58 | 0.5 | 1.7 | +21% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
10,240 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in Darlington district in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 91.0 per 1,000 residents, close to the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was almost unchanged on the year ending March 2025 (10,330), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 272 districts of England and Wales with a figure for that year, Darlington district had the 78th 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).
Offences recorded in Darlington district, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was violence without injury, with 1,765 offences (17% of the total). Relative to England and Wales, rates were highest for criminal damage (1.7 times the national rate), arson (1.6 times the national rate) and shoplifting (1.3 times the national rate). Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for theft from the person (0.19 times), robbery of personal property (0.42 times) and possession of drugs (0.43 times).
The largest rises on the year were in arson (+33%) and rape (+30%). The largest falls were in possession of drugs (−46%) and trafficking of drugs (−32%). Robbery of business property and shoplifting are not compared with the year ending March 2025: from April 2025 the Home Office Counting Rules were clarified so that a theft from a shop in which violence is used or threatened against staff or anyone else is recorded as robbery of business property rather than shoplifting (ONS).
| Offence | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence without injury | 1,765 | 15.7 | 13.2 | 1.19 | −1% |
| Criminal damage | 1,321 | 11.7 | 6.8 | 1.72 | −2% |
| Stalking and harassment | 1,289 | 11.5 | 10.1 | 1.14 | +6% |
| Shoplifting | 1,186 | 10.5 | 8.1 | 1.30 | – |
| Violence with injury | 886 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 0.97 | +6% |
| Public order offences | 869 | 7.7 | 7.0 | 1.11 | +4% |
| Other theft offences | 652 | 5.8 | 6.5 | 0.88 | +1% |
| Vehicle offences | 488 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 0.86 | −25% |
| Residential burglary | 352 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.26 | +19% |
| Other sexual offences | 286 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 1.12 | −1% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 280 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 1.19 | +3% |
| Rape | 170 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.25 | +30% |
| Possession of drugs | 122 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 0.43 | −46% |
| Non-residential burglary | 114 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.91 | −32% |
| Bicycle theft | 100 | 0.89 | 0.85 | 1.04 | −8% |
| Possession of weapons | 91 | 0.81 | 1.00 | 0.81 | −12% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 81 | 0.72 | 1.2 | 0.61 | −32% |
| Arson | 68 | 0.60 | 0.38 | 1.59 | +33% |
| Robbery of personal property | 43 | 0.38 | 0.91 | 0.42 | +10% |
| Robbery of business property | 40 | 0.36 | 0.47 | 0.75 | – |
| Theft from the person | 37 | 0.33 | 1.8 | 0.19 | +28% |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 0 | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.00 | −100% |
| Homicide | 0 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | −100% |
Recorded crime in Darlington district since the year ending March 2013
The chart shows police recorded crime per 1,000 residents in each year ending March from 2013 to 2026. Darlington district's rate was above the England and Wales rate in every one of those 14 years. Changes in how forces record crime move these figures as well as changes in crime (methodology).
| Year ending March | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 10,240 | 91.0 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 10,330 | 91.8 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 12,009 | 106.8 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 11,635 | 103.4 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 10,933 | 97.2 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 10,231 | 91.0 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 12,667 | 112.6 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 11,965 | 106.4 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 12,597 | 112.0 | 78.2 |
| 2017 | 10,147 | 90.2 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 7,921 | 70.4 | 62.3 |
| 2015 | 7,295 | 64.9 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 7,612 | 67.7 | 55.9 |
| 2013 | 6,994 | 62.2 | 56.7 |
Districts in the Durham Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 2 districts in the Durham Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Darlington district had the highest rate.
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington | 10,240 | 91.0 | 1.09 |
| County Durham | 48,961 | 91.0 | 1.09 |
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.
4 of the 8 nearest districts have a higher crime rate than Darlington district; the highest is Middlesbrough district (186.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Gateshead district (95.0).
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Darlington district |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-on-Tees | 29,842 | 144.3 | +14% |
| Middlesbrough | 29,172 | 186.8 | +48% |
| County Durham | 64,837 | 120.5 | -5% |
| Hartlepool | 16,060 | 163.6 | +30% |
| Redcar and Cleveland | 18,954 | 136.1 | +8% |
| Sunderland | 28,197 | 97.7 | -23% |
| Gateshead | 19,271 | 95.0 | -25% |
| South Tyneside | 15,579 | 102.9 | -18% |
Of the 24 areas within Darlington district, Park East had the highest crime rate (419.9 per 1,000) and Hummersknott the lowest (34.3), 12 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park East | Neighbourhood | 6,949 | 2,918 | 419.9 |
| North Road | Neighbourhood | 5,796 | 1,185 | 204.5 |
| Northgate | Neighbourhood | 3,257 | 658 | 202.0 |
| Stephenson | Neighbourhood | 5,282 | 959 | 181.6 |
| Red Hall & Lingfield | Neighbourhood | 4,825 | 800 | 165.8 |
| Bank Top & Lascelles | Neighbourhood | 7,888 | 1,088 | 137.9 |
| Darlington | Town | 94,315 | 12,444 | 131.9 |
| Cockerton | Neighbourhood | 6,258 | 777 | 124.2 |
| Sadberge & Middleton St George | Neighbourhood | 7,768 | 889 | 114.4 |
| Pierremont | Neighbourhood | 6,722 | 715 | 106.4 |
| Hurworth-on-Tees | Town | 2,368 | 239 | 100.9 |
| Park West | Neighbourhood | 5,532 | 514 | 92.9 |
| Eastbourne | Neighbourhood | 6,605 | 612 | 92.7 |
| Haughton & Springfield | Neighbourhood | 5,567 | 503 | 90.4 |
| Whinfield | Neighbourhood | 4,455 | 396 | 88.9 |
| Brinkburn & Faverdale | Neighbourhood | 7,868 | 616 | 78.3 |
| Harrowgate Hill | Neighbourhood | 7,146 | 523 | 73.2 |
| Hurworth | Neighbourhood | 4,483 | 324 | 72.3 |
| Middleton St George | Town | 3,930 | 247 | 62.8 |
| Heighington & Coniscliffe | Neighbourhood | 4,430 | 263 | 59.4 |
| Heighington | Town | 1,583 | 85 | 53.7 |
| Mowden | Neighbourhood | 3,851 | 177 | 46.0 |
| College | Neighbourhood | 4,313 | 159 | 36.9 |
| Hummersknott | Neighbourhood | 3,494 | 120 | 34.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 20% of the crime recorded in Darlington district over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (614).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 614 |
| On or near East Row | 474 |
| On or near Supermarket | 351 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 307 |
| On or near Commercial Street | 282 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 187 |
| On or near West Row | 156 |
| On or near Teeswater | 144 |
| On or near Barningham Street | 140 |
| On or near Barton Street | 127 |
Of the 10,843 crimes in Darlington district with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 3,353 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 4,260 | 39.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 3,599 | 33.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,033 | 9.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 721 | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 300 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 257 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 235 | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 116 | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 102 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 82 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 76 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 57 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Darlington district has an estimated population of 112,489 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Darlington district average decile 5.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Darlington district | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 18.5% | 10.1% (England) |
3,846 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Darlington in 2024/25 (34.2 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 Darlington has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Darlington district a safe place to live?
Darlington district recorded 126.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 36th of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Darlington district?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 4,476 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (3,353).
Is crime in Darlington district going up or down?
Recorded crime in Darlington district was up 7% on the year before: 14,196 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 13,296 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Darlington district?
About 112,489 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Darlington district?
Darlington district is policed by Durham.
How many crimes did the police record in Darlington district in the year ending March 2026?
10,240 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 91.0 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 10,330.
Which offences are more common in Darlington district than across England and Wales?
Relative to the national rate, the most over-represented categories in the year ending March 2026 were criminal damage (1,321 offences, 1.7 times the England and Wales rate), arson (68 offences, 1.6 times the England and Wales rate) and shoplifting (1,186 offences, 1.3 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.