Crime in Dorset: statistics, rates and trends
21,072 crimes were recorded in Dorset in the 12 months to August 2026, 54.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dorset at a glance
- Crime trends in Dorset
- Types of crime in Dorset
- Dorset compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Dorset
- Streets with the most crime in Dorset
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dorset
- Demographics of Dorset
- Fly-tipping in Dorset
- Questions about crime in Dorset
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (7,666), anti-social behaviour (5,593) and criminal damage and arson (1,616) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 281st of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Dorset | South West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 21,072 | 437,109 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 54.0 | 83.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 389,947 | 5,220,315 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Dorset of any year here (21,072 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 | 21,072 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 21,872 | 56.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 22,146 | 56.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 22,924 | 58.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 24,187 | 62.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 25,254 | 64.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 26,441 | 67.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 26,124 | 67.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 27,671 | 71.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 2,228 |
| July 2026 | 2,346 |
| June 2026 | 1,789 |
| May 2026 | 1,867 |
| April 2026 | 1,774 |
| March 2026 | 1,676 |
| February 2026 | 1,448 |
| January 2026 | 1,538 |
| December 2025 | 1,586 |
| November 2025 | 1,512 |
| October 2025 | 1,743 |
| September 2025 | 1,565 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and theft from the person (92% below) and robbery (82% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs rose from 299 to 349, while bicycle theft fell from 127 to 87 and theft from the person fell from 80 to 55.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 7,666 | 19.7 | 34.2 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 5,593 | 14.3 | 15.4 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,616 | 4.1 | 6.7 | -10% |
| Shoplifting | 1,465 | 3.8 | 8.5 | -3% |
| Other theft | 1,339 | 3.4 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Public order | 1,014 | 2.6 | 6.7 | -25% |
| Burglary | 724 | 1.9 | 3.6 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 667 | 1.7 | 5.0 | -28% |
| Drugs | 349 | 0.9 | 3.3 | +17% |
| Other crime | 272 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Possession of weapons | 129 | 0.3 | 1.0 | -3% |
| Robbery | 96 | 0.2 | 1.4 | +12% |
| Bicycle theft | 87 | 0.2 | 0.8 | -31% |
| Theft from the person | 55 | 0.1 | 1.7 | -31% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest districts has a higher crime rate than Dorset.
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 35,930 | 87.9 | +63% |
| New Forest | 10,266 | 58.3 | +8% |
| Somerset | 53,421 | 90.8 | +68% |
| Wiltshire | 31,724 | 60.6 | +12% |
| Southampton | 34,688 | 133.7 | +147% |
| Bath and North East Somerset | 18,013 | 90.1 | +67% |
| Test Valley | 8,243 | 61.0 | +13% |
| Eastleigh | 9,432 | 66.0 | +22% |
Of the 104 areas within Dorset, Melcombe Regis had the highest crime rate (383.1 per 1,000) and Motcombe the lowest (17.4), 22 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melcombe Regis | Neighbourhood | 4,918 | 1,884 | 383.1 |
| Grove (Dorset) | Town | 1,521 | 158 | 103.9 |
| Dorchester West | Neighbourhood | 7,225 | 735 | 101.7 |
| Weymouth | Town | 53,983 | 5,466 | 101.3 |
| Westham | Neighbourhood | 9,688 | 971 | 100.2 |
| Bridport | Town | 9,964 | 845 | 84.8 |
| Radipole | Neighbourhood | 8,413 | 711 | 84.5 |
| Wimborne Minster | Neighbourhood | 11,156 | 906 | 81.2 |
| Shaftesbury | Town | 9,389 | 682 | 72.6 |
| Shaftesbury Town | Neighbourhood | 9,389 | 682 | 72.6 |
| Dorchester (Dorset) | Town | 22,613 | 1,631 | 72.1 |
| Bridport | Neighbourhood | 13,874 | 975 | 70.3 |
| Dorchester Poundbury | Neighbourhood | 6,142 | 430 | 70.0 |
| Fortuneswell | Town | 4,691 | 327 | 69.7 |
| Sherborne West | Neighbourhood | 6,416 | 445 | 69.4 |
| Weston (Dorset) | Town | 5,491 | 372 | 67.7 |
| Portland | Neighbourhood | 13,747 | 912 | 66.3 |
| Sturminster Newton | Town | 4,829 | 317 | 65.6 |
| Chickerell | Neighbourhood | 9,051 | 571 | 63.1 |
| Sandford (Dorset) | Town | 2,675 | 164 | 61.3 |
| Sherborne | Town | 10,933 | 667 | 61.0 |
| Wimborne Minster | Town | 15,977 | 972 | 60.8 |
| Upwey & Broadwey | Neighbourhood | 3,775 | 228 | 60.4 |
| Wareham | Town | 5,939 | 354 | 59.6 |
| Blandford Forum | Town | 13,804 | 800 | 58.0 |
| Winterborne North | Neighbourhood | 5,103 | 295 | 57.8 |
| Bradford Abbas | Town | 1,902 | 109 | 57.3 |
| Littlemoor & Preston | Neighbourhood | 11,186 | 636 | 56.9 |
| Blandford | Neighbourhood | 10,569 | 590 | 55.8 |
| Ferndown North | Neighbourhood | 8,159 | 448 | 54.9 |
| Wareham | Neighbourhood | 10,467 | 574 | 54.8 |
| Rodwell & Wyke | Neighbourhood | 13,890 | 745 | 53.6 |
| Three Legged Cross | Town | 1,145 | 60 | 52.4 |
| West Purbeck | Neighbourhood | 10,863 | 551 | 50.7 |
| Wool | Town | 5,958 | 302 | 50.7 |
| Swanage | Town | 9,411 | 477 | 50.7 |
| Dorchester East | Neighbourhood | 9,246 | 466 | 50.4 |
| Sherborne East | Neighbourhood | 4,517 | 222 | 49.1 |
| Crossways | Town | 1,996 | 96 | 48.1 |
| Lyme Regis | Town | 3,560 | 166 | 46.6 |
| Gillingham (Dorset) | Town | 11,690 | 539 | 46.1 |
| Chickerell | Town | 3,978 | 182 | 45.8 |
| Charlton Marshall | Town | 1,868 | 85 | 45.5 |
| Bere Regis | Town | 1,931 | 87 | 45.1 |
| Corfe Castle | Town | 1,657 | 73 | 44.1 |
| Ferndown South | Neighbourhood | 8,376 | 368 | 43.9 |
| West Moors | Town | 10,477 | 448 | 42.8 |
| Stalbridge | Town | 2,138 | 90 | 42.1 |
| Upton (Dorset) | Town | 8,761 | 366 | 41.8 |
| Gillingham | Neighbourhood | 15,244 | 635 | 41.7 |
| Sturminster Marshall | Town | 2,621 | 108 | 41.2 |
| Burton Bradstock | Town | 1,783 | 72 | 40.4 |
| Lyme & Charmouth | Neighbourhood | 5,263 | 209 | 39.7 |
| Ferndown | Town | 13,776 | 545 | 39.6 |
| Ashley Heath | Town | 8,135 | 319 | 39.2 |
| St Leonards & St Ives | Neighbourhood | 8,135 | 319 | 39.2 |
| Lytchett Matravers & Upton | Neighbourhood | 12,921 | 495 | 38.3 |
| Crossways | Neighbourhood | 4,131 | 158 | 38.2 |
| Maiden Newton | Town | 2,070 | 78 | 37.7 |
| Sherborne Rural | Neighbourhood | 4,092 | 154 | 37.6 |
| Beacon | Neighbourhood | 5,663 | 213 | 37.6 |
| Chalk Valleys | Neighbourhood | 2,126 | 79 | 37.2 |
| South East Purbeck | Neighbourhood | 3,251 | 120 | 36.9 |
| Stour & Allen Vale | Neighbourhood | 5,125 | 189 | 36.9 |
| Corfe Mullen | Town | 10,686 | 393 | 36.8 |
| West Moors & Three Legged Cross | Neighbourhood | 8,370 | 300 | 35.8 |
| Verwood | Town | 14,311 | 508 | 35.5 |
| Chesil Bank | Neighbourhood | 3,870 | 130 | 33.6 |
| Beaminster | Town | 3,095 | 101 | 32.6 |
| Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants | Neighbourhood | 5,317 | 167 | 31.4 |
| Lytchett Matravers | Town | 4,160 | 129 | 31.0 |
| Eggardon | Neighbourhood | 6,101 | 186 | 30.5 |
| Stoborough | Town | 1,853 | 56 | 30.2 |
| Blackmore Vale | Neighbourhood | 3,974 | 119 | 29.9 |
| Stalbridge & Marnhull | Neighbourhood | 6,035 | 178 | 29.5 |
| Langton Matravers | Town | 1,594 | 47 | 29.5 |
| West Parley | Neighbourhood | 4,894 | 144 | 29.4 |
| Cranborne & Alderholt | Neighbourhood | 5,045 | 147 | 29.1 |
| Beaminster | Neighbourhood | 4,444 | 129 | 29.0 |
| Child Okeford | Town | 1,491 | 43 | 28.8 |
| Alderholt | Town | 2,881 | 83 | 28.8 |
| West Parley | Town | 3,226 | 91 | 28.2 |
| Puddletown | Town | 2,681 | 75 | 28.0 |
| Hazelbury Bryan | Town | 1,966 | 54 | 27.5 |
| Bradpole | Town | 2,096 | 57 | 27.2 |
| Milborne St Andrew | Town | 1,475 | 40 | 27.1 |
| Southwell (Dorset) | Town | 2,044 | 55 | 26.9 |
| Winterborne St Martin | Town | 2,222 | 58 | 26.1 |
| Puddletown & Lower Winterborne | Neighbourhood | 6,637 | 172 | 25.9 |
| Winterborne Kingston | Town | 1,326 | 34 | 25.6 |
| Loders | Town | 1,702 | 43 | 25.3 |
| Charmouth | Town | 1,703 | 43 | 25.2 |
| Colehill & Wimborne Minster East | Neighbourhood | 7,130 | 180 | 25.2 |
| Cranborne Chase | Neighbourhood | 5,221 | 128 | 24.5 |
| Yetminster | Neighbourhood | 5,903 | 144 | 24.4 |
| Iwerne Minster | Town | 1,371 | 33 | 24.1 |
| Winterborne & Broadmayne | Neighbourhood | 4,206 | 97 | 23.1 |
| Charminster St Mary's | Neighbourhood | 7,877 | 166 | 21.1 |
| Sixpenny Handley | Town | 1,431 | 30 | 21.0 |
| Marshwood Vale | Neighbourhood | 3,565 | 74 | 20.8 |
| Mosterton | Town | 1,349 | 28 | 20.8 |
| Pimperne | Town | 4,635 | 93 | 20.1 |
| Charminster | Town | 2,646 | 51 | 19.3 |
| Motcombe | Town | 1,496 | 26 | 17.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 16% of the crime recorded in Dorset over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (1,157).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 1,157 |
| On or near Supermarket | 766 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 380 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 238 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 216 |
| On or near New Street | 140 |
| On or near The Rise | 135 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 133 |
| On or near Great George Street | 122 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 119 |
Of the 15,479 crimes in Dorset with a recorded outcome, 31% 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 5,593 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 5,700 | 36.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 4,835 | 31.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,757 | 11.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 912 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 502 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 438 | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 415 | 2.7% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 324 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 261 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 204 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 67 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 63 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Dorset has an estimated population of 389,947 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (31%, against 19%), more retired residents (33%, against 22%) and fewer students (4.4%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dorset average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 2.2% | 10.1% (England) |
1,410 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Dorset in 2024/25 (3.6 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 Dorset has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Dorset a safe place to live?
Dorset recorded 54.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 281st of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Dorset?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 7,666 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (5,593).
Is crime in Dorset going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dorset was down 4% on the year before: 21,072 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 21,872 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dorset?
About 389,947 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 31% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dorset?
Dorset is policed by Dorset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.