Crime in Medway: statistics, rates and trends
29,963 crimes were recorded in Medway in the 12 months to August 2026, 102.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Medway at a glance
- Crime trends in Medway
- Types of crime in Medway
- Medway compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Medway
- Streets with the most crime in Medway
- What happened after crimes were reported in Medway
- Demographics of Medway
- Fly-tipping in Medway
- Questions about crime in Medway
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (10,940), anti-social behaviour (6,241) and criminal damage and arson (2,522) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 92nd of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Medway | South East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 29,963 | 787,517 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 102.4 | 81.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 292,655 | 9,642,942 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Medway of any year here (29,963 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 25%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 29,963 | 102.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 31,047 | 106.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 32,004 | 109.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 34,334 | 117.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 36,606 | 125.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 37,359 | 127.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 38,388 | 131.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 35,970 | 122.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 39,881 | 136.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 2,837 |
| July 2026 | 2,921 |
| June 2026 | 2,473 |
| May 2026 | 2,609 |
| April 2026 | 2,553 |
| March 2026 | 2,696 |
| February 2026 | 2,225 |
| January 2026 | 2,318 |
| December 2025 | 2,369 |
| November 2025 | 2,268 |
| October 2025 | 2,399 |
| September 2025 | 2,295 |
Compared with England and Wales, Medway recorded notably more other crime (43% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (39% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (28% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (73% below) and burglary (35% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 250 to 304 and anti-social behaviour rose from 5,136 to 6,241, while theft from the person fell from 162 to 133 and burglary fell from 812 to 672.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 10,940 | 37.4 | 34.2 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 6,241 | 21.3 | 15.4 | +22% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 2,522 | 8.6 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Shoplifting | 2,162 | 7.4 | 8.5 | -12% |
| Other theft | 2,043 | 7.0 | 6.4 | +4% |
| Public order | 1,315 | 4.5 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Vehicle crime | 1,220 | 4.2 | 5.0 | -11% |
| Drugs | 983 | 3.4 | 3.3 | -10% |
| Other crime | 884 | 3.0 | 2.1 | -8% |
| Burglary | 672 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -17% |
| Possession of weapons | 333 | 1.1 | 1.0 | +7% |
| Robbery | 304 | 1.0 | 1.4 | +22% |
| Bicycle theft | 211 | 0.7 | 0.8 | +4% |
| Theft from the person | 133 | 0.5 | 1.7 | -18% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest districts have a higher crime rate than Medway; the highest is Southend-on-Sea district (114.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Castle Point (62.3).
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Medway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravesham | 10,265 | 92.8 | -9% |
| Maidstone | 16,356 | 87.1 | -15% |
| Swale | 15,704 | 99.2 | -3% |
| Tonbridge and Malling | 9,281 | 67.8 | -34% |
| Castle Point | 5,644 | 62.3 | -39% |
| Thurrock | 18,319 | 101.2 | -1% |
| Dartford | 13,370 | 107.0 | +4% |
| Southend-on-Sea | 21,255 | 114.7 | +12% |
Of the 36 areas within Medway, Fort Pitt had the highest crime rate (283.4 per 1,000) and Cliffe Woods the lowest (26.2), 11 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Pitt | Neighbourhood | 11,985 | 3,397 | 283.4 |
| Gillingham South | Neighbourhood | 17,183 | 3,072 | 178.8 |
| Chatham Central & Brompton | Neighbourhood | 20,050 | 3,304 | 164.8 |
| Luton | Neighbourhood | 10,351 | 1,454 | 140.5 |
| Rochester West & Borstal | Neighbourhood | 13,101 | 1,726 | 131.7 |
| Chatham | Town | 80,114 | 10,149 | 126.7 |
| Watling | Neighbourhood | 16,016 | 1,924 | 120.1 |
| Strood West | Neighbourhood | 17,541 | 2,082 | 118.7 |
| Gillingham North | Neighbourhood | 16,808 | 1,907 | 113.5 |
| Wayfield & Weeds Wood | Neighbourhood | 10,242 | 1,083 | 105.7 |
| Gillingham (Medway) | Town | 115,187 | 11,367 | 98.7 |
| Rochester | Town | 70,153 | 6,763 | 96.4 |
| Rochester East & Warren Wood | Neighbourhood | 14,037 | 1,255 | 89.4 |
| Chattenden | Town | 3,376 | 262 | 77.6 |
| Allhallows | Town | 1,671 | 128 | 76.6 |
| Twydall | Neighbourhood | 9,060 | 688 | 75.9 |
| Strood North & Frindsbury | Neighbourhood | 14,707 | 1,102 | 74.9 |
| Fort Horsted | Neighbourhood | 5,529 | 400 | 72.3 |
| Princes Park | Neighbourhood | 10,192 | 650 | 63.8 |
| Hoo St Werburgh | Town | 10,213 | 646 | 63.3 |
| Rainham North | Neighbourhood | 14,876 | 937 | 63.0 |
| All Saints | Neighbourhood | 4,740 | 298 | 62.9 |
| Hoo St Werburgh & High Halstow | Neighbourhood | 15,893 | 999 | 62.9 |
| Cliffe (Medway) | Town | 2,804 | 174 | 62.1 |
| Halling | Town | 1,262 | 75 | 59.4 |
| Rainham South West | Neighbourhood | 9,388 | 551 | 58.7 |
| Strood Rural | Neighbourhood | 13,076 | 736 | 56.3 |
| Lordswood & Walderslade | Neighbourhood | 14,027 | 789 | 56.2 |
| Hempstead & Wigmore | Neighbourhood | 9,610 | 507 | 52.8 |
| Grain | Town | 1,724 | 90 | 52.2 |
| Cuxton, Halling & Riverside | Neighbourhood | 6,617 | 329 | 49.7 |
| Rainham South East | Neighbourhood | 13,680 | 662 | 48.4 |
| High Halstow | Town | 2,304 | 91 | 39.5 |
| Cuxton | Town | 2,997 | 112 | 37.4 |
| St Mary's Island | Neighbourhood | 3,946 | 111 | 28.1 |
| Cliffe Woods | Town | 3,088 | 81 | 26.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 20% of the crime recorded in Medway over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (1,712).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 1,712 |
| On or near Supermarket | 1,007 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 879 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 772 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 498 |
| On or near Wharf Road | 341 |
| On or near High Street | 292 |
| On or near Barnfield | 226 |
| On or near Hospital | 220 |
| On or near Windmill Road | 178 |
Of the 23,722 crimes in Medway with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 6,241 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 9,085 | 38.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 8,306 | 35.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,753 | 7.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 1,719 | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 757 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 674 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 536 | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 527 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 213 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 90 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 45 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 15 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Medway has an estimated population of 292,655 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (26%, against 34%) and less social housing (14%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Medway average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 9.2% | 10.1% (England) |
6,262 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Medway in 2024/25 (21.4 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 Medway has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Medway a safe place to live?
Medway recorded 102.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 92nd of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Medway?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 10,940 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (6,241).
Is crime in Medway going up or down?
Recorded crime in Medway was down 3% on the year before: 29,963 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 31,047 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Medway?
About 292,655 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Medway?
Medway 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.