Crime in Ainsdale: statistics, rates and trends
657 crimes were recorded in Ainsdale in the 12 months to August 2026, 50.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (292), shoplifting (74) and anti-social behaviour (71) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,989th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Ainsdale | Sefton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 657 | 24,393 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 50.9 | 85.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 12,896 | 286,281 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Ainsdale of any year here (657 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 31%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 657 | 50.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 673 | 52.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 711 | 55.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 793 | 61.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 970 | 75.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 956 | 74.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 902 | 69.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,004 | 77.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 951 | 73.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 52 |
| July 2026 | 82 |
| June 2026 | 57 |
| May 2026 | 60 |
| April 2026 | 59 |
| March 2026 | 40 |
| February 2026 | 47 |
| January 2026 | 35 |
| December 2025 | 51 |
| November 2025 | 65 |
| October 2025 | 66 |
| September 2025 | 43 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (64% below) and other theft (60% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 36 to 63 and shoplifting rose from 45 to 74.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 292 | 22.6 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Shoplifting | 74 | 5.7 | 8.5 | +64% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 71 | 5.5 | 15.4 | -14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 63 | 4.9 | 6.7 | +75% |
| Public order | 60 | 4.7 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Other theft | 33 | 2.6 | 6.4 | +18% |
| Burglary | 19 | 1.5 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 11 | 0.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 11 | 0.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 8 | 0.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Ainsdale; the highest is Duke's (207.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Meols, Sefton (38.3).
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Ainsdale over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Station Road” (72).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Station Road | 72 |
| On or near Bowness Avenue | 30 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 23 |
| On or near Rose Crescent | 23 |
| On or near Brookdale | 21 |
| On or near Supermarket | 19 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 16 |
| On or near Mary Avenue | 14 |
| On or near Parking Area | 14 |
| On or near Heathfield Road | 13 |
Of the 586 crimes in Ainsdale with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 71 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 227 | 38.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 175 | 29.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 72 | 12.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 46 | 7.8% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 18 | 3.1% | 0.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 18 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 8 | 1.4% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 6 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Ainsdale has an estimated population of 12,896 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more retired residents (35%, against 22%), an older population (30%, against 19%) and less private renting (10%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ainsdale average decile 6.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Ainsdale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 35.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 79.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ainsdale a safe place to live?
Ainsdale recorded 50.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,989th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ainsdale?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 292 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (74).
Is crime in Ainsdale going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ainsdale was down 2% on the year before: 657 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 673 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ainsdale?
About 12,896 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ainsdale?
Ainsdale is policed by Merseyside.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.