Crime in Ballard: statistics, rates and trends
369 crimes were recorded in Ballard in the 12 months to August 2026, 89.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (168), shoplifting (40) and anti-social behaviour (33) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,506th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Ballard | New Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 369 | 10,266 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 89.8 | 58.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 4,111 | 176,116 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Ballard of any year here (369 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 369 | 89.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 338 | 82.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 327 | 79.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 337 | 82.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 322 | 78.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 278 | 67.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 350 | 85.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 242 | 58.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 345 | 83.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 40 |
| July 2026 | 61 |
| June 2026 | 23 |
| May 2026 | 41 |
| April 2026 | 23 |
| March 2026 | 30 |
| February 2026 | 20 |
| January 2026 | 20 |
| December 2025 | 29 |
| November 2025 | 29 |
| October 2025 | 33 |
| September 2025 | 20 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (48% below) was well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 29 to 40 and violence and sexual offences rose from 136 to 168, while criminal damage and arson fell from 40 to 24.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 168 | 40.9 | 34.2 | +24% |
| Shoplifting | 40 | 9.7 | 8.5 | +38% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 33 | 8.0 | 15.4 | -3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 24 | 5.8 | 6.7 | -40% |
| Public order | 23 | 5.6 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Other theft | 22 | 5.4 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Burglary | 17 | 4.1 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 16 | 3.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 11 | 2.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 6 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Ballard; the highest is Milton, New Forest (102.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Barton & Becton (24.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ballard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milton | 652 | 102.9 | +15% |
| Ashley, Bashley & Fernhill | 342 | 44.6 | -50% |
| Barton & Becton | 177 | 24.3 | -73% |
| Milford & Hordle | 277 | 26.5 | -70% |
| Sway | 111 | 28.7 | -68% |
| Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East | 290 | 42.1 | -53% |
| Pennington | 398 | 51.7 | -42% |
| Lymington | 509 | 63.7 | -29% |
The 10 locations below account for 65% of the crime recorded in Ballard over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Nelson Close” (58).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Nelson Close | 58 |
| On or near Avenue Road | 35 |
| On or near Howe Close | 34 |
| On or near B3058 | 30 |
| On or near Bligh Close | 20 |
| On or near Marryat Road | 14 |
| On or near Beechwood Avenue | 13 |
| On or near Kennard Court | 13 |
| On or near Longleat Gardens | 13 |
| On or near Cabot Way | 11 |
Of the 336 crimes in Ballard with a recorded outcome, 25% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 33 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 118 | 35.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 85 | 25.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 64 | 19.0% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 16 | 4.8% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 3.6% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 11 | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 2.7% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.3% | 0.0% |
Ballard has an estimated population of 4,111 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (3.7%, against 7.9%), an older population (28%, against 19%) and more retired residents (30%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ballard average decile 5.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Ballard | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ballard a safe place to live?
Ballard recorded 89.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,506th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ballard?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 168 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (40).
Is crime in Ballard going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ballard was up 9% on the year before: 369 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 338 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ballard?
About 4,111 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 28% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ballard?
Ballard is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.