Crime in Barnard Castle, County Durham: statistics, rates and trends
304 crimes were recorded in Barnard Castle, County Durham in the 12 months to August 2026, 66.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Barnard Castle, County Durham at a glance
- Crime trends in Barnard Castle, County Durham
- Types of crime in Barnard Castle, County Durham
- Barnard Castle, County Durham compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Barnard Castle, County Durham
- What happened after crimes were reported in Barnard Castle, County Durham
- Demographics of Barnard Castle, County Durham
- Questions about crime in Barnard Castle, County Durham
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (116), anti-social behaviour (42) and shoplifting (40) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,347th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Barnard Castle, County Durham | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 304 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 66.9 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -13% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 4,542 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Barnard Castle, County Durham peaked in the year to August 2023 (398 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (272). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 304 | 66.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 351 | 77.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 378 | 83.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 398 | 87.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 348 | 76.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 353 | 77.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 330 | 72.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 273 | 60.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 272 | 59.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 32 |
| July 2026 | 21 |
| June 2026 | 20 |
| May 2026 | 38 |
| April 2026 | 33 |
| March 2026 | 24 |
| February 2026 | 20 |
| January 2026 | 26 |
| December 2025 | 15 |
| November 2025 | 18 |
| October 2025 | 29 |
| September 2025 | 28 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (40% below) and violence and sexual offences (25% below) were well below it. On the year before, public order rose from 20 to 26, while shoplifting fell from 87 to 40.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 116 | 25.5 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 42 | 9.2 | 15.4 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 40 | 8.8 | 8.5 | -54% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 29 | 6.4 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Public order | 26 | 5.7 | 6.7 | +30% |
| Other theft | 15 | 3.3 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 2.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 9 | 2.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 7 | 1.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Barnard Castle, County Durham; the highest is Bishop Auckland, County Durham (194.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Upper Teesdale (49.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Barnard Castle, County Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Teesdale | 732 | 82.1 | +23% |
| Upper Teesdale | 249 | 49.7 | -26% |
| Evenwood | 355 | 80.2 | +20% |
| West Auckland | 1,796 | 154.1 | +130% |
| Bishop Auckland | 3,238 | 194.8 | +191% |
| Shildon & Dene Valley | 2,959 | 160.1 | +139% |
| Crook | 1,597 | 111.8 | +67% |
| Weardale | 768 | 76.1 | +14% |
The 10 locations below account for 50% of the crime recorded in Barnard Castle, County Durham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (25).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 25 |
| On or near Horse Market | 23 |
| On or near Dale Road | 20 |
| On or near Supermarket | 19 |
| On or near A688 | 15 |
| On or near Richardson Fields | 15 |
| On or near Pearson Terrace | 10 |
| On or near Beaconsfield Court | 9 |
| On or near Ashtree Drive | 8 |
| On or near Crook Lane | 8 |
Of the 262 crimes in Barnard Castle, County Durham with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 42 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 105 | 40.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 61 | 23.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 32 | 12.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 26 | 9.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 3.4% | 0.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 7 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Barnard Castle, County Durham has an estimated population of 4,542 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more retired residents (38%, against 22%), an older population (33%, against 19%) and fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Barnard Castle, County Durham average decile 6.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Barnard Castle, County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 32.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 37.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Barnard Castle, County Durham a safe place to live?
Barnard Castle, County Durham recorded 66.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,347th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Barnard Castle, County Durham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 116 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (42).
Is crime in Barnard Castle, County Durham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Barnard Castle, County Durham was down 13% on the year before: 304 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 351 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Barnard Castle, County Durham?
About 4,542 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 33% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Barnard Castle, County Durham?
Barnard Castle, County Durham is policed by Durham.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.