Crime in Barton, Canterbury: statistics, rates and trends
1,904 crimes were recorded in Barton, Canterbury in the 12 months to August 2026, 151.3 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Barton, Canterbury at a glance
- Crime trends in Barton, Canterbury
- Types of crime in Barton, Canterbury
- Barton, Canterbury compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Barton, Canterbury
- What happened after crimes were reported in Barton, Canterbury
- Demographics of Barton, Canterbury
- Questions about crime in Barton, Canterbury
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (762), anti-social behaviour (409) and criminal damage and arson (183) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 430th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Barton, Canterbury | Canterbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,904 | 17,480 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 151.3 | 107.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 12,588 | 162,100 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Barton, Canterbury peaked in the year to August 2021 (2,029 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,776). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 5%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,904 | 151.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,860 | 147.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,776 | 141.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,806 | 143.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,975 | 156.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,029 | 161.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,985 | 157.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,932 | 153.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,003 | 159.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 185 |
| July 2026 | 168 |
| June 2026 | 200 |
| May 2026 | 158 |
| April 2026 | 137 |
| March 2026 | 154 |
| February 2026 | 139 |
| January 2026 | 156 |
| December 2025 | 147 |
| November 2025 | 135 |
| October 2025 | 163 |
| September 2025 | 162 |
Compared with England and Wales, Barton, Canterbury recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (2.2 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (2.1 times the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (77% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (38% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 298 to 409 and criminal damage and arson rose from 149 to 183, while vehicle crime fell from 53 to 39 and shoplifting fell from 175 to 146.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 762 | 60.5 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 409 | 32.5 | 15.4 | +37% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 183 | 14.5 | 6.7 | +23% |
| Shoplifting | 146 | 11.6 | 8.5 | -17% |
| Other theft | 101 | 8.0 | 6.4 | +22% |
| Public order | 69 | 5.5 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Drugs | 49 | 3.9 | 3.3 | -16% |
| Burglary | 40 | 3.2 | 3.6 | +21% |
| Other crime | 39 | 3.1 | 2.1 | +15% |
| Vehicle crime | 39 | 3.1 | 5.0 | -26% |
| Bicycle theft | 19 | 1.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 19 | 1.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 17 | 1.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 12 | 1.0 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Barton, Canterbury; the highest is Westgate, Canterbury (304.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Nailbourne (38.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Barton, Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northgate | 2,017 | 244.0 | +61% |
| Westgate | 3,309 | 304.2 | +101% |
| Wincheap | 1,259 | 111.2 | -26% |
| St Stephen's | 845 | 103.8 | -31% |
| Blean Forest | 368 | 38.5 | -75% |
| Sturry | 679 | 78.8 | -48% |
| Nailbourne | 160 | 38.1 | -75% |
| Chartham & Stone Street | 494 | 64.2 | -58% |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Barton, Canterbury over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hospital” (239).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hospital | 239 |
| On or near Wales Crescent | 120 |
| On or near A2050 | 97 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 84 |
| On or near Supermarket | 61 |
| On or near Windmill Road | 46 |
| On or near The Drive | 45 |
| On or near Chaucer Road | 38 |
| On or near Surrey Road | 37 |
| On or near Church Street (St Pauls) | 35 |
Of the 1,495 crimes in Barton, Canterbury with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 409 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 678 | 45.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 477 | 31.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 103 | 6.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 83 | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 55 | 3.7% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 34 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 25 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Barton, Canterbury has an estimated population of 12,588 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (23.9%, against 7.9%), more social housing (24%, against 17%) and more private renting (28%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Barton, Canterbury average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Barton, Canterbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 17.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 23.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 39.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 29.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 48.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 32.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Barton, Canterbury a safe place to live?
Barton, Canterbury recorded 151.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 430th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Barton, Canterbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 762 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (409).
Is crime in Barton, Canterbury going up or down?
Recorded crime in Barton, Canterbury was up 2% on the year before: 1,904 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,860 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Barton, Canterbury?
About 12,588 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Barton, Canterbury?
Barton, Canterbury 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.