Crime in Central, Bristol, City of: statistics, rates and trends
12,253 crimes were recorded in Central, Bristol, City of in the 12 months to August 2026, 520.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 19% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Central, Bristol, City of at a glance
- Crime trends in Central, Bristol, City of
- Types of crime in Central, Bristol, City of
- Central, Bristol, City of compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Central, Bristol, City of
- What happened after crimes were reported in Central, Bristol, City of
- Demographics of Central, Bristol, City of
- Questions about crime in Central, Bristol, City of
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,366), anti-social behaviour (2,247) and public order (1,321) made up 57% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 18th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Central, Bristol, City of | Bristol, City of | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 12,253 | 73,581 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 520.2 | 148.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +19% | +10% | -1% |
| Population | 23,555 | 494,399 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Central, Bristol, City of of any year here (12,253 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 | 12,253 | 520.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 10,286 | 436.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 10,557 | 448.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 10,310 | 437.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 10,730 | 455.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 8,438 | 358.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 9,413 | 399.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 11,543 | 490.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 11,469 | 486.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 978 |
| July 2026 | 1,012 |
| June 2026 | 913 |
| May 2026 | 937 |
| April 2026 | 976 |
| March 2026 | 1,024 |
| February 2026 | 941 |
| January 2026 | 1,010 |
| December 2025 | 1,058 |
| November 2025 | 1,122 |
| October 2025 | 1,189 |
| September 2025 | 1,093 |
Compared with England and Wales, Central, Bristol, City of recorded notably more bicycle theft (18.2 times the national rate), robbery (11.0 times the national rate) and public order (8.4 times the national rate). On the year before, theft from the person rose from 114 to 237 and burglary rose from 272 to 496.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,366 | 142.9 | 34.2 | +10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 2,247 | 95.4 | 15.4 | +26% |
| Public order | 1,321 | 56.1 | 6.7 | +1% |
| Other theft | 1,233 | 52.3 | 6.4 | +17% |
| Shoplifting | 1,139 | 48.4 | 8.5 | +27% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 668 | 28.4 | 6.7 | +19% |
| Burglary | 496 | 21.1 | 3.6 | +82% |
| Vehicle crime | 410 | 17.4 | 5.0 | +44% |
| Bicycle theft | 354 | 15.0 | 0.8 | +8% |
| Robbery | 352 | 14.9 | 1.4 | +36% |
| Drugs | 263 | 11.2 | 3.3 | +34% |
| Theft from the person | 237 | 10.1 | 1.7 | +108% |
| Other crime | 96 | 4.1 | 2.1 | -5% |
| Possession of weapons | 71 | 3.0 | 1.0 | +20% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Central, Bristol, City of has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Central, Bristol, City of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotwells and Harbourside | 1,235 | 184.2 | -65% |
| Cotham | 780 | 86.2 | -83% |
| Ashley | 3,845 | 176.2 | -66% |
| Clifton | 1,070 | 82.2 | -84% |
| Southville | 2,589 | 175.3 | -66% |
| Lawrence Hill | 5,818 | 264.6 | -49% |
| Clifton Down | 1,195 | 91.2 | -82% |
| Windmill Hill | 1,207 | 81.5 | -84% |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Central, Bristol, City of over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Nightclub” (1,562).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Nightclub | 1,562 |
| On or near Parking Area | 639 |
| On or near Cannon Street | 426 |
| On or near Callowhill Court | 364 |
| On or near Bridewell Street | 316 |
| On or near Whitson Street | 306 |
| On or near The Horsefair | 302 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 300 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 297 |
| On or near Fairfax Street | 290 |
Of the 10,006 crimes in Central, Bristol, City of with a recorded outcome, 45% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 2,247 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 4,476 | 44.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,927 | 29.3% | 34.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 771 | 7.7% | 4.7% |
| Under investigation | 721 | 7.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 477 | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 209 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 173 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 81 | 0.8% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 56 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 47 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 40 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 24 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
Central, Bristol, City of has an estimated population of 23,555 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (50.1%, against 7.9%), more private renting (58%, against 20%) and more households without a car (55%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Central, Bristol, City of average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Central, Bristol, City of | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 5.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 2.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 45.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 3.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 50.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 44.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 5.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 55.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 22.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 58.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 12.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Central, Bristol, City of a safe place to live?
Central, Bristol, City of recorded 520.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 18th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and robbery.
What is the most common crime in Central, Bristol, City of?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,366 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (2,247).
Is crime in Central, Bristol, City of going up or down?
Recorded crime in Central, Bristol, City of was up 19% on the year before: 12,253 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 10,286 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Central, Bristol, City of?
About 23,555 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 2.4% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Central, Bristol, City of?
Central, Bristol, City of is policed by Avon and Somerset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.