Crime in Central, Barnsley: statistics, rates and trends
1,984 crimes were recorded in Central, Barnsley in the 12 months to August 2026, 165.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Central, Barnsley at a glance
- Crime trends in Central, Barnsley
- Types of crime in Central, Barnsley
- Central, Barnsley compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Central, Barnsley
- What happened after crimes were reported in Central, Barnsley
- Demographics of Central, Barnsley
- Questions about crime in Central, Barnsley
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (668), anti-social behaviour (304) and public order (188) made up 58% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 328th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Central, Barnsley | Barnsley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,984 | 27,081 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 165.6 | 107.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 11,979 | 251,770 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Central, Barnsley of any year here (1,984 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,984 | 165.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,015 | 168.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,517 | 210.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,445 | 204.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,442 | 203.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,282 | 190.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,531 | 211.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,198 | 183.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,685 | 224.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 201 |
| July 2026 | 182 |
| June 2026 | 194 |
| May 2026 | 160 |
| April 2026 | 179 |
| March 2026 | 150 |
| February 2026 | 145 |
| January 2026 | 145 |
| December 2025 | 141 |
| November 2025 | 149 |
| October 2025 | 181 |
| September 2025 | 157 |
Compared with England and Wales, Central, Barnsley recorded notably more other crime (4.2 times the national rate), drugs (2.9 times the national rate) and public order (2.4 times the national rate). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 228 to 304 and robbery rose from 21 to 28, while shoplifting fell from 156 to 98 and vehicle crime fell from 113 to 74.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 668 | 55.8 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 304 | 25.4 | 15.4 | +33% |
| Public order | 188 | 15.7 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 167 | 13.9 | 6.7 | +1% |
| Other theft | 124 | 10.4 | 6.4 | +24% |
| Drugs | 112 | 9.3 | 3.3 | +2% |
| Other crime | 106 | 8.8 | 2.1 | -17% |
| Shoplifting | 98 | 8.2 | 8.5 | -37% |
| Burglary | 84 | 7.0 | 3.6 | -11% |
| Vehicle crime | 74 | 6.2 | 5.0 | -35% |
| Robbery | 28 | 2.3 | 1.4 | +33% |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 11 | 0.9 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Central, Barnsley; the highest is Kingstone (276.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Dodworth, Barnsley (67.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Central, Barnsley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingstone | 2,970 | 276.1 | +67% |
| Old Town | 1,390 | 118.8 | -28% |
| Worsbrough | 1,154 | 119.4 | -28% |
| Stairfoot | 1,856 | 136.1 | -18% |
| Monk Bretton | 1,503 | 120.3 | -27% |
| St Helens | 1,808 | 154.4 | -7% |
| Dodworth | 744 | 67.2 | -59% |
| Cudworth | 1,088 | 91.2 | -45% |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in Central, Barnsley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (276).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 276 |
| On or near Churchfield | 212 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 65 |
| On or near High Street | 55 |
| On or near Burleigh Street | 44 |
| On or near Eldon Street North | 36 |
| On or near A628 | 29 |
| On or near Sheffield Road | 28 |
| On or near Turnshaw Mews | 27 |
| On or near Queens Road | 24 |
Of the 1,680 crimes in Central, Barnsley with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 304 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 689 | 41.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 446 | 26.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 134 | 8.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 132 | 7.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 88 | 5.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 64 | 3.8% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 59 | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 29 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 16 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
Central, Barnsley has an estimated population of 11,979 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (28%, against 18%), more private renting (31%, against 20%) and more households without a car (34%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Central, Barnsley average decile 2.7 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Central, Barnsley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 28.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 33.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 50.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 27.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Central, Barnsley a safe place to live?
Central, Barnsley recorded 165.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 328th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Central, Barnsley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 668 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (304).
Is crime in Central, Barnsley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Central, Barnsley was down 2% on the year before: 1,984 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,015 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Central, Barnsley?
About 11,979 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Central, Barnsley?
Central, Barnsley is policed by South Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.