Crime in Charminster St Mary's: statistics, rates and trends
166 crimes were recorded in Charminster St Mary's in the 12 months to August 2026, 21.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 29% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Charminster St Mary's at a glance
- Crime trends in Charminster St Mary's
- Types of crime in Charminster St Mary's
- Charminster St Mary's compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Charminster St Mary's
- What happened after crimes were reported in Charminster St Mary's
- Demographics of Charminster St Mary's
- Questions about crime in Charminster St Mary's
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (80), anti-social behaviour (23) and criminal damage and arson (17) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,900th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Charminster St Mary's | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 166 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 21.1 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -29% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 7,877 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Charminster St Mary's of any year here (166 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 46%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 166 | 21.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 233 | 29.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 235 | 29.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 330 | 41.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 250 | 31.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 348 | 44.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 293 | 37.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 263 | 33.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 305 | 38.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 12 |
| July 2026 | 20 |
| June 2026 | 13 |
| May 2026 | 22 |
| April 2026 | 13 |
| March 2026 | 8 |
| February 2026 | 7 |
| January 2026 | 14 |
| December 2025 | 20 |
| November 2025 | 12 |
| October 2025 | 18 |
| September 2025 | 7 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (81% below) and violence and sexual offences (70% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences fell from 121 to 80.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 80 | 10.2 | 34.2 | -34% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 23 | 2.9 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 17 | 2.2 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other theft | 10 | 1.3 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 9 | 1.1 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 9 | 1.1 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 6 | 0.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 0.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Drugs | 2 | 0.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 2 | 0.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than Charminster St Mary's.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Charminster St Mary's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester Poundbury | 430 | 70.0 | +232% |
| Dorchester West | 735 | 101.7 | +383% |
| Dorchester East | 466 | 50.4 | +139% |
| Winterborne & Broadmayne | 97 | 23.1 | +9% |
| Upwey & Broadwey | 228 | 60.4 | +187% |
| Littlemoor & Preston | 636 | 56.9 | +170% |
| Crossways | 158 | 38.2 | +81% |
| Chesil Bank | 130 | 33.6 | +59% |
The 10 locations below account for 54% of the crime recorded in Charminster St Mary's over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (19).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 19 |
| On or near Bockhampton Lane | 17 |
| On or near Meech Way | 9 |
| On or near Chestnut Road | 8 |
| On or near Church Lane | 8 |
| On or near Cocklands | 7 |
| On or near Longhorn Hill | 6 |
| On or near Piddle Lane | 6 |
| On or near Mulberry Gardens | 5 |
| On or near Dorchester Road | 4 |
Of the 143 crimes in Charminster St Mary's with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 23 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 54 | 37.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 47 | 32.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 18 | 12.6% | 11.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 5.6% | 0.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 1.4% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
Charminster St Mary's has an estimated population of 7,877 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (8.1%, against 23.3%), an older population (31%, against 19%) and more retired residents (33%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Charminster St Mary's average decile 6.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Charminster St Mary's | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 8.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Charminster St Mary's a safe place to live?
Charminster St Mary's recorded 21.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,900th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Charminster St Mary's?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 80 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (23).
Is crime in Charminster St Mary's going up or down?
Recorded crime in Charminster St Mary's was down 29% on the year before: 166 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 233 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Charminster St Mary's?
About 7,877 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 31% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Charminster St Mary's?
Charminster St Mary's is policed by Dorset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.