Crime in Compton: statistics, rates and trends
1,118 crimes were recorded in Compton in the 12 months to August 2026, 89.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (533), criminal damage and arson (115) and anti-social behaviour (109) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,521st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Compton | Plymouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,118 | 29,802 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 89.2 | 109.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -10% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 12,536 | 272,067 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Compton peaked in the year to August 2025 (1,237 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (973). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 6%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,118 | 89.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,237 | 98.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 973 | 77.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,023 | 81.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,017 | 81.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,155 | 92.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,048 | 83.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,187 | 94.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 137 |
| July 2026 | 103 |
| June 2026 | 98 |
| May 2026 | 82 |
| April 2026 | 122 |
| March 2026 | 79 |
| February 2026 | 55 |
| January 2026 | 75 |
| December 2025 | 81 |
| November 2025 | 79 |
| October 2025 | 115 |
| September 2025 | 92 |
Compared with England and Wales, Compton recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (36% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (50% below) and anti-social behaviour (43% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 34 to 44, while shoplifting fell from 121 to 53 and drugs fell from 52 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 533 | 42.5 | 34.2 | +11% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 115 | 9.2 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 109 | 8.7 | 15.4 | -38% |
| Public order | 76 | 6.1 | 6.7 | +1% |
| Other theft | 72 | 5.7 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Shoplifting | 53 | 4.2 | 8.5 | -56% |
| Vehicle crime | 44 | 3.5 | 5.0 | +29% |
| Drugs | 32 | 2.6 | 3.3 | -38% |
| Burglary | 31 | 2.5 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 20 | 1.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 9 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Compton; the highest is St Peter and the Waterfront (394.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Eggbuckland (52.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Compton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efford and Lipson | 1,583 | 107.5 | +20% |
| Peverell | 819 | 59.3 | -33% |
| Drake | 1,415 | 114.9 | +29% |
| Eggbuckland | 680 | 52.1 | -42% |
| Sutton and Mount Gould | 1,743 | 116.8 | +31% |
| St Peter and the Waterfront | 7,941 | 394.6 | +342% |
| Ham | 1,326 | 87.9 | -1% |
| Stoke | 1,724 | 125.4 | +41% |
The 10 locations below account for 50% of the crime recorded in Compton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Russell Avenue” (133).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Russell Avenue | 133 |
| On or near Supermarket | 127 |
| On or near Lisson Grove | 53 |
| On or near Nightclub | 49 |
| On or near Belgrave Road | 43 |
| On or near Connaught Avenue | 35 |
| On or near Mutley Plain | 30 |
| On or near Parking Area | 30 |
| On or near Belgrave Lane | 29 |
| On or near Brecon Close | 28 |
Of the 1,009 crimes in Compton with a recorded outcome, 25% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 109 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 436 | 43.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 249 | 24.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 190 | 18.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 35 | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 30 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 19 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 15 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 10 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 8 | 0.8% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Compton has an estimated population of 12,536 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (6.8%, against 17.1%), more students (10.5%, against 7.9%) and more private renting (26%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Compton average decile 7.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Compton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 10.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Compton a safe place to live?
Compton recorded 89.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,521st 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.
What is the most common crime in Compton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 533 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (115).
Is crime in Compton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Compton was down 10% on the year before: 1,118 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,237 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Compton?
About 12,536 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Compton?
Compton is policed by Devon & Cornwall.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.