Crime in Cotham: statistics, rates and trends
780 crimes were recorded in Cotham in the 12 months to August 2026, 86.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (297), vehicle crime (110) and anti-social behaviour (95) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,628th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Cotham | Bristol, City of | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 780 | 73,581 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 86.2 | 148.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +10% | -1% |
| Population | 9,045 | 494,399 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Cotham peaked in the year to August 2018 (916 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (639). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 780 | 86.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 727 | 80.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 715 | 79.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 648 | 71.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 639 | 70.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 695 | 76.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 670 | 74.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 746 | 82.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 916 | 101.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 62 |
| July 2026 | 50 |
| June 2026 | 60 |
| May 2026 | 71 |
| April 2026 | 49 |
| March 2026 | 65 |
| February 2026 | 69 |
| January 2026 | 82 |
| December 2025 | 58 |
| November 2025 | 61 |
| October 2025 | 81 |
| September 2025 | 72 |
Compared with England and Wales, Cotham recorded notably more vehicle crime (2.4 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (36% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (32% below) and public order (22% below). On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 59 to 83 and other theft rose from 41 to 57, while public order fell from 60 to 47 and anti-social behaviour fell from 118 to 95.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 297 | 32.8 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Vehicle crime | 110 | 12.2 | 5.0 | +24% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 95 | 10.5 | 15.4 | -19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 83 | 9.2 | 6.7 | +41% |
| Other theft | 57 | 6.3 | 6.4 | +39% |
| Public order | 47 | 5.2 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Burglary | 38 | 4.2 | 3.6 | +31% |
| Bicycle theft | 18 | 2.0 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 0.8 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 6 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Cotham; the highest is Central, Bristol, City of (520.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Redland (50.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Cotham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton Down | 1,195 | 91.2 | +6% |
| Ashley | 3,845 | 176.2 | +104% |
| Redland | 696 | 50.3 | -42% |
| Central | 12,253 | 520.2 | +503% |
| Clifton | 1,070 | 82.2 | -5% |
| Hotwells and Harbourside | 1,235 | 184.2 | +114% |
| Lawrence Hill | 5,818 | 264.6 | +207% |
| Bishopston and Ashley Down | 1,244 | 89.9 | +4% |
The 10 locations below account for 55% of the crime recorded in Cotham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Dove Street” (100).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Dove Street | 100 |
| On or near Brookfield Lane | 76 |
| On or near Montague Hill | 42 |
| On or near Kingsley Road | 38 |
| On or near Roslyn Road | 35 |
| On or near Zetland Road | 35 |
| On or near Cotham Lawn Road | 34 |
| On or near Winsley Road | 26 |
| On or near Cotham Road | 24 |
| On or near Gibson Road | 19 |
Of the 685 crimes in Cotham with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 95 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 293 | 42.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 243 | 35.5% | 34.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 47 | 6.9% | 4.7% |
| Under investigation | 45 | 6.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 16 | 2.3% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 0.4% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Cotham has an estimated population of 9,045 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (33.1%, against 7.9%), more private renting (50%, against 20%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (2.4%, against 18.2%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Cotham average decile 8.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Cotham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 7.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 7.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 8.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 33.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 58.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 2.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 43.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 50.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Cotham a safe place to live?
Cotham recorded 86.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,628th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Cotham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 297 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by vehicle crime (110).
Is crime in Cotham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Cotham was up 7% on the year before: 780 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 727 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Cotham?
About 9,045 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 7.8% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Cotham?
Cotham 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.