Crime in Darwen South: statistics, rates and trends
597 crimes were recorded in Darwen South in the 12 months to August 2026, 61.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Darwen South at a glance
- Crime trends in Darwen South
- Types of crime in Darwen South
- Darwen South compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Darwen South
- What happened after crimes were reported in Darwen South
- Demographics of Darwen South
- Questions about crime in Darwen South
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (244), anti-social behaviour (106) and criminal damage and arson (59) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,534th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Darwen South | Blackburn with Darwen | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 597 | 17,854 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 61.8 | 109.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 9,658 | 162,540 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Darwen South peaked in the year to August 2021 (900 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (572). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 25%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 597 | 61.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 655 | 67.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 589 | 61.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 572 | 59.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 676 | 70.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 900 | 93.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 839 | 86.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 750 | 77.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 796 | 82.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 48 |
| July 2026 | 56 |
| June 2026 | 62 |
| May 2026 | 48 |
| April 2026 | 50 |
| March 2026 | 39 |
| February 2026 | 44 |
| January 2026 | 45 |
| December 2025 | 62 |
| November 2025 | 47 |
| October 2025 | 49 |
| September 2025 | 47 |
Compared with England and Wales, Darwen South recorded notably more other crime (37% above the national rate), and notably less public order (56% below) and other theft (41% below). On the year before, public order rose from 22 to 28 and criminal damage and arson rose from 50 to 59, while anti-social behaviour fell from 198 to 106 and burglary fell from 25 to 21.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 244 | 25.3 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 106 | 11.0 | 15.4 | -46% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 59 | 6.1 | 6.7 | +18% |
| Vehicle crime | 53 | 5.5 | 5.0 | +18% |
| Other theft | 37 | 3.8 | 6.4 | +9% |
| Other crime | 28 | 2.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Public order | 28 | 2.9 | 6.7 | +27% |
| Burglary | 21 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -16% |
| Drugs | 11 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 0.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Darwen South; the highest is Blackburn South East (145.2 per 1,000) and the lowest West Pennine (45.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Darwen South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darwen East | 1,386 | 129.4 | +109% |
| Darwen West | 949 | 121.2 | +96% |
| West Pennine | 339 | 45.0 | -27% |
| Blackburn South & Lower Darwen | 708 | 74.1 | +20% |
| Blackburn South East | 1,157 | 145.2 | +135% |
| Ewood | 1,172 | 127.0 | +105% |
| Mill Hill & Moorgate | 1,157 | 144.7 | +134% |
| Audley & Queen's Park | 1,632 | 143.8 | +133% |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Darwen South over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Sudell Road” (39).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Sudell Road | 39 |
| On or near Pole Lane | 22 |
| On or near Chapter Road | 18 |
| On or near Alfred Street | 17 |
| On or near Ashton Road | 17 |
| On or near Hampden Avenue | 15 |
| On or near St John'S Avenue | 14 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 13 |
| On or near Maria Street | 12 |
| On or near Philip Street | 12 |
Of the 491 crimes in Darwen South with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 106 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 207 | 42.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 135 | 27.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 52 | 10.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 40 | 8.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 14 | 2.9% | 0.6% |
| Status update unavailable | 13 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 8 | 1.6% | 5.2% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Darwen South has an estimated population of 9,658 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (8.8%, against 17.1%) and fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Darwen South average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Darwen South | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Darwen South a safe place to live?
Darwen South recorded 61.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,534th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime.
What is the most common crime in Darwen South?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 244 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (106).
Is crime in Darwen South going up or down?
Recorded crime in Darwen South was down 9% on the year before: 597 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 655 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Darwen South?
About 9,658 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Darwen South?
Darwen South is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.