Crime in Dunster: statistics, rates and trends
751 crimes were recorded in Dunster in the 12 months to August 2026, 83.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (412), anti-social behaviour (89) and public order (57) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,732nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Dunster | Somerset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 751 | 53,421 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 83.2 | 90.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 9,030 | 588,328 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Dunster peaked in the year to August 2025 (774 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (413). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 50%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 751 | 83.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 774 | 85.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 759 | 84.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 624 | 69.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 616 | 68.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 413 | 45.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 520 | 57.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 497 | 55.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 501 | 55.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 60 |
| July 2026 | 55 |
| June 2026 | 56 |
| May 2026 | 60 |
| April 2026 | 76 |
| March 2026 | 59 |
| February 2026 | 66 |
| January 2026 | 39 |
| December 2025 | 73 |
| November 2025 | 66 |
| October 2025 | 70 |
| September 2025 | 71 |
Compared with England and Wales, Dunster recorded notably more violence and sexual offences (33% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (36% below) and criminal damage and arson (31% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 27 to 32, while anti-social behaviour fell from 112 to 89 and criminal damage and arson fell from 50 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 412 | 45.6 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 89 | 9.9 | 15.4 | -21% |
| Public order | 57 | 6.3 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Other theft | 49 | 5.4 | 6.4 | -14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 42 | 4.7 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Burglary | 32 | 3.5 | 3.6 | +19% |
| Shoplifting | 18 | 2.0 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 16 | 1.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 16 | 1.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 6 | 0.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Dunster; the highest is Rowbarton & Staplegrove (98.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Cannington, Somerset (31.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dunster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minehead | 796 | 95.1 | +14% |
| Watchet & Stogursey | 1,003 | 98.2 | +18% |
| Dulverton & Exmoor | 377 | 50.1 | -40% |
| Upper Tone | 438 | 42.0 | -50% |
| Lydeard | 703 | 58.1 | -30% |
| Cannington | 273 | 31.3 | -62% |
| Wellington | 1,048 | 73.1 | -12% |
| Rowbarton & Staplegrove | 1,056 | 98.3 | +18% |
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Dunster over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Park/Open Space” (135).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Park/Open Space | 135 |
| On or near Warren Road | 51 |
| On or near Puffin Close | 31 |
| On or near Parking Area | 27 |
| On or near Alcombe Road | 26 |
| On or near Monksway | 17 |
| On or near Waverdine Court | 15 |
| On or near Marley Close | 14 |
| On or near Hayfield Road | 13 |
| On or near New Road | 13 |
Of the 662 crimes in Dunster with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 89 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 333 | 50.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 153 | 23.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 58 | 8.8% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 38 | 5.7% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 23 | 3.5% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 21 | 3.2% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 17 | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 0.3% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Dunster has an estimated population of 9,030 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (34%, against 19%), more retired residents (35%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dunster average decile 3.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Dunster | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 34.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 35.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Dunster a safe place to live?
Dunster recorded 83.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,732nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Dunster?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 412 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (89).
Is crime in Dunster going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dunster was down 3% on the year before: 751 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 774 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dunster?
About 9,030 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 34% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dunster?
Dunster 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.