Crime in Ferndown South: statistics, rates and trends
368 crimes were recorded in Ferndown South in the 12 months to August 2026, 43.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ferndown South at a glance
- Crime trends in Ferndown South
- Types of crime in Ferndown South
- Ferndown South compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Ferndown South
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ferndown South
- Demographics of Ferndown South
- Questions about crime in Ferndown South
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (141), anti-social behaviour (96) and other theft (34) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,298th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Ferndown South | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 368 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 43.9 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 8,376 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ferndown South peaked in the year to August 2022 (534 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (351). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 368 | 43.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 351 | 41.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 429 | 51.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 408 | 48.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 534 | 63.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 496 | 59.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 444 | 53.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 436 | 52.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 408 | 48.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 46 |
| July 2026 | 38 |
| June 2026 | 29 |
| May 2026 | 22 |
| April 2026 | 31 |
| March 2026 | 22 |
| February 2026 | 27 |
| January 2026 | 37 |
| December 2025 | 35 |
| November 2025 | 25 |
| October 2025 | 27 |
| September 2025 | 29 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (51% below) and criminal damage and arson (42% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 20 to 34 and violence and sexual offences rose from 120 to 141, while criminal damage and arson fell from 40 to 33.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 141 | 16.8 | 34.2 | +18% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 96 | 11.5 | 15.4 | +2% |
| Other theft | 34 | 4.1 | 6.4 | +70% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 33 | 3.9 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Public order | 16 | 1.9 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 15 | 1.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 12 | 1.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 9 | 1.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Ferndown South; the highest is Wimborne Minster, Dorset (81.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Colehill & Wimborne Minster East (25.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ferndown South |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Parley | 144 | 29.4 | -33% |
| Ferndown North | 448 | 54.9 | +25% |
| West Moors & Three Legged Cross | 300 | 35.8 | -18% |
| Colehill & Wimborne Minster East | 180 | 25.2 | -43% |
| St Leonards & St Ives | 319 | 39.2 | -11% |
| Wimborne Minster | 906 | 81.2 | +85% |
| Verwood | 508 | 35.5 | -19% |
| Stour & Allen Vale | 189 | 36.9 | -16% |
The 10 locations below account for 48% of the crime recorded in Ferndown South over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petwyn Close” (32).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petwyn Close | 32 |
| On or near Sycamore Gardens | 24 |
| On or near Dugdell Close | 16 |
| On or near St Cleeve Way | 16 |
| On or near Stables Court | 16 |
| On or near Thames Close | 16 |
| On or near Ameys Lane | 15 |
| On or near Severn Road | 15 |
| On or near Ford Lane | 14 |
| On or near Ham Lane | 13 |
Of the 272 crimes in Ferndown South with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 96 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 100 | 36.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 94 | 34.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 21 | 7.7% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 5.9% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 14 | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 13 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 2.2% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.4% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Ferndown South has an estimated population of 8,376 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more retired residents (38%, against 22%), an older population (33%, against 19%) and fewer students (4.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ferndown South average decile 6.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Ferndown South | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 32.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 38.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ferndown South a safe place to live?
Ferndown South recorded 43.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,298th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ferndown South?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 141 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (96).
Is crime in Ferndown South going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ferndown South was up 5% on the year before: 368 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 351 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ferndown South?
About 8,376 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 33% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ferndown South?
Ferndown South 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.