Crime in Hackney Downs: statistics, rates and trends
1,397 crimes were recorded in Hackney Downs in the 12 months to August 2026, 106.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 18% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Hackney Downs at a glance
- Crime trends in Hackney Downs
- Types of crime in Hackney Downs
- Hackney Downs compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Hackney Downs
- What happened after crimes were reported in Hackney Downs
- Demographics of Hackney Downs
- Questions about crime in Hackney Downs
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (366), anti-social behaviour (342) and other theft (106) made up 58% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,080th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Hackney Downs | Hackney | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,397 | 38,918 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 106.8 | 145.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -18% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 13,075 | 266,758 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Hackney Downs of any year here (1,397 crimes). 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 | 1,397 | 106.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,712 | 130.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,517 | 116.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,651 | 126.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,702 | 130.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,224 | 170.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,060 | 157.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,661 | 127.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,559 | 119.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 93 |
| July 2026 | 132 |
| June 2026 | 122 |
| May 2026 | 108 |
| April 2026 | 120 |
| March 2026 | 120 |
| February 2026 | 106 |
| January 2026 | 98 |
| December 2025 | 105 |
| November 2025 | 109 |
| October 2025 | 138 |
| September 2025 | 146 |
Compared with England and Wales, Hackney Downs recorded notably more theft from the person (4.0 times the national rate), bicycle theft (3.2 times the national rate) and drugs (94% above the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (34% below). On the year before, robbery fell from 84 to 30 and theft from the person fell from 196 to 89.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 366 | 28.0 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 342 | 26.2 | 15.4 | -5% |
| Other theft | 106 | 8.1 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Vehicle crime | 100 | 7.6 | 5.0 | -12% |
| Theft from the person | 89 | 6.8 | 1.7 | -55% |
| Public order | 84 | 6.4 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Drugs | 83 | 6.3 | 3.3 | -14% |
| Burglary | 67 | 5.1 | 3.6 | -32% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 58 | 4.4 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Bicycle theft | 34 | 2.6 | 0.8 | -3% |
| Robbery | 30 | 2.3 | 1.4 | -64% |
| Shoplifting | 16 | 1.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Hackney Downs; the highest is Dalston, Hackney (283.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Cazenove (61.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hackney Downs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lea Bridge | 1,706 | 115.5 | +8% |
| Stoke Newington | 1,463 | 123.7 | +16% |
| Cazenove | 873 | 61.0 | -43% |
| Shacklewell | 1,453 | 152.9 | +43% |
| Hackney Central | 2,605 | 194.4 | +82% |
| Springfield | 1,817 | 103.8 | -3% |
| Dalston | 2,966 | 283.0 | +165% |
| Homerton | 2,668 | 204.5 | +91% |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Hackney Downs over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Apprentice Way” (111).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Apprentice Way | 111 |
| On or near Powell Road | 102 |
| On or near Stoke Newington Common | 61 |
| On or near Downs Road | 51 |
| On or near Ferron Road | 51 |
| On or near Brooke Road | 50 |
| On or near Queensdown Road | 49 |
| On or near Ickburgh Road | 44 |
| On or near Lower Clapton Road | 43 |
| On or near Narford Road | 43 |
Of the 1,055 crimes in Hackney Downs with a recorded outcome, 45% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 342 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 475 | 45.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 288 | 27.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 135 | 12.8% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 54 | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 39 | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 28 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 23 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 3 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Hackney Downs has an estimated population of 13,075 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (61%, against 23%), more social housing (40%, against 17%) and fewer retired residents (7.9%, against 21.6%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hackney Downs average decile 3.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Hackney Downs | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 8.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 7.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 53.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 60.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 29.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 40.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 30.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hackney Downs a safe place to live?
Hackney Downs recorded 106.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,080th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were theft from the person and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Hackney Downs?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 366 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (342).
Is crime in Hackney Downs going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hackney Downs was down 18% on the year before: 1,397 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,712 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hackney Downs?
About 13,075 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 8.4% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hackney Downs?
Hackney Downs is policed by Metropolitan Police.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.