Crime in Ham: statistics, rates and trends
1,326 crimes were recorded in Ham in the 12 months to August 2026, 87.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (736), criminal damage and arson (136) and anti-social behaviour (120) made up 75% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,562nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Ham | Plymouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,326 | 29,802 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 87.9 | 109.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 15,081 | 272,067 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ham peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,353 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,034). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 4%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,326 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,212 | 80.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,034 | 68.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,108 | 73.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,353 | 89.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,272 | 84.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,309 | 86.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,280 | 84.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 105 |
| July 2026 | 109 |
| June 2026 | 123 |
| May 2026 | 119 |
| April 2026 | 126 |
| March 2026 | 114 |
| February 2026 | 107 |
| January 2026 | 98 |
| December 2025 | 91 |
| November 2025 | 123 |
| October 2025 | 107 |
| September 2025 | 104 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ham recorded notably more other crime (47% above the national rate), violence and sexual offences (43% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (34% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (51% below) and anti-social behaviour (48% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 48 to 74 and other crime rose from 31 to 47, while anti-social behaviour fell from 201 to 120 and drugs fell from 53 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 736 | 48.8 | 34.2 | +22% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 136 | 9.0 | 6.7 | +18% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 120 | 8.0 | 15.4 | -40% |
| Public order | 75 | 5.0 | 6.7 | +14% |
| Other theft | 74 | 4.9 | 6.4 | +54% |
| Other crime | 47 | 3.1 | 2.1 | +52% |
| Vehicle crime | 37 | 2.5 | 5.0 | +12% |
| Drugs | 32 | 2.1 | 3.3 | -40% |
| Burglary | 30 | 2.0 | 3.6 | +50% |
| Possession of weapons | 17 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 12 | 0.8 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Ham; the highest is Devonport (177.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Peverell (59.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peverell | 819 | 59.3 | -33% |
| Stoke | 1,724 | 125.4 | +43% |
| St Budeaux | 1,254 | 94.7 | +8% |
| Honicknowle | 1,406 | 97.1 | +10% |
| Devonport | 2,945 | 177.0 | +101% |
| Compton | 1,118 | 89.2 | +1% |
| Drake | 1,415 | 114.9 | +31% |
| Budshead | 1,324 | 99.0 | +13% |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in Ham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Myrtleville” (53).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Myrtleville | 53 |
| On or near Halcyon Road | 51 |
| On or near Cornworthy Close | 35 |
| On or near Austin Avenue | 32 |
| On or near Laurel Road | 28 |
| On or near Boscastle Gardens | 26 |
| On or near Briardale Road | 26 |
| On or near Woodville Close | 26 |
| On or near Mylor Close | 25 |
| On or near St Keverne Place | 25 |
Of the 1,206 crimes in Ham with a recorded outcome, 18% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 120 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 631 | 52.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 221 | 18.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 201 | 16.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 59 | 4.9% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 23 | 1.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 21 | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 18 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Ham has an estimated population of 15,081 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (27%, against 17%), less private renting (13%, against 20%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ham average decile 3.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Ham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 11.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Ham a safe place to live?
Ham recorded 87.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,562nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Ham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 736 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (136).
Is crime in Ham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ham was up 9% on the year before: 1,326 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,212 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ham?
About 15,081 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ham?
Ham is policed by Devon & Cornwall.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.