Crime in Harpenden North & Rural: statistics, rates and trends
258 crimes were recorded in Harpenden North & Rural in the 12 months to August 2026, 32.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Harpenden North & Rural at a glance
- Crime trends in Harpenden North & Rural
- Types of crime in Harpenden North & Rural
- Harpenden North & Rural compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Harpenden North & Rural
- What happened after crimes were reported in Harpenden North & Rural
- Demographics of Harpenden North & Rural
- Questions about crime in Harpenden North & Rural
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (79), anti-social behaviour (71) and criminal damage and arson (32) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,699th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Harpenden North & Rural | St Albans | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 258 | 11,943 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 32.7 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 7,888 | 151,012 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Harpenden North & Rural peaked in the year to August 2019 (356 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (240). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 20%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 258 | 32.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 240 | 30.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 286 | 36.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 249 | 31.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 268 | 34.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 302 | 38.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 317 | 40.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 356 | 45.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 324 | 41.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 29 |
| July 2026 | 12 |
| June 2026 | 26 |
| May 2026 | 17 |
| April 2026 | 25 |
| March 2026 | 27 |
| February 2026 | 16 |
| January 2026 | 18 |
| December 2025 | 24 |
| November 2025 | 26 |
| October 2025 | 25 |
| September 2025 | 13 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (71% below) and anti-social behaviour (41% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 22 to 32 and violence and sexual offences rose from 61 to 79.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 79 | 10.0 | 34.2 | +30% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 71 | 9.0 | 15.4 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 32 | 4.1 | 6.7 | +45% |
| Vehicle crime | 30 | 3.8 | 5.0 | +15% |
| Burglary | 12 | 1.5 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other theft | 11 | 1.4 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 7 | 0.9 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 6 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 2 | 0.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Harpenden North & Rural; the highest is Harpenden West (80.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Harpenden South (27.5).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Harpenden North & Rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harpenden West | 672 | 80.9 | +147% |
| Harpenden East | 376 | 47.6 | +45% |
| Harpenden South | 188 | 27.5 | -16% |
| Redbourn | 422 | 68.1 | +108% |
| Sandridge & Wheathampstead | 473 | 56.0 | +71% |
| Batchwood | 511 | 66.1 | +102% |
| Marshalswick West | 189 | 53.6 | +64% |
| Bernards Heath | 615 | 73.2 | +124% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Harpenden North & Rural over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Lea Business Park” (31).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Lea Business Park | 31 |
| On or near Baulk Close | 15 |
| On or near Westfield Drive | 12 |
| On or near Beeching Close | 10 |
| On or near Masefield Road | 10 |
| On or near Otterton Close | 10 |
| On or near Westfield Road | 9 |
| On or near Park Mount | 8 |
| On or near Dell Close | 6 |
| On or near Hyde View Road | 6 |
Of the 187 crimes in Harpenden North & Rural with a recorded outcome, 44% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 71 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 83 | 44.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 66 | 35.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 19 | 10.2% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 4 | 2.1% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 3 | 1.6% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.5% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Harpenden North & Rural has an estimated population of 7,888 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (61%, against 34%), fewer residents with no qualifications (6.9%, against 18.2%) and fewer households without a car (9.4%, against 23.3%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Harpenden North & Rural average decile 9.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Harpenden North & Rural | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 25.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 60.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 6.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 9.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 81.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Harpenden North & Rural a safe place to live?
Harpenden North & Rural recorded 32.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,699th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Harpenden North & Rural?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 79 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (71).
Is crime in Harpenden North & Rural going up or down?
Recorded crime in Harpenden North & Rural was up 8% on the year before: 258 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 240 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Harpenden North & Rural?
About 7,888 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Harpenden North & Rural?
Harpenden North & Rural is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.