Crime in Headington: statistics, rates and trends
1,105 crimes were recorded in Headington in the 12 months to August 2026, 118.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Headington at a glance
- Crime trends in Headington
- Types of crime in Headington
- Headington compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Headington
- What happened after crimes were reported in Headington
- Demographics of Headington
- Questions about crime in Headington
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (353), shoplifting (171) and public order (117) made up 58% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 838th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Headington | Oxford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,105 | 17,767 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 118.8 | 107.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +12% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 9,300 | 166,034 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Headington of any year here (1,105 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 51%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,105 | 118.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 991 | 106.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,076 | 115.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,072 | 115.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 874 | 94.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 984 | 105.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 871 | 93.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 790 | 84.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 732 | 78.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 78 |
| July 2026 | 129 |
| June 2026 | 93 |
| May 2026 | 99 |
| April 2026 | 86 |
| March 2026 | 105 |
| February 2026 | 84 |
| January 2026 | 83 |
| December 2025 | 73 |
| November 2025 | 86 |
| October 2025 | 93 |
| September 2025 | 96 |
Compared with England and Wales, Headington recorded notably more bicycle theft (7.0 times the national rate), shoplifting (2.2 times the national rate) and public order (89% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (37% below). On the year before, public order rose from 86 to 117 and vehicle crime rose from 38 to 49, while burglary fell from 53 to 30.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 353 | 38.0 | 34.2 | +6% |
| Shoplifting | 171 | 18.4 | 8.5 | +27% |
| Public order | 117 | 12.6 | 6.7 | +36% |
| Other theft | 95 | 10.2 | 6.4 | +10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 90 | 9.7 | 15.4 | -5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 66 | 7.1 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Bicycle theft | 54 | 5.8 | 0.8 | +23% |
| Vehicle crime | 49 | 5.3 | 5.0 | +29% |
| Burglary | 30 | 3.2 | 3.6 | -43% |
| Drugs | 30 | 3.2 | 3.3 | +20% |
| Other crime | 25 | 2.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 13 | 1.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Headington; the highest is St Clement's, Oxford (144.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Marston (46.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Headington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarry & Risinghurst | 357 | 52.6 | -56% |
| Churchill | 699 | 86.8 | -27% |
| Headington Hill & Northway | 368 | 64.4 | -46% |
| Barton & Sandhills | 419 | 69.4 | -42% |
| Marston | 343 | 46.3 | -61% |
| St Clement's | 912 | 144.5 | +22% |
| Lye Valley | 689 | 78.4 | -34% |
| St Mary's | 762 | 105.1 | -12% |
The 10 locations below account for 66% of the crime recorded in Headington over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hospital” (282).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hospital | 282 |
| On or near Supermarket | 111 |
| On or near Kennett Road | 109 |
| On or near Stephen Road | 51 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 49 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 46 |
| On or near Barton Fields Road | 28 |
| On or near Headley Way | 20 |
| On or near Mattock Close | 18 |
| On or near North Place | 18 |
Of the 1,015 crimes in Headington with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 10% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 90 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 357 | 35.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 273 | 26.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 122 | 12.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 103 | 10.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 47 | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 32 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 32 | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 29 | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Headington has an estimated population of 9,300 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (19.1%, against 7.9%), more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (59%, against 34%) and more private renting (33%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Headington average decile 8.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Headington | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 19.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 59.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 9.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 29.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 48.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 33.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Headington a safe place to live?
Headington recorded 118.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 838th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Headington?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 353 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (171).
Is crime in Headington going up or down?
Recorded crime in Headington was up 12% on the year before: 1,105 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 991 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Headington?
About 9,300 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Headington?
Headington is policed by Thames Valley.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.