Crime in Hertford Castle: statistics, rates and trends
745 crimes were recorded in Hertford Castle in the 12 months to August 2026, 149.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Hertford Castle at a glance
- Crime trends in Hertford Castle
- Types of crime in Hertford Castle
- Hertford Castle compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Hertford Castle
- What happened after crimes were reported in Hertford Castle
- Demographics of Hertford Castle
- Questions about crime in Hertford Castle
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (257), anti-social behaviour (149) and shoplifting (105) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 439th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Hertford Castle | East Hertfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 745 | 10,712 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 149.8 | 68.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 4,974 | 156,875 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Hertford Castle peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,226 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (698). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 745 | 149.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 728 | 146.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 698 | 140.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 827 | 166.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 983 | 197.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 753 | 151.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 908 | 182.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,226 | 246.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,022 | 205.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 72 |
| July 2026 | 63 |
| June 2026 | 75 |
| May 2026 | 76 |
| April 2026 | 54 |
| March 2026 | 78 |
| February 2026 | 41 |
| January 2026 | 56 |
| December 2025 | 56 |
| November 2025 | 39 |
| October 2025 | 69 |
| September 2025 | 66 |
Compared with England and Wales, Hertford Castle recorded notably more shoplifting (2.5 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (2.0 times the national rate) and drugs (84% above the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 82 to 105 and other theft rose from 35 to 44, while vehicle crime fell from 45 to 20 and public order fell from 44 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 257 | 51.7 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 149 | 30.0 | 15.4 | +8% |
| Shoplifting | 105 | 21.1 | 8.5 | +28% |
| Other theft | 44 | 8.8 | 6.4 | +26% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 41 | 8.2 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Public order | 37 | 7.4 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Drugs | 30 | 6.0 | 3.3 | +15% |
| Burglary | 21 | 4.2 | 3.6 | +5% |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 4.0 | 5.0 | -56% |
| Theft from the person | 11 | 2.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 2.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 1.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 1.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Hertford Castle has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hertford Castle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hertford Bengeo | 573 | 58.9 | -61% |
| Hertford Kingsmead | 802 | 81.7 | -45% |
| Hertford Sele | 417 | 64.6 | -57% |
| Hertford Heath & Brickendon | 167 | 46.6 | -69% |
| Ware Priory | 720 | 92.0 | -39% |
| Ware St Mary's | 332 | 49.0 | -67% |
| Ware Trinity | 311 | 56.4 | -62% |
| Great Amwell & Stansteads | 334 | 57.4 | -62% |
The 10 locations below account for 64% of the crime recorded in Hertford Castle over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “South Street” (107).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near South Street | 107 |
| On or near Fore Street | 86 |
| On or near Bircherley Street | 59 |
| On or near Nightclub | 50 |
| On or near Salisbury Square | 42 |
| On or near Millers Yard | 30 |
| On or near Cranborne Close | 29 |
| On or near Hertford Bus Station | 26 |
| On or near Market Street | 23 |
| On or near The Wash | 23 |
Of the 596 crimes in Hertford Castle with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 149 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 223 | 37.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 176 | 29.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 71 | 11.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 43 | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 39 | 6.5% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 17 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Hertford Castle has an estimated population of 4,974 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.3%, against 7.9%), more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (42%, against 34%) and more retired residents (27%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hertford Castle average decile 7.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Hertford Castle | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 41.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 60.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hertford Castle a safe place to live?
Hertford Castle recorded 149.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 439th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Hertford Castle?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 257 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (149).
Is crime in Hertford Castle going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hertford Castle was up 2% on the year before: 745 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 728 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hertford Castle?
About 4,974 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hertford Castle?
Hertford Castle 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.