Crime in Hilsea: statistics, rates and trends
1,327 crimes were recorded in Hilsea in the 12 months to August 2026, 91.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (556), anti-social behaviour (174) and public order (115) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,450th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Hilsea | Portsmouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,327 | 26,789 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 91.5 | 125.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 14,497 | 214,321 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Hilsea peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,907 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,286). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 4%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,327 | 91.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,286 | 88.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,337 | 92.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,664 | 114.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,907 | 131.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,867 | 128.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,487 | 102.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,289 | 88.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,385 | 95.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 127 |
| July 2026 | 118 |
| June 2026 | 113 |
| May 2026 | 129 |
| April 2026 | 126 |
| March 2026 | 133 |
| February 2026 | 90 |
| January 2026 | 89 |
| December 2025 | 104 |
| November 2025 | 94 |
| October 2025 | 116 |
| September 2025 | 88 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (49% below) and burglary (32% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 53 to 83 and other theft rose from 65 to 98, while burglary fell from 48 to 35.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 556 | 38.4 | 34.2 | -14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 174 | 12.0 | 15.4 | +3% |
| Public order | 115 | 7.9 | 6.7 | +32% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 109 | 7.5 | 6.7 | +31% |
| Other theft | 98 | 6.8 | 6.4 | +51% |
| Vehicle crime | 83 | 5.7 | 5.0 | +57% |
| Shoplifting | 62 | 4.3 | 8.5 | +38% |
| Burglary | 35 | 2.4 | 3.6 | -27% |
| Drugs | 34 | 2.3 | 3.3 | +10% |
| Possession of weapons | 18 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 17 | 1.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 13 | 0.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Hilsea; the highest is Charles Dickens (255.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Drayton and Farlington (43.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hilsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copnor | 1,430 | 106.2 | +16% |
| Nelson | 2,229 | 138.9 | +52% |
| Cosham | 2,136 | 143.8 | +57% |
| Fratton | 1,547 | 94.7 | +3% |
| Baffins | 1,274 | 81.7 | -11% |
| Charles Dickens | 6,044 | 255.5 | +179% |
| Drayton and Farlington | 613 | 43.0 | -53% |
| Paulsgrove | 1,520 | 102.8 | +12% |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Hilsea over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (77).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 77 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 64 |
| On or near Parking Area | 62 |
| On or near Farmside Gardens | 56 |
| On or near Fawley Road | 49 |
| On or near Oriel Road | 47 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 43 |
| On or near Horsea Lane | 41 |
| On or near Inhurst Road | 37 |
| On or near Rampart Gardens | 37 |
Of the 1,153 crimes in Hilsea with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 174 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 470 | 40.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 391 | 33.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 97 | 8.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 57 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 45 | 3.9% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 30 | 2.6% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 29 | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 16 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Hilsea has an estimated population of 14,497 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.7%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hilsea average decile 5.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Hilsea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hilsea a safe place to live?
Hilsea recorded 91.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,450th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Hilsea?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 556 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (174).
Is crime in Hilsea going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hilsea was up 3% on the year before: 1,327 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,286 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hilsea?
About 14,497 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hilsea?
Hilsea is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.