Crime in Houghton: statistics, rates and trends
1,121 crimes were recorded in Houghton in the 12 months to August 2026, 73.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (330), anti-social behaviour (212) and shoplifting (158) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,068th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Houghton | Sunderland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,121 | 28,197 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 73.8 | 97.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 15,195 | 288,606 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Houghton of any year here (1,121 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 38%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,121 | 73.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,334 | 87.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,525 | 100.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,633 | 107.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,387 | 91.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,428 | 94.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,542 | 101.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,535 | 101.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,796 | 118.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 79 |
| July 2026 | 92 |
| June 2026 | 83 |
| May 2026 | 87 |
| April 2026 | 128 |
| March 2026 | 83 |
| February 2026 | 60 |
| January 2026 | 36 |
| December 2025 | 126 |
| November 2025 | 105 |
| October 2025 | 136 |
| September 2025 | 106 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (50% below) and other theft (47% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs fell from 40 to 25 and other theft fell from 73 to 52.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 330 | 21.7 | 34.2 | -21% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 212 | 14.0 | 15.4 | -5% |
| Shoplifting | 158 | 10.4 | 8.5 | +3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 94 | 6.2 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Public order | 65 | 4.3 | 6.7 | -27% |
| Burglary | 58 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -24% |
| Vehicle crime | 57 | 3.8 | 5.0 | -22% |
| Other theft | 52 | 3.4 | 6.4 | -29% |
| Other crime | 40 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Drugs | 25 | 1.6 | 3.3 | -38% |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Houghton; the highest is Washington Central (104.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Washington East (54.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Houghton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copt Hill | 906 | 71.4 | -3% |
| Shiney Row | 811 | 72.0 | -2% |
| Hetton | 1,086 | 84.4 | +14% |
| St Chad's | 615 | 64.8 | -12% |
| Washington East | 714 | 54.9 | -26% |
| Sandhill | 958 | 90.4 | +23% |
| Doxford | 719 | 59.2 | -20% |
| Washington Central | 1,120 | 104.8 | +42% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Houghton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “The Broadway” (117).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near The Broadway | 117 |
| On or near Sunrise Lane | 80 |
| On or near Parking Area | 63 |
| On or near Wheler Street | 58 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 54 |
| On or near Burn Promenade | 34 |
| On or near Front Street | 26 |
| On or near Sedgeletch Road | 24 |
| On or near Rose Avenue | 22 |
| On or near Cross Street | 21 |
Of the 909 crimes in Houghton with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 212 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 394 | 43.3% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 237 | 26.1% | 4.7% |
| Under investigation | 209 | 23.0% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 43 | 4.7% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 13 | 1.4% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 0.6% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 3 | 0.3% | 34.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Houghton has an estimated population of 15,195 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (12%, against 20%), fewer students (5.2%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Houghton average decile 4.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Houghton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 8.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Houghton a safe place to live?
Houghton recorded 73.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,068th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Houghton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 330 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (212).
Is crime in Houghton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Houghton was down 16% on the year before: 1,121 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,334 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Houghton?
About 15,195 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Houghton?
Houghton is policed by Northumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.