Crime in Houghton Regis East: statistics, rates and trends
1,161 crimes were recorded in Houghton Regis East in the 12 months to August 2026, 93.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 19% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Houghton Regis East at a glance
- Crime trends in Houghton Regis East
- Types of crime in Houghton Regis East
- Houghton Regis East compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Houghton Regis East
- What happened after crimes were reported in Houghton Regis East
- Demographics of Houghton Regis East
- Questions about crime in Houghton Regis East
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (427), anti-social behaviour (302) and criminal damage and arson (106) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,414th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Houghton Regis East | Central Bedfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,161 | 19,387 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 93.0 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +19% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 12,489 | 315,877 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Houghton Regis East peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,192 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (881). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,161 | 93.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 975 | 78.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,146 | 91.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,028 | 82.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 917 | 73.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 902 | 72.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 881 | 70.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,169 | 93.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,192 | 95.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 112 |
| July 2026 | 151 |
| June 2026 | 117 |
| May 2026 | 115 |
| April 2026 | 119 |
| March 2026 | 91 |
| February 2026 | 77 |
| January 2026 | 84 |
| December 2025 | 66 |
| November 2025 | 75 |
| October 2025 | 77 |
| September 2025 | 77 |
Compared with England and Wales, Houghton Regis East recorded notably more other crime (59% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (57% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (26% above the national rate), and notably less burglary (37% below) and other theft (33% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 193 to 302 and criminal damage and arson rose from 75 to 106, while burglary fell from 37 to 28.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 427 | 34.2 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 302 | 24.2 | 15.4 | +56% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 106 | 8.5 | 6.7 | +41% |
| Public order | 71 | 5.7 | 6.7 | +37% |
| Vehicle crime | 56 | 4.5 | 5.0 | -11% |
| Other theft | 54 | 4.3 | 6.4 | +2% |
| Other crime | 42 | 3.4 | 2.1 | +31% |
| Drugs | 29 | 2.3 | 3.3 | +38% |
| Burglary | 28 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -24% |
| Robbery | 21 | 1.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 0.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Houghton Regis East; the highest is Dunstable Central (107.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Dunstable West (42.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Houghton Regis East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton Regis West | 1,142 | 92.0 | -1% |
| Dunstable East | 1,093 | 96.3 | +4% |
| Dunstable North | 619 | 63.2 | -32% |
| Dunstable Central | 838 | 107.3 | +15% |
| Dunstable South | 307 | 52.8 | -43% |
| Toddington | 790 | 80.3 | -14% |
| Dunstable West | 352 | 42.3 | -55% |
| Eaton Bray | 172 | 44.9 | -52% |
The 10 locations below account for 50% of the crime recorded in Houghton Regis East over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (121).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 121 |
| On or near Houghton Park Road | 98 |
| On or near Yew Street | 79 |
| On or near Thornhill Close | 53 |
| On or near Trident Drive | 44 |
| On or near Crossways | 43 |
| On or near Grove Road | 41 |
| On or near Bromley Gardens | 34 |
| On or near Brentwood Close | 33 |
| On or near Enfield Close | 33 |
Of the 859 crimes in Houghton Regis East with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 302 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 362 | 42.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 286 | 33.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 84 | 9.8% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 27 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 27 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 24 | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 22 | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 10 | 1.2% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Houghton Regis East has an estimated population of 12,489 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (27%, against 17%), a younger population (12%, against 19%) and fewer retired residents (14%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Houghton Regis East average decile 4.1 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Houghton Regis East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 58.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 26.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Houghton Regis East a safe place to live?
Houghton Regis East recorded 93.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,414th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Houghton Regis East?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 427 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (302).
Is crime in Houghton Regis East going up or down?
Recorded crime in Houghton Regis East was up 19% on the year before: 1,161 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 975 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Houghton Regis East?
About 12,489 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Houghton Regis East?
Houghton Regis East is policed by Bedfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.