Crime in Kempston North: statistics, rates and trends
303 crimes were recorded in Kempston North in the 12 months to August 2026, 78.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Kempston North at a glance
- Crime trends in Kempston North
- Types of crime in Kempston North
- Kempston North compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Kempston North
- What happened after crimes were reported in Kempston North
- Demographics of Kempston North
- Questions about crime in Kempston North
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (129), anti-social behaviour (42) and vehicle crime (23) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,909th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Kempston North | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 303 | 18,621 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 78.2 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -13% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 3,876 | 194,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Kempston North peaked in the year to August 2019 (453 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (227). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 30%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 303 | 78.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 348 | 89.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 364 | 93.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 227 | 58.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 260 | 67.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 378 | 97.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 415 | 107.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 453 | 116.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 434 | 112.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 27 |
| July 2026 | 32 |
| June 2026 | 27 |
| May 2026 | 24 |
| April 2026 | 29 |
| March 2026 | 26 |
| February 2026 | 25 |
| January 2026 | 19 |
| December 2025 | 16 |
| November 2025 | 23 |
| October 2025 | 21 |
| September 2025 | 34 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (29% below) was well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour fell from 68 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 129 | 33.3 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 42 | 10.8 | 15.4 | -38% |
| Vehicle crime | 23 | 5.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 17 | 4.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Public order | 17 | 4.4 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 16 | 4.1 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 16 | 4.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Burglary | 13 | 3.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other theft | 12 | 3.1 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 6 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 1.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Kempston North; the highest is Greyfriars, Bedford (433.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Biddenham (53.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Kempston North |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kempston Central & East | 1,238 | 124.2 | +59% |
| Queens Park | 877 | 86.1 | +10% |
| Great Denham | 263 | 58.4 | -25% |
| Kempston South | 364 | 88.4 | +13% |
| Cauldwell | 1,806 | 145.5 | +86% |
| Kempston West | 277 | 57.3 | -27% |
| Greyfriars | 1,963 | 433.6 | +455% |
| Biddenham | 244 | 53.6 | -31% |
The 10 locations below account for 57% of the crime recorded in Kempston North over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Halsey Road” (27).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Halsey Road | 27 |
| On or near Marlborough Park | 22 |
| On or near Parking Area | 21 |
| On or near Kingston Close | 15 |
| On or near Riverside Close | 15 |
| On or near Stanton Road | 15 |
| On or near Westminster Gardens | 15 |
| On or near Austin Canons | 14 |
| On or near Emmerton Road | 14 |
| On or near Stafford Road | 14 |
Of the 261 crimes in Kempston North with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 42 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 106 | 40.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 73 | 28.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 35 | 13.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 11 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 9 | 3.4% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 3.1% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 1.9% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Kempston North has an estimated population of 3,876 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (33%, against 17%), less private renting (14%, against 20%) and more residents with no qualifications (23%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Kempston North average decile 3.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Kempston North | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 53.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 32.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Kempston North a safe place to live?
Kempston North recorded 78.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,909th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Kempston North?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 129 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (42).
Is crime in Kempston North going up or down?
Recorded crime in Kempston North was down 13% on the year before: 303 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 348 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Kempston North?
About 3,876 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Kempston North?
Kempston North 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.