Crime in Kemptown: statistics, rates and trends
3,443 crimes were recorded in Kemptown in the 12 months to August 2026, 285.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,127), anti-social behaviour (664) and shoplifting (367) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 81st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Kemptown | Brighton and Hove | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,443 | 35,519 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 285.1 | 125.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -13% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 12,076 | 283,870 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Kemptown peaked in the year to August 2025 (3,978 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (3,005). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 4%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,443 | 285.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,978 | 329.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,394 | 281.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,080 | 255.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,045 | 252.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,005 | 248.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,008 | 249.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,174 | 262.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,309 | 274.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 360 |
| July 2026 | 411 |
| June 2026 | 371 |
| May 2026 | 320 |
| April 2026 | 262 |
| March 2026 | 255 |
| February 2026 | 225 |
| January 2026 | 233 |
| December 2025 | 207 |
| November 2025 | 250 |
| October 2025 | 238 |
| September 2025 | 311 |
Compared with England and Wales, Kemptown recorded notably more bicycle theft (6.2 times the national rate), public order (4.4 times the national rate) and shoplifting (3.6 times the national rate). On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 48 to 62, while shoplifting fell from 737 to 367 and possession of weapons fell from 57 to 35.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,127 | 93.3 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 664 | 55.0 | 15.4 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 367 | 30.4 | 8.5 | -50% |
| Public order | 355 | 29.4 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Other theft | 245 | 20.3 | 6.4 | -20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 155 | 12.8 | 6.7 | -29% |
| Drugs | 131 | 10.8 | 3.3 | -1% |
| Burglary | 73 | 6.0 | 3.6 | -10% |
| Bicycle theft | 62 | 5.1 | 0.8 | +29% |
| Other crime | 62 | 5.1 | 2.1 | -15% |
| Theft from the person | 62 | 5.1 | 1.7 | -5% |
| Vehicle crime | 58 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Robbery | 47 | 3.9 | 1.4 | -11% |
| Possession of weapons | 35 | 2.9 | 1.0 | -39% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Kemptown; the highest is Regency (631.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Hanover & Elm Grove (69.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Kemptown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queen's Park | 1,183 | 115.6 | -59% |
| Whitehawk & Marina | 2,024 | 164.5 | -42% |
| Hanover & Elm Grove | 1,093 | 69.8 | -76% |
| West Hill & North Laine | 5,217 | 483.6 | +70% |
| Round Hill | 907 | 105.8 | -63% |
| Regency | 6,318 | 631.1 | +121% |
| Brunswick & Adelaide | 900 | 87.8 | -69% |
| Moulsecoomb & Bevendean | 1,393 | 87.6 | -69% |
The 10 locations below account for 57% of the crime recorded in Kemptown over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (616).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 616 |
| On or near Hospital | 445 |
| On or near Nightclub | 315 |
| On or near Cavendish Street | 177 |
| On or near Charlotte Street | 110 |
| On or near Rock Place | 72 |
| On or near Percival Terrace | 68 |
| On or near Aquarium | 58 |
| On or near Lower Rock Gardens | 53 |
| On or near Steine Street | 53 |
Of the 2,779 crimes in Kemptown with a recorded outcome, 44% 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 664 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,214 | 43.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 758 | 27.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 285 | 10.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 201 | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 104 | 3.7% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 91 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 85 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Kemptown has an estimated population of 12,076 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (57%, against 23%), more private renting (46%, against 20%) and more students (13.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Kemptown average decile 3.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Kemptown | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 8.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 13.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 51.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 57.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 34.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 46.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 16.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Kemptown a safe place to live?
Kemptown recorded 285.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 81st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and public order.
What is the most common crime in Kemptown?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,127 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (664).
Is crime in Kemptown going up or down?
Recorded crime in Kemptown was down 13% on the year before: 3,443 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,978 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Kemptown?
About 12,076 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Kemptown?
Kemptown is policed by Sussex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.