Crime in Kemsley: statistics, rates and trends
478 crimes were recorded in Kemsley in the 12 months to August 2026, 73.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 19% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (158), anti-social behaviour (149) and criminal damage and arson (78) made up 81% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,096th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Kemsley | Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 478 | 15,704 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 73.2 | 99.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +19% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 6,531 | 158,379 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Kemsley peaked in the year to August 2020 (575 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (403). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 8%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 478 | 73.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 403 | 61.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 442 | 67.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 499 | 76.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 508 | 77.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 573 | 87.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 575 | 88.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 486 | 74.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 521 | 79.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 47 |
| July 2026 | 53 |
| June 2026 | 38 |
| May 2026 | 30 |
| April 2026 | 48 |
| March 2026 | 32 |
| February 2026 | 35 |
| January 2026 | 47 |
| December 2025 | 39 |
| November 2025 | 41 |
| October 2025 | 38 |
| September 2025 | 30 |
Compared with England and Wales, Kemsley recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (77% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (49% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (29% below) and other theft (29% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 68 to 149 and criminal damage and arson rose from 52 to 78, while violence and sexual offences fell from 189 to 158.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 158 | 24.2 | 34.2 | -16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 149 | 22.8 | 15.4 | +119% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 78 | 11.9 | 6.7 | +50% |
| Other theft | 30 | 4.6 | 6.4 | +20% |
| Vehicle crime | 17 | 2.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 12 | 1.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Public order | 12 | 1.8 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 6 | 0.9 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.8 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Kemsley; the highest is Roman, Swale (211.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow (41.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Kemsley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milton Regis | 759 | 112.2 | +53% |
| Chalkwell | 522 | 128.8 | +76% |
| The Meads | 359 | 64.1 | -12% |
| Murston | 825 | 114.0 | +56% |
| Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow | 240 | 41.9 | -43% |
| Roman | 1,631 | 211.7 | +189% |
| Homewood | 410 | 70.5 | -4% |
| Borden and Grove Park | 347 | 57.2 | -22% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Kemsley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Ridham Avenue” (30).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Ridham Avenue | 30 |
| On or near Taillour Close | 28 |
| On or near Samuel Drive | 26 |
| On or near The Crescent | 25 |
| On or near Archer Court | 20 |
| On or near Lloyd Drive | 19 |
| On or near Menin Road | 19 |
| On or near Merleburgh Drive | 17 |
| On or near Castle Rough Lane | 16 |
| On or near Flanders Close | 16 |
Of the 329 crimes in Kemsley with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 149 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 125 | 38.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 98 | 29.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 35 | 10.6% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 5.5% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 17 | 5.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 13 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 10 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Kemsley has an estimated population of 6,531 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%), a younger population (11%, against 19%) and fewer retired residents (13%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Kemsley average decile 5.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Kemsley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 67.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 12.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Kemsley a safe place to live?
Kemsley recorded 73.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,096th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Kemsley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 158 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (149).
Is crime in Kemsley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Kemsley was up 19% on the year before: 478 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 403 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Kemsley?
About 6,531 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Kemsley?
Kemsley is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.