Crime in Lower Teesdale: statistics, rates and trends
732 crimes were recorded in Lower Teesdale in the 12 months to August 2026, 82.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 32% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Lower Teesdale at a glance
- Crime trends in Lower Teesdale
- Types of crime in Lower Teesdale
- Lower Teesdale compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Lower Teesdale
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lower Teesdale
- Demographics of Lower Teesdale
- Questions about crime in Lower Teesdale
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (264), other crime (96) and anti-social behaviour (88) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,754th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Lower Teesdale | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 732 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 82.1 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +32% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 8,912 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Lower Teesdale of any year here (732 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 36%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 732 | 82.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 554 | 62.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 543 | 60.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 567 | 63.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 517 | 58.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 502 | 56.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 586 | 65.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 560 | 62.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 539 | 60.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 77 |
| July 2026 | 69 |
| June 2026 | 53 |
| May 2026 | 67 |
| April 2026 | 61 |
| March 2026 | 73 |
| February 2026 | 45 |
| January 2026 | 52 |
| December 2025 | 68 |
| November 2025 | 50 |
| October 2025 | 65 |
| September 2025 | 52 |
Compared with England and Wales, Lower Teesdale recorded notably more other crime (5.1 times the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (41% below) and anti-social behaviour (36% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 43 to 96 and public order rose from 20 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 264 | 29.6 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Other crime | 96 | 10.8 | 2.1 | +123% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 88 | 9.9 | 15.4 | +24% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 75 | 8.4 | 6.7 | +27% |
| Other theft | 53 | 5.9 | 6.4 | +104% |
| Public order | 42 | 4.7 | 6.7 | +110% |
| Burglary | 36 | 4.0 | 3.6 | +3% |
| Vehicle crime | 26 | 2.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 21 | 2.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 19 | 2.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Lower Teesdale; the highest is Bishop Auckland, County Durham (194.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Upper Teesdale (49.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lower Teesdale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnard Castle | 304 | 66.9 | -19% |
| Evenwood | 355 | 80.2 | -2% |
| West Auckland | 1,796 | 154.1 | +88% |
| Upper Teesdale | 249 | 49.7 | -40% |
| Bishop Auckland | 3,238 | 194.8 | +137% |
| Shildon & Dene Valley | 2,959 | 160.1 | +95% |
| Aycliffe North & Middridge | 1,140 | 96.2 | +17% |
| Crook | 1,597 | 111.8 | +36% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Lower Teesdale over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Burnhope Way” (156).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Burnhope Way | 156 |
| On or near Supermarket | 28 |
| On or near Parking Area | 26 |
| On or near Grangefields | 24 |
| On or near Watery Close | 19 |
| On or near Front Street | 18 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 16 |
| On or near Bleak Terrace | 15 |
| On or near Farmers Way | 14 |
| On or near Market Place | 14 |
Of the 644 crimes in Lower Teesdale with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 88 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 218 | 33.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 195 | 30.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 88 | 13.7% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 50 | 7.8% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 36 | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 23 | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 1.4% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 1.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 0.9% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Lower Teesdale has an estimated population of 8,912 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (29%, against 19%), more retired residents (32%, against 22%) and fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lower Teesdale average decile 5.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Lower Teesdale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 28.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 31.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lower Teesdale a safe place to live?
Lower Teesdale recorded 82.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,754th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime.
What is the most common crime in Lower Teesdale?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 264 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by other crime (96).
Is crime in Lower Teesdale going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lower Teesdale was up 32% on the year before: 732 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 554 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lower Teesdale?
About 8,912 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lower Teesdale?
Lower Teesdale is policed by Durham.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.