Crime in Lymington, New Forest: statistics, rates and trends
509 crimes were recorded in Lymington, New Forest in the 12 months to August 2026, 63.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Lymington, New Forest at a glance
- Crime trends in Lymington, New Forest
- Types of crime in Lymington, New Forest
- Lymington, New Forest compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Lymington, New Forest
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lymington, New Forest
- Demographics of Lymington, New Forest
- Questions about crime in Lymington, New Forest
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (184), anti-social behaviour (60) and shoplifting (58) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,487th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Lymington, New Forest | New Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 509 | 10,266 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 63.7 | 58.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 7,996 | 176,116 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Lymington, New Forest of any year here (509 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 25%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 509 | 63.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 550 | 68.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 531 | 66.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 739 | 92.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 746 | 93.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 718 | 89.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 656 | 82.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 828 | 103.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 679 | 84.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 55 |
| July 2026 | 58 |
| June 2026 | 50 |
| May 2026 | 48 |
| April 2026 | 38 |
| March 2026 | 42 |
| February 2026 | 30 |
| January 2026 | 42 |
| December 2025 | 39 |
| November 2025 | 34 |
| October 2025 | 38 |
| September 2025 | 35 |
Compared with England and Wales, Lymington, New Forest recorded notably more bicycle theft (3.5 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (51% below) and other theft (36% below). On the year before, criminal damage and arson fell from 61 to 41 and other theft fell from 41 to 33.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 184 | 23.0 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 60 | 7.5 | 15.4 | -13% |
| Shoplifting | 58 | 7.3 | 8.5 | -17% |
| Public order | 50 | 6.3 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 41 | 5.1 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Other theft | 33 | 4.1 | 6.4 | -20% |
| Bicycle theft | 23 | 2.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Burglary | 13 | 1.6 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 12 | 1.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 8 | 1.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Lymington, New Forest; the highest is Milton, New Forest (102.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Milford & Hordle (26.5).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lymington, New Forest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennington | 398 | 51.7 | -19% |
| Milford & Hordle | 277 | 26.5 | -58% |
| Sway | 111 | 28.7 | -55% |
| Forest & Solent | 210 | 57.7 | -9% |
| Brockenhurst & Denny Lodge | 170 | 49.4 | -22% |
| Ashley, Bashley & Fernhill | 342 | 44.6 | -30% |
| Milton | 652 | 102.9 | +62% |
| Ballard | 369 | 89.8 | +41% |
The 10 locations below account for 54% of the crime recorded in Lymington, New Forest over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “St Thomas Street” (58).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near St Thomas Street | 58 |
| On or near Anchor Mews | 45 |
| On or near Parking Area | 45 |
| On or near High Street | 31 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 22 |
| On or near East Hill | 18 |
| On or near School Lane | 16 |
| On or near Londesborough Place | 15 |
| On or near Almansa Way | 14 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 11 |
Of the 449 crimes in Lymington, New Forest with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 60 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 161 | 35.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 143 | 31.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 51 | 11.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 29 | 6.5% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 15 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 10 | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Lymington, New Forest has an estimated population of 7,996 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (36%, against 19%), more retired residents (38%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.4%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lymington, New Forest average decile 8.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Lymington, New Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 35.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 38.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lymington, New Forest a safe place to live?
Lymington, New Forest recorded 63.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,487th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Lymington, New Forest?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 184 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (60).
Is crime in Lymington, New Forest going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lymington, New Forest was down 7% on the year before: 509 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 550 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lymington, New Forest?
About 7,996 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 36% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lymington, New Forest?
Lymington, New Forest is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.