Crime in Macclesfield Central: statistics, rates and trends
1,470 crimes were recorded in Macclesfield Central in the 12 months to August 2026, 186.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 15% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Macclesfield Central at a glance
- Crime trends in Macclesfield Central
- Types of crime in Macclesfield Central
- Macclesfield Central compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Macclesfield Central
- What happened after crimes were reported in Macclesfield Central
- Demographics of Macclesfield Central
- Questions about crime in Macclesfield Central
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (478), shoplifting (350) and public order (176) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 241st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Macclesfield Central | Cheshire East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,470 | 28,139 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 186.7 | 66.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +15% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 7,873 | 421,298 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Macclesfield Central peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,944 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,274). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,470 | 186.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,274 | 161.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,300 | 165.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,525 | 193.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,944 | 246.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,738 | 220.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,676 | 212.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,936 | 245.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,891 | 240.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 151 |
| July 2026 | 152 |
| June 2026 | 136 |
| May 2026 | 137 |
| April 2026 | 113 |
| March 2026 | 151 |
| February 2026 | 94 |
| January 2026 | 110 |
| December 2025 | 104 |
| November 2025 | 105 |
| October 2025 | 99 |
| September 2025 | 118 |
Compared with England and Wales, Macclesfield Central recorded notably more shoplifting (5.3 times the national rate), public order (3.4 times the national rate) and drugs (2.6 times the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 204 to 350 and public order rose from 152 to 176, while burglary fell from 35 to 29.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 478 | 60.7 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Shoplifting | 350 | 44.5 | 8.5 | +72% |
| Public order | 176 | 22.4 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 131 | 16.6 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 67 | 8.5 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Drugs | 67 | 8.5 | 3.3 | +5% |
| Other theft | 64 | 8.1 | 6.4 | +7% |
| Vehicle crime | 35 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Burglary | 29 | 3.7 | 3.6 | -17% |
| Other crime | 24 | 3.0 | 2.1 | -11% |
| Possession of weapons | 19 | 2.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 13 | 1.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 11 | 1.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.8 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Macclesfield Central has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Macclesfield Central |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macclesfield South | 761 | 77.2 | -59% |
| Macclesfield East | 507 | 86.0 | -54% |
| Macclesfield West and Ivy | 556 | 66.4 | -64% |
| Macclesfield Hurdsfield | 567 | 123.9 | -34% |
| Broken Cross and Upton | 620 | 66.0 | -65% |
| Macclesfield Tytherington | 273 | 29.6 | -84% |
| Sutton | 179 | 36.4 | -81% |
| Prestbury | 113 | 33.0 | -82% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Macclesfield Central over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (249).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 249 |
| On or near Wood Street | 133 |
| On or near Supermarket | 93 |
| On or near Churchside | 75 |
| On or near Mill Street | 50 |
| On or near Wardle Street | 41 |
| On or near Stanley Street | 40 |
| On or near Market Place | 37 |
| On or near Brunswick Street | 32 |
| On or near Duke Street | 32 |
Of the 1,339 crimes in Macclesfield Central with a recorded outcome, 25% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 20% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 131 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 421 | 31.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 340 | 25.4% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 263 | 19.6% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 121 | 9.0% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 89 | 6.6% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 72 | 5.4% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 15 | 1.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Macclesfield Central has an estimated population of 7,873 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (38%, against 20%), less social housing (8.2%, against 17.1%) and fewer students (4.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Macclesfield Central average decile 5.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Macclesfield Central | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 66.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 17.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 41.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 53.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 38.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Macclesfield Central a safe place to live?
Macclesfield Central recorded 186.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 241st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and public order.
What is the most common crime in Macclesfield Central?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 478 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (350).
Is crime in Macclesfield Central going up or down?
Recorded crime in Macclesfield Central was up 15% on the year before: 1,470 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,274 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Macclesfield Central?
About 7,873 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Macclesfield Central?
Macclesfield Central is policed by Cheshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.