Crime in Melksham Without West & Rural: statistics, rates and trends
454 crimes were recorded in Melksham Without West & Rural in the 12 months to August 2026, 54.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Melksham Without West & Rural at a glance
- Crime trends in Melksham Without West & Rural
- Types of crime in Melksham Without West & Rural
- Melksham Without West & Rural compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Melksham Without West & Rural
- What happened after crimes were reported in Melksham Without West & Rural
- Demographics of Melksham Without West & Rural
- Questions about crime in Melksham Without West & Rural
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (203), anti-social behaviour (76) and criminal damage and arson (44) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,860th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Melksham Without West & Rural | Wiltshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 454 | 31,724 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 54.1 | 60.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 8,394 | 523,700 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Melksham Without West & Rural peaked in the year to August 2025 (459 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (364). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 6%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 454 | 54.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 459 | 54.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 364 | 43.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 405 | 48.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 380 | 45.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 388 | 46.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 385 | 45.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 380 | 45.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 430 | 51.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 40 |
| July 2026 | 45 |
| June 2026 | 50 |
| May 2026 | 42 |
| April 2026 | 49 |
| March 2026 | 45 |
| February 2026 | 35 |
| January 2026 | 22 |
| December 2025 | 42 |
| November 2025 | 28 |
| October 2025 | 30 |
| September 2025 | 26 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (54% below) and anti-social behaviour (41% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 60 to 76.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 203 | 24.2 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 76 | 9.1 | 15.4 | +27% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 44 | 5.2 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Public order | 41 | 4.9 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Other theft | 25 | 3.0 | 6.4 | -14% |
| Drugs | 21 | 2.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 16 | 1.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 15 | 1.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 8 | 1.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.4 | 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.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Melksham Without West & Rural; the highest is Melksham Forest (96.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Bowerhill, Wiltshire (38.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Melksham Without West & Rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilperton | 159 | 45.4 | -16% |
| Bowerhill | 170 | 38.0 | -30% |
| Melksham South | 377 | 93.9 | +74% |
| Trowbridge Paxcroft | 260 | 43.1 | -20% |
| Holt | 237 | 41.5 | -23% |
| Melksham East | 268 | 44.1 | -19% |
| Trowbridge Park | 341 | 69.1 | +28% |
| Melksham Forest | 587 | 96.1 | +78% |
The 10 locations below account for 57% of the crime recorded in Melksham Without West & Rural over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shails Lane” (117).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shails Lane | 117 |
| On or near Parking Area | 26 |
| On or near Smeaton Way | 24 |
| On or near Semington Road | 23 |
| On or near Hastings Road | 16 |
| On or near Manor Close | 14 |
| On or near Whaddon Lane | 13 |
| On or near Newleaze | 9 |
| On or near Dowding Way | 8 |
| On or near West Ashton Road | 8 |
Of the 378 crimes in Melksham Without West & Rural with a recorded outcome, 19% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 76 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 122 | 32.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 75 | 19.8% | 11.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 70 | 18.5% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 31 | 8.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 21 | 5.6% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 20 | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 3.7% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 2.6% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 2.1% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Melksham Without West & Rural has an estimated population of 8,394 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (8.4%, against 23.3%), fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%) and less private renting (11%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Melksham Without West & Rural average decile 6.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Melksham Without West & Rural | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 8.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Melksham Without West & Rural a safe place to live?
Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 54.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,860th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Melksham Without West & Rural?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 203 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (76).
Is crime in Melksham Without West & Rural going up or down?
Recorded crime in Melksham Without West & Rural was down 1% on the year before: 454 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 459 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Melksham Without West & Rural?
About 8,394 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Melksham Without West & Rural?
Melksham Without West & Rural is policed by Wiltshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.