Crime in Mere: statistics, rates and trends
266 crimes were recorded in Mere in the 12 months to August 2026, 56.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 15% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (90), anti-social behaviour (41) and criminal damage and arson (26) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,768th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Mere | Wiltshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 266 | 31,724 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 56.3 | 60.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +15% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 4,724 | 523,700 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Mere peaked in the year to August 2019 (289 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (208). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 266 | 56.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 231 | 48.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 240 | 50.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 208 | 44.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 240 | 50.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 258 | 54.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 283 | 59.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 289 | 61.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 285 | 60.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 19 |
| July 2026 | 22 |
| June 2026 | 13 |
| May 2026 | 27 |
| April 2026 | 26 |
| March 2026 | 30 |
| February 2026 | 19 |
| January 2026 | 17 |
| December 2025 | 22 |
| November 2025 | 27 |
| October 2025 | 25 |
| September 2025 | 19 |
Compared with England and Wales, Mere recorded notably more burglary (25% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (44% below) and anti-social behaviour (44% below). On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 65 to 90, while anti-social behaviour fell from 51 to 41 and criminal damage and arson fell from 31 to 26.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 90 | 19.1 | 34.2 | +38% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 41 | 8.7 | 15.4 | -20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 26 | 5.5 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Shoplifting | 25 | 5.3 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 24 | 5.1 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 21 | 4.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other theft | 18 | 3.8 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 14 | 3.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 3 | 0.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 2 | 0.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Mere; the highest is Warminster East (123.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Westbury East (32.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Mere |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warminster West | 345 | 49.2 | -13% |
| Wylye Valley | 256 | 51.0 | -9% |
| Tisbury | 260 | 52.9 | -6% |
| Warminster East | 589 | 123.9 | +120% |
| Warminster North & Rural | 318 | 57.3 | +2% |
| Nadder Valley | 313 | 54.3 | -4% |
| Westbury West | 409 | 59.8 | +6% |
| Westbury East | 128 | 32.7 | -42% |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Mere over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (26).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 26 |
| On or near Chetcombe Road | 20 |
| On or near Queens Road | 14 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 12 |
| On or near Lynch Close | 11 |
| On or near Springfield Road | 9 |
| On or near Barnes Place | 8 |
| On or near Bramley Hill | 8 |
| On or near North Street | 8 |
| On or near Parking Area | 8 |
Of the 225 crimes in Mere with a recorded outcome, 45% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 41 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 102 | 45.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 55 | 24.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 32 | 14.2% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 9 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 8 | 3.6% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 3.1% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 2.2% | 0.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 4 | 1.8% | 5.2% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Mere has an estimated population of 4,724 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (35%, against 19%), more retired residents (35%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Mere average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Mere | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 34.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 35.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Mere a safe place to live?
Mere recorded 56.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,768th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were burglary.
What is the most common crime in Mere?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 90 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (41).
Is crime in Mere going up or down?
Recorded crime in Mere was up 15% on the year before: 266 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 231 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Mere?
About 4,724 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 35% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Mere?
Mere 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.