Crime in Milton, New Forest: statistics, rates and trends
652 crimes were recorded in Milton, New Forest in the 12 months to August 2026, 102.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Milton, New Forest at a glance
- Crime trends in Milton, New Forest
- Types of crime in Milton, New Forest
- Milton, New Forest compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Milton, New Forest
- What happened after crimes were reported in Milton, New Forest
- Demographics of Milton, New Forest
- Questions about crime in Milton, New Forest
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (230), shoplifting (94) and criminal damage and arson (61) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,170th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Milton, New Forest | New Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 652 | 10,266 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 102.9 | 58.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 6,339 | 176,116 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Milton, New Forest peaked in the year to August 2023 (853 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (637). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 652 | 102.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 675 | 106.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 637 | 100.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 853 | 134.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 773 | 121.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 688 | 108.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 748 | 118.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 722 | 113.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 777 | 122.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 52 |
| July 2026 | 81 |
| June 2026 | 62 |
| May 2026 | 66 |
| April 2026 | 41 |
| March 2026 | 54 |
| February 2026 | 60 |
| January 2026 | 38 |
| December 2025 | 36 |
| November 2025 | 56 |
| October 2025 | 53 |
| September 2025 | 53 |
Compared with England and Wales, Milton, New Forest recorded notably more shoplifting (75% above the national rate), burglary (51% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (43% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (46% below) and vehicle crime (37% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 27 to 34, while shoplifting fell from 126 to 94.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 230 | 36.3 | 34.2 | -5% |
| Shoplifting | 94 | 14.8 | 8.5 | -25% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 61 | 9.6 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Public order | 58 | 9.1 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 53 | 8.4 | 15.4 | -5% |
| Burglary | 34 | 5.4 | 3.6 | +26% |
| Other theft | 32 | 5.0 | 6.4 | -6% |
| Drugs | 27 | 4.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 3.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 17 | 2.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 13 | 2.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Milton, New Forest has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Milton, New Forest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard | 369 | 89.8 | -13% |
| Barton & Becton | 177 | 24.3 | -76% |
| Ashley, Bashley & Fernhill | 342 | 44.6 | -57% |
| Milford & Hordle | 277 | 26.5 | -74% |
| Sway | 111 | 28.7 | -72% |
| Pennington | 398 | 51.7 | -50% |
| Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East | 290 | 42.1 | -59% |
| Lymington | 509 | 63.7 | -38% |
The 10 locations below account for 50% of the crime recorded in Milton, New Forest over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (102).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 102 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 39 |
| On or near Old Milton | 27 |
| On or near Stannington Close | 26 |
| On or near Parkside Walk | 24 |
| On or near Station Road | 24 |
| On or near Greenwood Close | 23 |
| On or near Mendip Close | 22 |
| On or near Station Approach | 20 |
| On or near Churchill Court | 19 |
Of the 599 crimes in Milton, New Forest with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 53 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 193 | 32.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 188 | 31.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 84 | 14.0% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 37 | 6.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 35 | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 22 | 3.7% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 1.8% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Milton, New Forest has an estimated population of 6,339 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (34%, against 19%), more retired residents (37%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Milton, New Forest average decile 5.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Milton, New Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 33.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 37.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Milton, New Forest a safe place to live?
Milton, New Forest recorded 102.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,170th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and burglary.
What is the most common crime in Milton, New Forest?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 230 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (94).
Is crime in Milton, New Forest going up or down?
Recorded crime in Milton, New Forest was down 3% on the year before: 652 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 675 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Milton, New Forest?
About 6,339 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 34% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Milton, New Forest?
Milton, 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.