Crime in Milton, Southend-on-Sea: statistics, rates and trends
3,642 crimes were recorded in Milton, Southend-on-Sea in the 12 months to August 2026, 295.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Milton, Southend-on-Sea at a glance
- Crime trends in Milton, Southend-on-Sea
- Types of crime in Milton, Southend-on-Sea
- Milton, Southend-on-Sea compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Milton, Southend-on-Sea
- What happened after crimes were reported in Milton, Southend-on-Sea
- Demographics of Milton, Southend-on-Sea
- Questions about crime in Milton, Southend-on-Sea
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,420), anti-social behaviour (465) and shoplifting (421) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 73rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Milton, Southend-on-Sea | Southend-on-Sea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,642 | 21,255 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 295.5 | 114.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 12,323 | 185,256 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Milton, Southend-on-Sea peaked in the year to August 2018 (4,607 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (3,309). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 21%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,642 | 295.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,309 | 268.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,510 | 284.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,903 | 316.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,489 | 364.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,059 | 329.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,005 | 325.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,540 | 368.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,607 | 373.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 378 |
| July 2026 | 371 |
| June 2026 | 356 |
| May 2026 | 369 |
| April 2026 | 291 |
| March 2026 | 288 |
| February 2026 | 225 |
| January 2026 | 257 |
| December 2025 | 302 |
| November 2025 | 247 |
| October 2025 | 275 |
| September 2025 | 283 |
Compared with England and Wales, Milton, Southend-on-Sea recorded notably more drugs (7.1 times the national rate), bicycle theft (5.3 times the national rate) and possession of weapons (5.1 times the national rate). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 39 to 61 and drugs rose from 194 to 287, while robbery fell from 60 to 45 and other crime fell from 58 to 44.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,420 | 115.2 | 34.2 | +10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 465 | 37.7 | 15.4 | +22% |
| Shoplifting | 421 | 34.2 | 8.5 | +9% |
| Drugs | 287 | 23.3 | 3.3 | +48% |
| Public order | 237 | 19.2 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Other theft | 183 | 14.9 | 6.4 | -10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 166 | 13.5 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Vehicle crime | 116 | 9.4 | 5.0 | +5% |
| Burglary | 78 | 6.3 | 3.6 | +34% |
| Theft from the person | 65 | 5.3 | 1.7 | +23% |
| Possession of weapons | 61 | 5.0 | 1.0 | +56% |
| Bicycle theft | 54 | 4.4 | 0.8 | +20% |
| Robbery | 45 | 3.7 | 1.4 | -25% |
| Other crime | 44 | 3.6 | 2.1 | -24% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Milton, Southend-on-Sea has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Milton, Southend-on-Sea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | 3,629 | 257.3 | -13% |
| Westborough | 656 | 56.6 | -81% |
| Chalkwell | 1,391 | 136.9 | -54% |
| Kursaal | 2,835 | 225.4 | -24% |
| Prittlewell | 1,228 | 109.3 | -63% |
| St. Luke's | 1,087 | 95.2 | -68% |
| Blenheim Park | 734 | 65.2 | -78% |
| Thorpe | 567 | 62.1 | -79% |
The 10 locations below account for 52% of the crime recorded in Milton, Southend-on-Sea over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Nightclub” (535).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Nightclub | 535 |
| On or near Weston Road | 264 |
| On or near Parking Area | 197 |
| On or near High Street | 183 |
| On or near Hamlet Court Road | 165 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 157 |
| On or near Heygate Avenue | 145 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 81 |
| On or near Chichester Road | 77 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 75 |
Of the 3,177 crimes in Milton, Southend-on-Sea with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 11% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 465 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,116 | 35.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 919 | 28.9% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 340 | 10.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 233 | 7.3% | 3.1% |
| Under investigation | 222 | 7.0% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 127 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 76 | 2.4% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 61 | 1.9% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 40 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 34 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
Milton, Southend-on-Sea has an estimated population of 12,323 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (55%, against 20%), more households without a car (41%, against 23%) and less social housing (4.3%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Milton, Southend-on-Sea average decile 2.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Milton, Southend-on-Sea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 41.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 41.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 4.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 54.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.4 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 19.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Milton, Southend-on-Sea a safe place to live?
Milton, Southend-on-Sea recorded 295.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 73rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Milton, Southend-on-Sea?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,420 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (465).
Is crime in Milton, Southend-on-Sea going up or down?
Recorded crime in Milton, Southend-on-Sea was up 10% on the year before: 3,642 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,309 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Milton, Southend-on-Sea?
About 12,323 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Milton, Southend-on-Sea?
Milton, Southend-on-Sea is policed by Essex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.