Crime in Milton & Waterbeach: statistics, rates and trends
993 crimes were recorded in Milton & Waterbeach in the 12 months to August 2026, 86.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Milton & Waterbeach at a glance
- Crime trends in Milton & Waterbeach
- Types of crime in Milton & Waterbeach
- Milton & Waterbeach compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Milton & Waterbeach
- What happened after crimes were reported in Milton & Waterbeach
- Demographics of Milton & Waterbeach
- Questions about crime in Milton & Waterbeach
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (293), anti-social behaviour (174) and other theft (146) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,620th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Milton & Waterbeach | South Cambridgeshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 993 | 10,190 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 86.5 | 59.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | +11% | -1% |
| Population | 11,478 | 172,544 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Milton & Waterbeach of any year here (993 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 24%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 993 | 86.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 915 | 79.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 861 | 75.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 849 | 74.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 772 | 67.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 742 | 64.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 845 | 73.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 856 | 74.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 802 | 69.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 77 |
| July 2026 | 86 |
| June 2026 | 74 |
| May 2026 | 94 |
| April 2026 | 88 |
| March 2026 | 64 |
| February 2026 | 87 |
| January 2026 | 80 |
| December 2025 | 76 |
| November 2025 | 77 |
| October 2025 | 92 |
| September 2025 | 98 |
Compared with England and Wales, Milton & Waterbeach recorded notably more other theft (2.0 times the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (37% below) and public order (33% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 85 to 146 and drugs rose from 20 to 32, while anti-social behaviour fell from 205 to 174.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 293 | 25.5 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 174 | 15.2 | 15.4 | -15% |
| Other theft | 146 | 12.7 | 6.4 | +72% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 77 | 6.7 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Shoplifting | 61 | 5.3 | 8.5 | -6% |
| Vehicle crime | 58 | 5.1 | 5.0 | +2% |
| Public order | 51 | 4.4 | 6.7 | +24% |
| Burglary | 48 | 4.2 | 3.6 | +17% |
| Drugs | 32 | 2.8 | 3.3 | +60% |
| Other crime | 20 | 1.7 | 2.1 | -13% |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 11 | 1.0 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Milton & Waterbeach; the highest is Fen Ditton & Fulbourn (94.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Shelford (34.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Milton & Waterbeach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Histon & Impington | 934 | 79.2 | -8% |
| Cottenham | 477 | 65.2 | -25% |
| Girton | 169 | 35.2 | -59% |
| Fen Ditton & Fulbourn | 1,071 | 94.0 | +9% |
| Longstanton | 704 | 77.6 | -10% |
| Bar Hill | 360 | 70.8 | -18% |
| Over & Willingham | 392 | 51.3 | -41% |
| Shelford | 269 | 34.2 | -60% |
The 10 locations below account for 50% of the crime recorded in Milton & Waterbeach over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Coulson Close” (130).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Coulson Close | 130 |
| On or near Supermarket | 89 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 74 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 49 |
| On or near Sunningdale Caravan Park | 43 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 33 |
| On or near Waddelow Road | 24 |
| On or near Chapel Close | 21 |
| On or near Cambridge Road | 18 |
| On or near Fen Road | 18 |
Of the 819 crimes in Milton & Waterbeach with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 174 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 338 | 41.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 272 | 33.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 77 | 9.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 46 | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 34 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 25 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Milton & Waterbeach has an estimated population of 11,478 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (49%, against 34%), fewer students (4.5%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Milton & Waterbeach average decile 7.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Milton & Waterbeach | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 66.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 49.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Milton & Waterbeach a safe place to live?
Milton & Waterbeach recorded 86.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,620th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other theft.
What is the most common crime in Milton & Waterbeach?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 293 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (174).
Is crime in Milton & Waterbeach going up or down?
Recorded crime in Milton & Waterbeach was up 9% on the year before: 993 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 915 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Milton & Waterbeach?
About 11,478 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Milton & Waterbeach?
Milton & Waterbeach is policed by Cambridgeshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.