Crime in Nelson, Portsmouth: statistics, rates and trends
2,229 crimes were recorded in Nelson, Portsmouth in the 12 months to August 2026, 138.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Nelson, Portsmouth at a glance
- Crime trends in Nelson, Portsmouth
- Types of crime in Nelson, Portsmouth
- Nelson, Portsmouth compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Nelson, Portsmouth
- What happened after crimes were reported in Nelson, Portsmouth
- Demographics of Nelson, Portsmouth
- Questions about crime in Nelson, Portsmouth
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (864), anti-social behaviour (255) and shoplifting (252) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 545th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Nelson, Portsmouth | Portsmouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,229 | 26,789 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 138.9 | 125.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 16,050 | 214,321 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Nelson, Portsmouth peaked in the year to August 2018 (3,121 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (2,024). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 29%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,229 | 138.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,151 | 134.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,024 | 126.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,500 | 155.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,766 | 172.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,735 | 170.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,637 | 164.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,445 | 152.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,121 | 194.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 172 |
| July 2026 | 207 |
| June 2026 | 191 |
| May 2026 | 207 |
| April 2026 | 191 |
| March 2026 | 177 |
| February 2026 | 148 |
| January 2026 | 180 |
| December 2025 | 158 |
| November 2025 | 217 |
| October 2025 | 188 |
| September 2025 | 193 |
Compared with England and Wales, Nelson, Portsmouth recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.2 times the national rate), shoplifting (86% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (79% above the national rate). On the year before, other crime rose from 20 to 42 and vehicle crime rose from 78 to 143, while possession of weapons fell from 42 to 23 and burglary fell from 74 to 51.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 864 | 53.8 | 34.2 | -17% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 255 | 15.9 | 15.4 | +24% |
| Shoplifting | 252 | 15.7 | 8.5 | +57% |
| Public order | 189 | 11.8 | 6.7 | +15% |
| Vehicle crime | 143 | 8.9 | 5.0 | +83% |
| Other theft | 136 | 8.5 | 6.4 | +35% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 130 | 8.1 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Drugs | 69 | 4.3 | 3.3 | -3% |
| Burglary | 51 | 3.2 | 3.6 | -31% |
| Other crime | 42 | 2.6 | 2.1 | +110% |
| Robbery | 34 | 2.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 29 | 1.8 | 0.8 | +21% |
| Possession of weapons | 23 | 1.4 | 1.0 | -45% |
| Theft from the person | 12 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Nelson, Portsmouth; the highest is Charles Dickens (255.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Baffins (81.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Nelson, Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copnor | 1,430 | 106.2 | -24% |
| Hilsea | 1,327 | 91.5 | -34% |
| Fratton | 1,547 | 94.7 | -32% |
| Charles Dickens | 6,044 | 255.5 | +84% |
| Baffins | 1,274 | 81.7 | -41% |
| St Thomas | 2,480 | 162.8 | +17% |
| Central Southsea | 1,653 | 101.2 | -27% |
| Milton | 1,382 | 94.3 | -32% |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Nelson, Portsmouth over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (243).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 243 |
| On or near Parking Area | 192 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 131 |
| On or near Flying Bull Close | 77 |
| On or near Heathfield Road | 63 |
| On or near A2047 | 48 |
| On or near Drayton Road | 48 |
| On or near Kingston Crescent | 48 |
| On or near Estella Road | 46 |
| On or near Grafton Street | 44 |
Of the 1,974 crimes in Nelson, Portsmouth with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 255 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 751 | 38.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 650 | 32.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 173 | 8.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 122 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 74 | 3.7% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 64 | 3.2% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 47 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 46 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 20 | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 17 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Nelson, Portsmouth has an estimated population of 16,050 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (32%, against 20%), more households without a car (36%, against 23%) and a younger population (12%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Nelson, Portsmouth average decile 2.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Nelson, Portsmouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 24.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 35.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 46.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 32.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 19.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Nelson, Portsmouth a safe place to live?
Nelson, Portsmouth recorded 138.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 545th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Nelson, Portsmouth?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 864 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (255).
Is crime in Nelson, Portsmouth going up or down?
Recorded crime in Nelson, Portsmouth was up 4% on the year before: 2,229 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,151 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Nelson, Portsmouth?
About 16,050 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Nelson, Portsmouth?
Nelson, Portsmouth 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.