Crime in Norwood: statistics, rates and trends
856 crimes were recorded in Norwood in the 12 months to August 2026, 57.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (419), public order (82), anti-social behaviour (52) and criminal damage and arson (52) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,714th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Norwood | Sefton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 856 | 24,393 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 57.6 | 85.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 14,865 | 286,281 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Norwood peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,219 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (847). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 24%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 856 | 57.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 847 | 57.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,025 | 69.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 997 | 67.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,219 | 82.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,127 | 75.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,122 | 75.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 986 | 66.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,128 | 75.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 73 |
| July 2026 | 100 |
| June 2026 | 76 |
| May 2026 | 66 |
| April 2026 | 76 |
| March 2026 | 76 |
| February 2026 | 68 |
| January 2026 | 71 |
| December 2025 | 75 |
| November 2025 | 48 |
| October 2025 | 63 |
| September 2025 | 64 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (77% below) and shoplifting (67% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 28 to 48 and other theft rose from 42 to 49, while drugs fell from 57 to 47.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 419 | 28.2 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Public order | 82 | 5.5 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 52 | 3.5 | 15.4 | +4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 52 | 3.5 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Other theft | 49 | 3.3 | 6.4 | +17% |
| Vehicle crime | 48 | 3.2 | 5.0 | +71% |
| Drugs | 47 | 3.2 | 3.3 | -18% |
| Shoplifting | 42 | 2.8 | 8.5 | -5% |
| Other crime | 32 | 2.2 | 2.1 | +3% |
| Burglary | 18 | 1.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Norwood; the highest is Duke's (207.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Meols, Sefton (38.3).
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Norwood over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (38).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 38 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 36 |
| On or near Wavell Close | 31 |
| On or near Lawson Street | 28 |
| On or near Back Forest Road | 24 |
| On or near Bretton Fold | 23 |
| On or near Bispham Road | 20 |
| On or near Bengarth Road | 18 |
| On or near Rosebery Street | 18 |
| On or near Argameols Close | 17 |
Of the 804 crimes in Norwood with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 52 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 387 | 48.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 189 | 23.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 85 | 10.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 48 | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 28 | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 23 | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 15 | 1.9% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Norwood has an estimated population of 14,865 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.7%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Norwood average decile 4.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Norwood | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 9.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Norwood a safe place to live?
Norwood recorded 57.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,714th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Norwood?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 419 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (82).
Is crime in Norwood going up or down?
Recorded crime in Norwood was up 1% on the year before: 856 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 847 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Norwood?
About 14,865 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Norwood?
Norwood is policed by Merseyside.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.