Crime in Old Town, Barnsley: statistics, rates and trends
1,390 crimes were recorded in Old Town, Barnsley in the 12 months to August 2026, 118.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 19% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Old Town, Barnsley at a glance
- Crime trends in Old Town, Barnsley
- Types of crime in Old Town, Barnsley
- Old Town, Barnsley compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Old Town, Barnsley
- What happened after crimes were reported in Old Town, Barnsley
- Demographics of Old Town, Barnsley
- Questions about crime in Old Town, Barnsley
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (493), anti-social behaviour (203) and public order (133) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 840th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Old Town, Barnsley | Barnsley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,390 | 27,081 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 118.8 | 107.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -19% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 11,702 | 251,770 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Old Town, Barnsley of any year here (1,390 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 34%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,390 | 118.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,714 | 146.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,713 | 146.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,964 | 167.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,889 | 161.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,651 | 141.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,694 | 144.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,811 | 154.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,109 | 180.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 125 |
| July 2026 | 126 |
| June 2026 | 129 |
| May 2026 | 127 |
| April 2026 | 101 |
| March 2026 | 99 |
| February 2026 | 102 |
| January 2026 | 83 |
| December 2025 | 98 |
| November 2025 | 134 |
| October 2025 | 151 |
| September 2025 | 115 |
Compared with England and Wales, Old Town, Barnsley recorded notably more public order (71% above the national rate), other crime (70% above the national rate) and robbery (57% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (24% below). On the year before, shoplifting fell from 167 to 90 and other crime fell from 60 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 493 | 42.1 | 34.2 | -15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 203 | 17.3 | 15.4 | -8% |
| Public order | 133 | 11.4 | 6.7 | -27% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 122 | 10.4 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Other theft | 90 | 7.7 | 6.4 | -16% |
| Shoplifting | 90 | 7.7 | 8.5 | -46% |
| Vehicle crime | 76 | 6.5 | 5.0 | -11% |
| Burglary | 60 | 5.1 | 3.6 | -29% |
| Other crime | 42 | 3.6 | 2.1 | -30% |
| Drugs | 29 | 2.5 | 3.3 | -29% |
| Robbery | 25 | 2.1 | 1.4 | -7% |
| Possession of weapons | 17 | 1.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Old Town, Barnsley; the highest is Kingstone (276.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Darton East (54.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Old Town, Barnsley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingstone | 2,970 | 276.1 | +132% |
| Central | 1,984 | 165.6 | +39% |
| St Helens | 1,808 | 154.4 | +30% |
| Dodworth | 744 | 67.2 | -43% |
| Darton West | 785 | 75.3 | -37% |
| Monk Bretton | 1,503 | 120.3 | +1% |
| Darton East | 630 | 54.0 | -55% |
| Worsbrough | 1,154 | 119.4 | 0% |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Old Town, Barnsley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hospital” (154).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hospital | 154 |
| On or near Supermarket | 98 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 44 |
| On or near Quarry Street | 44 |
| On or near Peel Place | 39 |
| On or near Selby Road | 38 |
| On or near Bellmer Close | 34 |
| On or near Stainton Close | 23 |
| On or near Smithies Lane | 22 |
| On or near Windham Close | 22 |
Of the 1,187 crimes in Old Town, Barnsley with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 203 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 575 | 48.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 324 | 27.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 83 | 7.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 77 | 6.5% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 41 | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 37 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 25 | 2.1% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Old Town, Barnsley has an estimated population of 11,702 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.9%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Old Town, Barnsley average decile 4.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Old Town, Barnsley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 14.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Old Town, Barnsley a safe place to live?
Old Town, Barnsley recorded 118.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 840th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Old Town, Barnsley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 493 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (203).
Is crime in Old Town, Barnsley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Old Town, Barnsley was down 19% on the year before: 1,390 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,714 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Old Town, Barnsley?
About 11,702 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Old Town, Barnsley?
Old Town, Barnsley is policed by South Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.