Crime in Ovenden: statistics, rates and trends
1,964 crimes were recorded in Ovenden in the 12 months to August 2026, 144.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (870), anti-social behaviour (192) and shoplifting (178) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 480th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Ovenden | Calderdale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,964 | 24,413 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 144.5 | 115.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | -6% | -1% |
| Population | 13,591 | 210,929 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Ovenden of any year here (1,964 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,964 | 144.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,329 | 171.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,437 | 179.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,755 | 202.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,829 | 208.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,779 | 204.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,416 | 177.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,615 | 192.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,650 | 195.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 154 |
| July 2026 | 188 |
| June 2026 | 186 |
| May 2026 | 183 |
| April 2026 | 150 |
| March 2026 | 162 |
| February 2026 | 128 |
| January 2026 | 135 |
| December 2025 | 145 |
| November 2025 | 146 |
| October 2025 | 185 |
| September 2025 | 202 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ovenden recorded notably more other crime (2.4 times the national rate), violence and sexual offences (87% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (73% above the national rate). On the year before, burglary fell from 84 to 49 and other crime fell from 98 to 69.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 870 | 64.0 | 34.2 | -18% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 192 | 14.1 | 15.4 | -4% |
| Shoplifting | 178 | 13.1 | 8.5 | +5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 159 | 11.7 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Other theft | 139 | 10.2 | 6.4 | -19% |
| Public order | 137 | 10.1 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Other crime | 69 | 5.1 | 2.1 | -30% |
| Drugs | 66 | 4.9 | 3.3 | -1% |
| Vehicle crime | 65 | 4.8 | 5.0 | -24% |
| Burglary | 49 | 3.6 | 3.6 | -42% |
| Robbery | 17 | 1.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Ovenden; the highest is Town, Calderdale (304.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Northowram and Shelf (58.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ovenden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warley | 1,515 | 111.8 | -23% |
| Illingworth and Mixenden | 1,568 | 131.8 | -9% |
| Park | 2,569 | 146.1 | +1% |
| Town | 4,075 | 304.3 | +111% |
| Sowerby Bridge | 1,042 | 93.2 | -35% |
| Skircoat | 1,698 | 121.2 | -16% |
| Northowram and Shelf | 683 | 58.3 | -60% |
| Luddendenfoot | 663 | 66.5 | -54% |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Ovenden over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (270).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 270 |
| On or near Denfield Edge | 48 |
| On or near Furness Place | 44 |
| On or near Ovenden Way | 37 |
| On or near Denfield Avenue | 36 |
| On or near Forest Green | 31 |
| On or near Furness Drive | 28 |
| On or near High Croft | 26 |
| On or near Ovenden Terrace | 26 |
| On or near Sod House Green | 26 |
Of the 1,772 crimes in Ovenden with a recorded outcome, 25% 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 192 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 718 | 40.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 441 | 24.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 210 | 11.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 109 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 98 | 5.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 68 | 3.8% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 44 | 2.5% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 39 | 2.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 22 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Ovenden has an estimated population of 13,591 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (27%, against 17%), more households without a car (35%, against 23%) and more residents with no qualifications (27%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ovenden average decile 2.1 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Ovenden | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 18.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 26.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 34.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 52.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 63.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Ovenden a safe place to live?
Ovenden recorded 144.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 480th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Ovenden?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 870 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (192).
Is crime in Ovenden going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ovenden was down 16% on the year before: 1,964 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,329 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ovenden?
About 13,591 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ovenden?
Ovenden is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.