Crime in Ringwood South: statistics, rates and trends
780 crimes were recorded in Ringwood South in the 12 months to August 2026, 95.7 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ringwood South at a glance
- Crime trends in Ringwood South
- Types of crime in Ringwood South
- Ringwood South compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Ringwood South
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ringwood South
- Demographics of Ringwood South
- Questions about crime in Ringwood South
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (251), anti-social behaviour (141) and criminal damage and arson (86) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,351st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Ringwood South | New Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 780 | 10,266 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 95.7 | 58.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 8,149 | 176,116 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ringwood South peaked in the year to August 2022 (851 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (714). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 780 | 95.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 759 | 93.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 777 | 95.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 730 | 89.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 851 | 104.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 731 | 89.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 805 | 98.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 781 | 95.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 714 | 87.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 86 |
| July 2026 | 70 |
| June 2026 | 73 |
| May 2026 | 68 |
| April 2026 | 67 |
| March 2026 | 62 |
| February 2026 | 65 |
| January 2026 | 56 |
| December 2025 | 78 |
| November 2025 | 50 |
| October 2025 | 56 |
| September 2025 | 49 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ringwood South recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (56% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (38% above the national rate). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 75 to 141 and vehicle crime rose from 36 to 56, while public order fell from 73 to 46 and burglary fell from 42 to 31.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 251 | 30.8 | 34.2 | -10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 141 | 17.3 | 15.4 | +88% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 86 | 10.6 | 6.7 | +51% |
| Shoplifting | 68 | 8.3 | 8.5 | -12% |
| Vehicle crime | 56 | 6.9 | 5.0 | +56% |
| Public order | 46 | 5.6 | 6.7 | -37% |
| Other theft | 45 | 5.5 | 6.4 | -21% |
| Burglary | 31 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -26% |
| Robbery | 16 | 2.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 15 | 1.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 1.0 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 8 | 1.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Ringwood South; the highest is Milton, New Forest (102.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Barton & Becton (24.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ringwood South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ringwood North & Ellingham | 303 | 41.0 | -57% |
| Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East | 290 | 42.1 | -56% |
| Fordingbridge, Godshill & Hyde | 490 | 59.2 | -38% |
| Ballard | 369 | 89.8 | -6% |
| Ashley, Bashley & Fernhill | 342 | 44.6 | -53% |
| Milton | 652 | 102.9 | +7% |
| Barton & Becton | 177 | 24.3 | -75% |
| Sway | 111 | 28.7 | -70% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Ringwood South over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (117).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 117 |
| On or near Parking Area | 57 |
| On or near Crow Arch Lane | 29 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 29 |
| On or near High Street | 26 |
| On or near Mansfield Road | 23 |
| On or near Kingsbury'S Lane | 19 |
| On or near Ash Grove | 18 |
| On or near Spittlefields | 16 |
| On or near Brooks Close | 15 |
Of the 639 crimes in Ringwood South with a recorded outcome, 40% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 141 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 256 | 40.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 187 | 29.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 85 | 13.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 27 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 26 | 4.1% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 23 | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Ringwood South has an estimated population of 8,149 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.7%, against 7.9%), an older population (26%, against 19%) and fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ringwood South average decile 7.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Ringwood South | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ringwood South a safe place to live?
Ringwood South recorded 95.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,351st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Ringwood South?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 251 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (141).
Is crime in Ringwood South going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ringwood South was up 3% on the year before: 780 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 759 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ringwood South?
About 8,149 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ringwood South?
Ringwood South 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.