Crime in Rural North: statistics, rates and trends
466 crimes were recorded in Rural North in the 12 months to August 2026, 40.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Rural North at a glance
- Crime trends in Rural North
- Types of crime in Rural North
- Rural North compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Rural North
- What happened after crimes were reported in Rural North
- Demographics of Rural North
- Questions about crime in Rural North
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (218), criminal damage and arson (45) and burglary (39) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,443rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Rural North | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 466 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 40.2 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 11,590 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Rural North peaked in the year to August 2018 (611 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (411). 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 | 466 | 40.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 411 | 35.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 477 | 41.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 531 | 45.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 585 | 50.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 604 | 52.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 601 | 51.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 573 | 49.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 611 | 52.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 58 |
| July 2026 | 61 |
| June 2026 | 41 |
| May 2026 | 37 |
| April 2026 | 26 |
| March 2026 | 39 |
| February 2026 | 28 |
| January 2026 | 36 |
| December 2025 | 41 |
| November 2025 | 28 |
| October 2025 | 40 |
| September 2025 | 31 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (79% below) and vehicle crime (62% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 23 to 45 and public order rose from 30 to 38, while other theft fell from 48 to 38.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 218 | 18.8 | 34.2 | +14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 45 | 3.9 | 6.7 | +96% |
| Burglary | 39 | 3.4 | 3.6 | +3% |
| Other theft | 38 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -21% |
| Public order | 38 | 3.3 | 6.7 | +27% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 37 | 3.2 | 15.4 | +16% |
| Vehicle crime | 22 | 1.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 0.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 0.5 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than Rural North.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Rural North |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mile End | 1,766 | 121.7 | +203% |
| Lexden and Braiswick | 433 | 47.7 | +19% |
| Highwoods | 829 | 76.0 | +89% |
| Castle | 3,520 | 290.4 | +622% |
| St Anne's and St John's | 757 | 69.5 | +73% |
| Prettygate | 648 | 55.7 | +38% |
| Stanway | 872 | 86.1 | +114% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | +197% |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Rural North over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Sports/Recreation Area” (33).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 33 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 24 |
| On or near Parking Area | 17 |
| On or near Spartan Close | 16 |
| On or near Queen'S Head Road | 14 |
| On or near Boxhouse Lane | 11 |
| On or near Dedham Road | 11 |
| On or near Elstar Lane | 11 |
| On or near Grenadier Court | 9 |
| On or near Pippin Drive | 9 |
Of the 429 crimes in Rural North with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 37 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 176 | 41.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 124 | 28.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 55 | 12.8% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 5.8% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 15 | 3.5% | 0.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 11 | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 1.2% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 1.2% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Rural North has an estimated population of 11,590 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (7.4%, against 23.3%), less private renting (9.8%, against 20.3%) and less social housing (8.6%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Rural North average decile 7.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Rural North | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 7.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 81.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Rural North a safe place to live?
Rural North recorded 40.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,443rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Rural North?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 218 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (45).
Is crime in Rural North going up or down?
Recorded crime in Rural North was up 13% on the year before: 466 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 411 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Rural North?
About 11,590 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Rural North?
Rural North is policed by Essex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.