Crime in Sherborne Rural: statistics, rates and trends
154 crimes were recorded in Sherborne Rural in the 12 months to August 2026, 37.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 32% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Sherborne Rural at a glance
- Crime trends in Sherborne Rural
- Types of crime in Sherborne Rural
- Sherborne Rural compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Sherborne Rural
- What happened after crimes were reported in Sherborne Rural
- Demographics of Sherborne Rural
- Questions about crime in Sherborne Rural
- About this data
Crime map
Shoplifting (58), violence and sexual offences (34) and burglary (18) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,530th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Sherborne Rural | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 154 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 37.6 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -32% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 4,092 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Sherborne Rural peaked in the year to August 2025 (227 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (134). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 154 | 37.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 227 | 55.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 186 | 45.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 153 | 37.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 134 | 32.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 167 | 40.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 177 | 43.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 176 | 43.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 211 | 51.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 20 |
| July 2026 | 14 |
| June 2026 | 7 |
| May 2026 | 13 |
| April 2026 | 7 |
| March 2026 | 14 |
| February 2026 | 19 |
| January 2026 | 13 |
| December 2025 | 6 |
| November 2025 | 10 |
| October 2025 | 13 |
| September 2025 | 18 |
Compared with England and Wales, Sherborne Rural recorded notably more shoplifting (68% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (76% below). On the year before, shoplifting fell from 95 to 58 and violence and sexual offences fell from 41 to 34.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 58 | 14.2 | 8.5 | -39% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 34 | 8.3 | 34.2 | -17% |
| Burglary | 18 | 4.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other theft | 16 | 3.9 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Anti-social behaviour | 14 | 3.4 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 5 | 1.2 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 4 | 1.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 2 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 1 | 0.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 1 | 0.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Sherborne Rural; the highest is Sherborne West (69.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Yetminster (24.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Sherborne Rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherborne West | 445 | 69.4 | +84% |
| Sherborne East | 222 | 49.1 | +31% |
| Yetminster | 144 | 24.4 | -35% |
| Stalbridge & Marnhull | 178 | 29.5 | -22% |
| Blackmore Vale | 119 | 29.9 | -20% |
| Sturminster Newton | 317 | 65.6 | +74% |
| Beaminster | 129 | 29.0 | -23% |
| Eggardon | 186 | 30.5 | -19% |
The 10 locations below account for 71% of the crime recorded in Sherborne Rural over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (42).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 42 |
| On or near Compton Road | 32 |
| On or near Digby Crescent | 6 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 6 |
| On or near Pound Road | 5 |
| On or near The Ridge | 5 |
| On or near Underdown Lane | 5 |
| On or near Well Lane | 5 |
| On or near A3030 | 2 |
| On or near Church Green | 2 |
Of the 140 crimes in Sherborne Rural with a recorded outcome, 56% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 14 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 78 | 55.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 29 | 20.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 17 | 12.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 6 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
Sherborne Rural has an estimated population of 4,092 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (6.4%, against 23.3%), an older population (32%, against 19%) and more retired residents (34%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Sherborne Rural average decile 6.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Sherborne Rural | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 32.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 6.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Sherborne Rural a safe place to live?
Sherborne Rural recorded 37.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,530th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Sherborne Rural?
Shoplifting was the most common category, with 58 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (34).
Is crime in Sherborne Rural going up or down?
Recorded crime in Sherborne Rural was down 32% on the year before: 154 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 227 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Sherborne Rural?
About 4,092 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 32% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Sherborne Rural?
Sherborne Rural is policed by Dorset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.