Crime in Small Heath: statistics, rates and trends
1,564 crimes were recorded in Small Heath in the 12 months to August 2026, 70.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Small Heath at a glance
- Crime trends in Small Heath
- Types of crime in Small Heath
- Small Heath compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Small Heath
- What happened after crimes were reported in Small Heath
- Demographics of Small Heath
- Questions about crime in Small Heath
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (811), criminal damage and arson (145) and vehicle crime (119) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,226th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Small Heath | Birmingham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,564 | 146,681 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 70.2 | 123.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 22,284 | 1,183,618 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Small Heath peaked in the year to August 2021 (2,288 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,289). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 21%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,564 | 70.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,561 | 70.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,699 | 76.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,904 | 85.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,980 | 88.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,288 | 102.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,478 | 66.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,430 | 64.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,289 | 57.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 115 |
| July 2026 | 122 |
| June 2026 | 155 |
| May 2026 | 164 |
| April 2026 | 147 |
| March 2026 | 129 |
| February 2026 | 103 |
| January 2026 | 131 |
| December 2025 | 120 |
| November 2025 | 113 |
| October 2025 | 136 |
| September 2025 | 129 |
Compared with England and Wales, Small Heath recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.6 times the national rate) and robbery (52% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (91% below) and shoplifting (87% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 44 to 67 and public order rose from 66 to 88, while anti-social behaviour fell from 111 to 32 and shoplifting fell from 44 to 25.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 811 | 36.4 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 145 | 6.5 | 6.7 | +32% |
| Vehicle crime | 119 | 5.3 | 5.0 | -14% |
| Public order | 88 | 3.9 | 6.7 | +33% |
| Other theft | 75 | 3.4 | 6.4 | +1% |
| Burglary | 67 | 3.0 | 3.6 | +52% |
| Possession of weapons | 57 | 2.6 | 1.0 | -3% |
| Drugs | 48 | 2.2 | 3.3 | +17% |
| Robbery | 46 | 2.1 | 1.4 | +18% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 32 | 1.4 | 15.4 | -71% |
| Other crime | 32 | 1.4 | 2.1 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 25 | 1.1 | 8.5 | -43% |
| Theft from the person | 16 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than Small Heath.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Small Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bordesley Green | 2,002 | 144.8 | +106% |
| Heartlands | 1,907 | 136.0 | +94% |
| Tyseley & Hay Mills | 1,696 | 121.7 | +73% |
| Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East | 3,507 | 126.6 | +80% |
| Yardley West & Stechford | 2,102 | 133.0 | +89% |
| Alum Rock | 2,382 | 87.9 | +25% |
| Bordesley & Highgate | 6,143 | 313.6 | +347% |
| South Yardley | 1,183 | 137.1 | +95% |
The 10 locations below account for 51% of the crime recorded in Small Heath over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (163).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 163 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 134 |
| On or near Swanage Road | 93 |
| On or near St Oswalds Road | 79 |
| On or near Oldknow Road | 59 |
| On or near Starbank Road | 59 |
| On or near Monica Road | 56 |
| On or near Malmesbury Road | 54 |
| On or near Floyer Road | 53 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 50 |
Of the 1,532 crimes in Small Heath with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 32 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 713 | 46.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 493 | 32.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 118 | 7.7% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 54 | 3.5% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 50 | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 43 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 42 | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| 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% |
Small Heath has an estimated population of 22,284 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (17.1%, against 7.9%), more unemployed residents (7.0%, against 3.4%) and more residents with no qualifications (34%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Small Heath average decile 1.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Small Heath | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 26.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 8.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 40.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 7.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 9.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 17.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 19.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 34.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 32.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 29.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 100.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Small Heath a safe place to live?
Small Heath recorded 70.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,226th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and robbery.
What is the most common crime in Small Heath?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 811 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (145).
Is crime in Small Heath going up or down?
Recorded crime in Small Heath was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,564 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,561 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Small Heath?
About 22,284 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 8.7% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Small Heath?
Small Heath is policed by West Midlands.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.