Crime in South Woodford: statistics, rates and trends
613 crimes were recorded in South Woodford in the 12 months to August 2026, 58.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in South Woodford at a glance
- Crime trends in South Woodford
- Types of crime in South Woodford
- South Woodford compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in South Woodford
- What happened after crimes were reported in South Woodford
- Demographics of South Woodford
- Questions about crime in South Woodford
- About this data
Crime map
Anti-social behaviour (130), violence and sexual offences (123) and vehicle crime (94) made up 57% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,683rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | South Woodford | Redbridge | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 613 | 30,395 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 58.3 | 94.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -10% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 10,520 | 321,231 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in South Woodford peaked in the year to August 2024 (751 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (597). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 613 | 58.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 678 | 64.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 751 | 71.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 726 | 69.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 597 | 56.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 627 | 59.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 666 | 63.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 712 | 67.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 657 | 62.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 51 |
| July 2026 | 66 |
| June 2026 | 53 |
| May 2026 | 43 |
| April 2026 | 45 |
| March 2026 | 46 |
| February 2026 | 44 |
| January 2026 | 55 |
| December 2025 | 64 |
| November 2025 | 41 |
| October 2025 | 53 |
| September 2025 | 52 |
Compared with England and Wales, South Woodford recorded notably more vehicle crime (80% above the national rate) and burglary (39% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (66% below) and shoplifting (48% below). On the year before, public order rose from 24 to 37 and burglary rose from 38 to 52, while drugs fell from 40 to 24 and vehicle crime fell from 140 to 94.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 130 | 12.4 | 15.4 | +16% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 123 | 11.7 | 34.2 | -12% |
| Vehicle crime | 94 | 8.9 | 5.0 | -33% |
| Other theft | 56 | 5.3 | 6.4 | -20% |
| Burglary | 52 | 4.9 | 3.6 | +37% |
| Shoplifting | 46 | 4.4 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Public order | 37 | 3.5 | 6.7 | +54% |
| Drugs | 24 | 2.3 | 3.3 | -40% |
| Theft from the person | 17 | 1.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 16 | 1.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 9 | 0.9 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than South Woodford; the highest is Wanstead Village (99.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Monkhams (47.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South Woodford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Churchfields | 1,447 | 81.4 | +40% |
| Wanstead Village | 1,314 | 99.2 | +70% |
| Clayhall | 984 | 67.8 | +16% |
| Bridge | 751 | 62.4 | +7% |
| Monkhams | 440 | 47.7 | -18% |
| Wanstead Park | 545 | 71.1 | +22% |
| Fullwell | 1,208 | 73.3 | +26% |
| Cranbrook | 1,258 | 89.7 | +54% |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in South Woodford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “George Lane” (52).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near George Lane | 52 |
| On or near Supermarket | 51 |
| On or near Onslow Gardens | 28 |
| On or near The Drive | 26 |
| On or near Albert Road | 20 |
| On or near High View Road | 20 |
| On or near Orford Road | 19 |
| On or near Station Approach | 17 |
| On or near Cleveland Road | 16 |
| On or near South Woodford | 16 |
Of the 483 crimes in South Woodford with a recorded outcome, 57% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 130 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 276 | 57.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 117 | 24.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 47 | 9.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 19 | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 9 | 1.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 1.0% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 0.6% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
South Woodford has an estimated population of 10,520 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (5.1%, against 17.1%), more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (54%, against 34%) and more private renting (29%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up South Woodford average decile 8.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | South Woodford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 54.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 5.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is South Woodford a safe place to live?
South Woodford recorded 58.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,683rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime and burglary.
What is the most common crime in South Woodford?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 130 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (123).
Is crime in South Woodford going up or down?
Recorded crime in South Woodford was down 10% on the year before: 613 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 678 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of South Woodford?
About 10,520 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers South Woodford?
South Woodford is policed by Metropolitan Police.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.