Crime in Southwold: statistics, rates and trends
174 crimes were recorded in Southwold in the 12 months to August 2026, 49.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 22% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Southwold at a glance
- Crime trends in Southwold
- Types of crime in Southwold
- Southwold compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Southwold
- What happened after crimes were reported in Southwold
- Demographics of Southwold
- Questions about crime in Southwold
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (63), criminal damage and arson (24) and anti-social behaviour (23) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,042nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Southwold | East Suffolk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 174 | 14,335 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 49.7 | 57.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -22% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 3,501 | 249,664 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Southwold peaked in the year to August 2025 (224 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (137). 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 | 174 | 49.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 224 | 64.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 165 | 47.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 144 | 41.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 170 | 48.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 166 | 47.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 137 | 39.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 188 | 53.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 187 | 53.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 21 |
| July 2026 | 25 |
| June 2026 | 16 |
| May 2026 | 12 |
| April 2026 | 18 |
| March 2026 | 21 |
| February 2026 | 20 |
| January 2026 | 7 |
| December 2025 | 8 |
| November 2025 | 8 |
| October 2025 | 10 |
| September 2025 | 8 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (57% below) and violence and sexual offences (47% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson fell from 34 to 24.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 63 | 18.0 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 24 | 6.9 | 6.7 | -29% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 23 | 6.6 | 15.4 | -15% |
| Public order | 18 | 5.1 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other theft | 13 | 3.7 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 2.0 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 2.0 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Burglary | 5 | 1.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 2 | 0.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Southwold; the highest is Kirkley & Pakefield (92.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Carlton Colville (35.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Southwold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrentham, Wangford & Westleton | 167 | 36.6 | -26% |
| Kessingland | 346 | 68.0 | +37% |
| Halesworth & Blything | 461 | 49.9 | 0% |
| Carlton Colville | 300 | 35.7 | -28% |
| Beccles & Worlingham | 741 | 50.2 | +1% |
| Carlton & Whitton | 484 | 55.7 | +12% |
| Kirkley & Pakefield | 1,270 | 92.3 | +86% |
| Kelsale & Yoxford | 145 | 41.7 | -16% |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Southwold over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Moyse Avenue” (13).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Moyse Avenue | 13 |
| On or near Station Road | 11 |
| On or near Cautley Road | 8 |
| On or near Parking Area | 7 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 7 |
| On or near Eversley Road | 6 |
| On or near Green Lane | 6 |
| On or near Green Lane Close | 6 |
| On or near Mount Pleasant | 6 |
| On or near Bartholomew Green | 5 |
Of the 151 crimes in Southwold with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 23 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 45 | 29.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 36 | 23.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 29 | 19.2% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 8.6% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 9 | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 6.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 8 | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
Southwold has an estimated population of 3,501 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (43%, against 19%), more retired residents (47%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.1%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Southwold average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Southwold | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 43.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 40.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 46.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Southwold a safe place to live?
Southwold recorded 49.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,042nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Southwold?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 63 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (24).
Is crime in Southwold going up or down?
Recorded crime in Southwold was down 22% on the year before: 174 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 224 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Southwold?
About 3,501 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 43% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Southwold?
Southwold is policed by Suffolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.