Crime in St Matthew's, Walsall: statistics, rates and trends
2,737 crimes were recorded in St Matthew's, Walsall in the 12 months to August 2026, 164.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in St Matthew's, Walsall at a glance
- Crime trends in St Matthew's, Walsall
- Types of crime in St Matthew's, Walsall
- St Matthew's, Walsall compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in St Matthew's, Walsall
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Matthew's, Walsall
- Demographics of St Matthew's, Walsall
- Questions about crime in St Matthew's, Walsall
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,083), shoplifting (340) and vehicle crime (199) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 341st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | St Matthew's, Walsall | Walsall | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,737 | 30,674 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 164.7 | 103.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 16,615 | 295,678 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in St Matthew's, Walsall peaked in the year to August 2022 (3,062 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (2,290). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 18%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,737 | 164.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,561 | 154.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,892 | 174.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,808 | 169.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,062 | 184.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,768 | 166.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,290 | 137.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,346 | 141.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,325 | 139.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 245 |
| July 2026 | 264 |
| June 2026 | 204 |
| May 2026 | 233 |
| April 2026 | 237 |
| March 2026 | 223 |
| February 2026 | 203 |
| January 2026 | 208 |
| December 2025 | 217 |
| November 2025 | 226 |
| October 2025 | 239 |
| September 2025 | 238 |
Compared with England and Wales, St Matthew's, Walsall recorded notably more possession of weapons (3.7 times the national rate), robbery (3.4 times the national rate) and drugs (2.6 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (60% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 49 to 78 and public order rose from 121 to 172, while anti-social behaviour fell from 210 to 103 and possession of weapons fell from 76 to 60.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,083 | 65.2 | 34.2 | +17% |
| Shoplifting | 340 | 20.5 | 8.5 | -18% |
| Vehicle crime | 199 | 12.0 | 5.0 | +29% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 198 | 11.9 | 6.7 | +26% |
| Public order | 172 | 10.4 | 6.7 | +42% |
| Other theft | 160 | 9.6 | 6.4 | +9% |
| Drugs | 144 | 8.7 | 3.3 | +31% |
| Burglary | 118 | 7.1 | 3.6 | +22% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 103 | 6.2 | 15.4 | -51% |
| Robbery | 78 | 4.7 | 1.4 | +59% |
| Possession of weapons | 60 | 3.6 | 1.0 | -21% |
| Other crime | 46 | 2.8 | 2.1 | -21% |
| Theft from the person | 24 | 1.4 | 1.7 | -4% |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than St Matthew's, Walsall; the highest is Birchills Leamore (223.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Paddock (45.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Matthew's, Walsall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddock | 622 | 45.8 | -72% |
| Palfrey | 1,497 | 83.9 | -49% |
| Pleck | 2,483 | 137.5 | -17% |
| Birchills Leamore | 4,333 | 223.6 | +36% |
| Blakenall | 1,862 | 104.9 | -36% |
| Bentley and Darlaston North | 1,786 | 123.1 | -25% |
| Rushall-Shelfield | 950 | 76.4 | -54% |
| Aldridge Central and South | 1,030 | 70.3 | -57% |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in St Matthew's, Walsall over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “George Street” (237).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near George Street | 237 |
| On or near Parking Area | 199 |
| On or near Supermarket | 149 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 104 |
| On or near Nightclub | 75 |
| On or near Newhall Street | 66 |
| On or near Sister Dora Gardens | 61 |
| On or near Conference/Exhibition Centre | 54 |
| On or near Arboretum Road | 52 |
| On or near Caldmore Green | 52 |
Of the 2,634 crimes in St Matthew's, Walsall with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 103 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,024 | 38.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 982 | 37.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 223 | 8.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 145 | 5.5% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 136 | 5.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 59 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 41 | 1.6% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 10 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
St Matthew's, Walsall has an estimated population of 16,615 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (32%, against 17%), more unemployed residents (5.8%, against 3.4%) and more households without a car (37%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up St Matthew's, Walsall average decile 3.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | St Matthew's, Walsall | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 17.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 11.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 36.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 44.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 32.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 23.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 56.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is St Matthew's, Walsall a safe place to live?
St Matthew's, Walsall recorded 164.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 341st 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 St Matthew's, Walsall?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,083 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (340).
Is crime in St Matthew's, Walsall going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Matthew's, Walsall was up 7% on the year before: 2,737 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,561 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of St Matthew's, Walsall?
About 16,615 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers St Matthew's, Walsall?
St Matthew's, Walsall 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.