Crime in St Stephen's: statistics, rates and trends
845 crimes were recorded in St Stephen's in the 12 months to August 2026, 103.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in St Stephen's at a glance
- Crime trends in St Stephen's
- Types of crime in St Stephen's
- St Stephen's compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in St Stephen's
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Stephen's
- Demographics of St Stephen's
- Questions about crime in St Stephen's
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (341), anti-social behaviour (145) and criminal damage and arson (94) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,146th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | St Stephen's | Canterbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 845 | 17,480 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 103.8 | 107.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 8,137 | 162,100 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in St Stephen's peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,189 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (822). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 6%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 845 | 103.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 911 | 112.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 822 | 101.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 897 | 110.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 999 | 122.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,189 | 146.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,042 | 128.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 891 | 109.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 898 | 110.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 59 |
| July 2026 | 79 |
| June 2026 | 71 |
| May 2026 | 79 |
| April 2026 | 71 |
| March 2026 | 84 |
| February 2026 | 63 |
| January 2026 | 63 |
| December 2025 | 78 |
| November 2025 | 65 |
| October 2025 | 81 |
| September 2025 | 52 |
Compared with England and Wales, St Stephen's recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (71% above the national rate), vehicle crime (56% above the national rate) and other crime (51% above the national rate), and notably less public order (54% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 105 to 145 and vehicle crime rose from 54 to 63, while burglary fell from 39 to 29 and drugs fell from 42 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 341 | 41.9 | 34.2 | -20% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 145 | 17.8 | 15.4 | +38% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 94 | 11.6 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Vehicle crime | 63 | 7.7 | 5.0 | +17% |
| Other theft | 57 | 7.0 | 6.4 | +4% |
| Drugs | 32 | 3.9 | 3.3 | -24% |
| Burglary | 29 | 3.6 | 3.6 | -26% |
| Other crime | 26 | 3.2 | 2.1 | -4% |
| Public order | 25 | 3.1 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 1.0 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than St Stephen's; the highest is Westgate, Canterbury (304.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Blean Forest (38.5).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Stephen's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northgate | 2,017 | 244.0 | +135% |
| Westgate | 3,309 | 304.2 | +193% |
| Blean Forest | 368 | 38.5 | -63% |
| Barton | 1,904 | 151.3 | +46% |
| Wincheap | 1,259 | 111.2 | +7% |
| Sturry | 679 | 78.8 | -24% |
| Chartham & Stone Street | 494 | 64.2 | -38% |
| Chestfield | 300 | 44.2 | -57% |
The 10 locations below account for 41% of the crime recorded in St Stephen's over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Farleigh Road” (44).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Farleigh Road | 44 |
| On or near Downs Road | 40 |
| On or near Long Acre Close | 39 |
| On or near Hunton Gardens | 35 |
| On or near Greenhouse Lane | 33 |
| On or near Redwood Close | 33 |
| On or near Jesuit Close | 32 |
| On or near The Close | 31 |
| On or near Crossways | 30 |
| On or near Godden Road | 28 |
Of the 700 crimes in St Stephen's with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 145 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 311 | 44.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 236 | 33.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 41 | 5.9% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 36 | 5.1% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 21 | 3.0% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 18 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
St Stephen's has an estimated population of 8,137 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (39.9%, against 7.9%), more unemployed residents (6.3%, against 3.4%) and more private renting (36%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up St Stephen's average decile 4.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | St Stephen's | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 41.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 39.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 31.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 38.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 25.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 35.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is St Stephen's a safe place to live?
St Stephen's recorded 103.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,146th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in St Stephen's?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 341 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (145).
Is crime in St Stephen's going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Stephen's was down 7% on the year before: 845 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 911 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of St Stephen's?
About 8,137 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers St Stephen's?
St Stephen's is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.