Crime in Upper Kent: statistics, rates and trends
154 crimes were recorded in Upper Kent in the 12 months to August 2026, 37.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Upper Kent at a glance
- Crime trends in Upper Kent
- Types of crime in Upper Kent
- Upper Kent compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Upper Kent
- What happened after crimes were reported in Upper Kent
- Demographics of Upper Kent
- Questions about crime in Upper Kent
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (60), other theft (25), criminal damage and arson (15) and drugs (15) made up 75% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,544th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Upper Kent | Westmorland and Furness | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 154 | 16,568 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 37.3 | 72.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 4,127 | 230,185 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Upper Kent peaked in the year to August 2024 (179 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (101). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 52%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 154 | 37.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 142 | 34.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 179 | 43.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 125 | 30.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 173 | 41.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 165 | 40.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 171 | 41.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 172 | 41.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 101 | 24.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 11 |
| July 2026 | 21 |
| June 2026 | 10 |
| May 2026 | 19 |
| April 2026 | 24 |
| March 2026 | 7 |
| February 2026 | 14 |
| January 2026 | 13 |
| December 2025 | 11 |
| November 2025 | 11 |
| October 2025 | 8 |
| September 2025 | 5 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (58% below) was well below it.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 60 | 14.5 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Other theft | 25 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 15 | 3.6 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Drugs | 15 | 3.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 2.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Public order | 7 | 1.7 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Anti-social behaviour | 6 | 1.5 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Burglary | 6 | 1.5 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 1.5 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 2 | 0.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Upper Kent; the highest is Kendal Strickland and Fell (132.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Kendal Castle (22.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Upper Kent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kendal Strickland and Fell | 887 | 132.1 | +254% |
| Kendal Nether | 591 | 91.3 | +145% |
| Kendal Highgate | 482 | 81.0 | +117% |
| Kendal Castle | 133 | 22.9 | -39% |
| Kendal South | 439 | 58.5 | +57% |
| Bowness and Lyth | 400 | 103.3 | +177% |
| Windermere and Ambleside | 741 | 74.6 | +100% |
| Levens and Crooklands | 152 | 35.8 | -4% |
The 10 locations below account for 60% of the crime recorded in Upper Kent over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (23).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 23 |
| On or near Crookfield | 12 |
| On or near Crook Road | 10 |
| On or near Parking Area | 9 |
| On or near Hall Park | 8 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 8 |
| On or near Main Street | 7 |
| On or near New Road | 6 |
| On or near Winter Lane | 6 |
| On or near Boundary Bank Lane | 4 |
Of the 148 crimes in Upper Kent with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 6 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 42 | 28.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 41 | 27.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 25 | 16.9% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 16 | 10.8% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 12 | 8.1% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 4.1% | 0.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 1.4% | 5.2% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
Upper Kent has an estimated population of 4,127 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (30%, against 19%), fewer households without a car (11%, against 23%) and more retired residents (32%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Upper Kent average decile 6.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Upper Kent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 32.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 39.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Upper Kent a safe place to live?
Upper Kent recorded 37.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,544th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Upper Kent?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 60 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by other theft (25).
Is crime in Upper Kent going up or down?
Recorded crime in Upper Kent was up 8% on the year before: 154 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 142 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Upper Kent?
About 4,127 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Upper Kent?
Upper Kent is policed by Cumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.