Crime in Wakefield North: statistics, rates and trends
3,280 crimes were recorded in Wakefield North in the 12 months to August 2026, 171.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wakefield North at a glance
- Crime trends in Wakefield North
- Types of crime in Wakefield North
- Wakefield North compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Wakefield North
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wakefield North
- Demographics of Wakefield North
- Questions about crime in Wakefield North
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,430), shoplifting (367) and anti-social behaviour (267) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 301st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Wakefield North | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,280 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 171.4 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 19,142 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wakefield North peaked in the year to August 2024 (3,589 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (2,589). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,280 | 171.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,512 | 183.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,589 | 187.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,252 | 169.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,961 | 154.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,589 | 135.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,791 | 145.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,786 | 145.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,690 | 140.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 259 |
| July 2026 | 261 |
| June 2026 | 279 |
| May 2026 | 293 |
| April 2026 | 279 |
| March 2026 | 285 |
| February 2026 | 241 |
| January 2026 | 255 |
| December 2025 | 301 |
| November 2025 | 249 |
| October 2025 | 302 |
| September 2025 | 276 |
Compared with England and Wales, Wakefield North recorded notably more other crime (2.5 times the national rate), drugs (2.4 times the national rate) and shoplifting (2.3 times the national rate). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 30 to 35, while theft from the person fell from 42 to 30 and other theft fell from 217 to 167.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,430 | 74.7 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Shoplifting | 367 | 19.2 | 8.5 | -15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 267 | 13.9 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Public order | 253 | 13.2 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 198 | 10.3 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Other theft | 167 | 8.7 | 6.4 | -23% |
| Drugs | 150 | 7.8 | 3.3 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 129 | 6.7 | 5.0 | +12% |
| Burglary | 109 | 5.7 | 3.6 | +11% |
| Other crime | 103 | 5.4 | 2.1 | -18% |
| Possession of weapons | 35 | 1.8 | 1.0 | +17% |
| Theft from the person | 30 | 1.6 | 1.7 | -29% |
| Robbery | 28 | 1.5 | 1.4 | -10% |
| Bicycle theft | 14 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Wakefield North; the highest is Wakefield East (229.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Wakefield Rural (71.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wakefield North |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield West | 2,475 | 166.6 | -3% |
| Wrenthorpe and Outwood West | 1,523 | 84.9 | -50% |
| Wakefield East | 3,918 | 229.4 | +34% |
| Horbury and South Ossett | 1,159 | 76.5 | -55% |
| Stanley and Outwood East | 1,580 | 76.8 | -55% |
| Wakefield South | 2,158 | 130.5 | -24% |
| Ossett | 1,305 | 78.9 | -54% |
| Wakefield Rural | 1,276 | 71.4 | -58% |
The 10 locations below account for 34% of the crime recorded in Wakefield North over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (353).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 353 |
| On or near Supermarket | 127 |
| On or near Albion Court | 122 |
| On or near Mulberry Close | 104 |
| On or near Cross Square | 75 |
| On or near Blakeley Grove | 73 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 70 |
| On or near Bank Street | 68 |
| On or near Carter Street | 64 |
| On or near Cliff Lane | 60 |
Of the 3,013 crimes in Wakefield North with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 267 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,001 | 33.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 870 | 28.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 381 | 12.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 272 | 9.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 149 | 4.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 134 | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 83 | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 63 | 2.1% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 31 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 14 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Wakefield North has an estimated population of 19,142 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (28%, against 17%), more residents with no qualifications (25%, against 18%) and more households without a car (31%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wakefield North average decile 3.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Wakefield North | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 24.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 31.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 48.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 23.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 17.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Wakefield North a safe place to live?
Wakefield North recorded 171.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 301st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Wakefield North?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,430 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (367).
Is crime in Wakefield North going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wakefield North was down 7% on the year before: 3,280 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,512 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wakefield North?
About 19,142 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wakefield North?
Wakefield North is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.