Crime in Wakefield Rural: statistics, rates and trends
1,283 crimes were recorded in Wakefield Rural in the 12 months to July 2026, 71.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Wakefield Rural at a glance
- Crime trends in Wakefield Rural
- Types of crime in Wakefield Rural
- Wakefield Rural compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Wakefield Rural
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wakefield Rural
- Population and deprivation in Wakefield Rural
- Questions about crime in Wakefield Rural
- About this data
1,283 crimes were recorded in Wakefield Rural in the 12 months to July 2026, 71.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 3% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 582 reports (45% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Wakefield Rural has the 2,151st highest crime rate.
| Measure | Wakefield Rural | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,283 | 43,130 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 71.8 | 117.3 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 17,859 | 367,666 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Wakefield Rural was highest in the year to July 2019 (1,634 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2026 (1,283). Over the whole period it fell 15%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 1,283 | 71.8 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,318 | 73.8 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 1,340 | 75.0 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 1,460 | 81.8 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 1,299 | 72.7 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,599 | 89.5 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,579 | 88.4 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 1,634 | 91.5 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 1,514 | 84.8 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 128 |
| June 2026 | 113 |
| May 2026 | 111 |
| April 2026 | 84 |
| March 2026 | 111 |
| February 2026 | 82 |
| January 2026 | 85 |
| December 2025 | 109 |
| November 2025 | 108 |
| October 2025 | 112 |
| September 2025 | 122 |
| August 2025 | 118 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Wakefield Rural over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. The largest increases were in criminal damage and arson (+20%) and anti-social behaviour (+14%). The largest falls were in other theft (-30%) and public order (-20%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 582 | 32.6 | 0.95 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 195 | 10.9 | 0.71 | +14% |
| Public order | 104 | 5.8 | 0.88 | -20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 96 | 5.4 | 0.79 | +20% |
| Vehicle crime | 78 | 4.4 | 0.89 | -17% |
| Other theft | 68 | 3.8 | 0.60 | -30% |
| Burglary | 59 | 3.3 | 0.93 | +2% |
| Other crime | 43 | 2.4 | 1.14 | +5% |
| Drugs | 25 | 1.4 | 0.43 | -7% |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 0.6 | 0.58 | +100% |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.4 | 0.23 | +133% |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.3 | 0.25 | +50% |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.3 | 0.34 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 0.3 | 0.03 | -72% |
Violence and sexual offences in Wakefield Rural
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Wakefield Rural recorded 582 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (32.6 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 1% on the year before. It made up 45.4% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Wakefield Rural
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Wakefield Rural recorded 195 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (10.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 14% on the year before. It made up 15.2% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Wakefield Rural
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Wakefield Rural recorded 104 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 20% on the year before. It made up 8.1% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Wakefield Rural
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Wakefield Rural recorded 96 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 20% on the year before. It made up 7.5% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Wakefield Rural
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Wakefield Rural recorded 78 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.4 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 17% on the year before. It made up 6.1% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Wakefield Rural
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Wakefield Rural recorded 68 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 30% on the year before. It made up 5.3% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Wakefield Rural
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Wakefield Rural recorded 59 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.3 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and up 2% on the year before. It made up 4.6% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Wakefield Rural
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Wakefield Rural recorded 43 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.4 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 5% on the year before. It made up 3.4% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Wakefield Rural
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Wakefield Rural recorded 25 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 7% on the year before. It made up 1.9% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Wakefield Rural
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Wakefield Rural recorded 10 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 100% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Wakefield Rural
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Wakefield Rural recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 133% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Wakefield Rural
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Wakefield Rural recorded 6 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 50% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Wakefield Rural
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Wakefield Rural recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Wakefield Rural
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Wakefield Rural recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 72% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Wakefield Rural, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Wakefield Rural.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wakefield Rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horbury and South Ossett | 1,143 | 75.4 | +5% |
| Wakefield West | 2,490 | 167.6 | +133% |
| Wakefield South | 2,174 | 131.5 | +83% |
| Wakefield North | 3,312 | 173.0 | +141% |
| Ossett | 1,326 | 80.1 | +12% |
| Wakefield East | 3,891 | 227.8 | +217% |
| Wrenthorpe and Outwood West | 1,500 | 83.6 | +16% |
| Crofton, Ryhill and Walton | 984 | 63.1 | -12% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Wakefield Rural over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near New Hall Approach | 86 |
| On or near Daw Green Avenue | 37 |
| On or near Denby Dale Road West | 37 |
| On or near Swallow Way | 31 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 28 |
| On or near Painthorpe Lane | 27 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 24 |
| On or near Church Lane | 23 |
| On or near Bolton Wife Hill | 21 |
| On or near New Hall Lane | 20 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Wakefield Rural over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 427 | 33.3% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 331 | 25.8% |
| Not recorded | 195 | 15.2% |
| Under investigation | 131 | 10.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 69 | 5.4% |
| Status update unavailable | 49 | 3.8% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 22 | 1.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 1.4% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 1.2% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.9% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 0.9% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% |
Wakefield Rural has an estimated population of 17,859. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Wakefield Rural sits in decile 6.8, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Wakefield Rural |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.1% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 59.6% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.7% |
| Social rented homes | 10.8% |
| Private rented homes | 11.5% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.8 |
Is Wakefield Rural a safe place to live?
Wakefield Rural recorded 71.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Wakefield Rural?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 582 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (195).
Is crime in Wakefield Rural going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wakefield Rural was down 3% on the year before: 1,283 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,318 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Wakefield Rural?
Wakefield Rural is policed by West Yorkshire. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Wakefield Rural. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.