Crime in Wakefield Rural: statistics, rates and trends
1,276 crimes were recorded in Wakefield Rural in the 12 months to August 2026, 71.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- 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
- Demographics of Wakefield Rural
- Questions about crime in Wakefield Rural
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (574), anti-social behaviour (190) and criminal damage and arson (100) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,163rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Wakefield Rural | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,276 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 71.4 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 17,859 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Wakefield Rural of any year here (1,276 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,276 | 71.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,329 | 74.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,368 | 76.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,392 | 77.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,337 | 74.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,530 | 85.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,574 | 88.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,666 | 93.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,536 | 86.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 111 |
| 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 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (56% below) and other theft (37% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 80 to 100, while other theft fell from 95 to 72 and public order fell from 125 to 98.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 574 | 32.1 | 34.2 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 190 | 10.6 | 15.4 | +5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 100 | 5.6 | 6.7 | +25% |
| Public order | 98 | 5.5 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Vehicle crime | 78 | 4.4 | 5.0 | -15% |
| Other theft | 72 | 4.0 | 6.4 | -24% |
| Burglary | 62 | 3.5 | 3.6 | +9% |
| Other crime | 44 | 2.5 | 2.1 | +13% |
| Drugs | 26 | 1.5 | 3.3 | -4% |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 0.3 | 8.5 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Wakefield Rural; the highest is Wakefield East (229.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Crofton, Ryhill and Walton (62.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wakefield Rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horbury and South Ossett | 1,159 | 76.5 | +7% |
| Wakefield West | 2,475 | 166.6 | +133% |
| Wakefield South | 2,158 | 130.5 | +83% |
| Wakefield North | 3,280 | 171.4 | +140% |
| Ossett | 1,305 | 78.9 | +10% |
| Wakefield East | 3,918 | 229.4 | +221% |
| Wrenthorpe and Outwood West | 1,523 | 84.9 | +19% |
| Crofton, Ryhill and Walton | 973 | 62.4 | -13% |
The 10 locations below account for 27% of the crime recorded in Wakefield Rural over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “New Hall Approach” (88).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near New Hall Approach | 88 |
| On or near Daw Green Avenue | 41 |
| On or near Denby Dale Road West | 33 |
| On or near Swallow Way | 32 |
| On or near Painthorpe Lane | 28 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 28 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 25 |
| On or near Church Lane | 24 |
| On or near Bolton Wife Hill | 22 |
| On or near New Hall Lane | 20 |
Of the 1,086 crimes in Wakefield Rural with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 190 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 417 | 38.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 329 | 30.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 134 | 12.3% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 66 | 6.1% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 56 | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 22 | 2.0% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 17 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 11 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 10 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Wakefield Rural has an estimated population of 17,859 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%), fewer students (4.3%, against 7.9%) and less private renting (12%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wakefield Rural average decile 6.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Wakefield Rural | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Wakefield Rural a safe place to live?
Wakefield Rural recorded 71.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,163rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Wakefield Rural?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 574 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (190).
Is crime in Wakefield Rural going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wakefield Rural was down 4% on the year before: 1,276 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,329 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wakefield Rural?
About 17,859 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wakefield Rural?
Wakefield Rural 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.