Crime in Waterfront: statistics, rates and trends
1,319 crimes were recorded in Waterfront in the 12 months to August 2026, 250.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 15% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Waterfront at a glance
- Crime trends in Waterfront
- Types of crime in Waterfront
- Waterfront compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Waterfront
- What happened after crimes were reported in Waterfront
- Demographics of Waterfront
- Questions about crime in Waterfront
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (421), shoplifting (289) and anti-social behaviour (189) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 120th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Waterfront | Swansea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,319 | 21,732 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 250.6 | 86.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +15% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 5,263 | 251,304 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Waterfront of any year here (1,319 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,319 | 250.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,149 | 218.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,240 | 235.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,035 | 196.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,013 | 192.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 871 | 165.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 978 | 185.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,159 | 220.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,150 | 218.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 144 |
| July 2026 | 134 |
| June 2026 | 107 |
| May 2026 | 153 |
| April 2026 | 123 |
| March 2026 | 125 |
| February 2026 | 91 |
| January 2026 | 83 |
| December 2025 | 63 |
| November 2025 | 95 |
| October 2025 | 100 |
| September 2025 | 101 |
Compared with England and Wales, Waterfront recorded notably more shoplifting (6.5 times the national rate), bicycle theft (4.8 times the national rate) and public order (3.0 times the national rate). On the year before, drugs rose from 28 to 45 and violence and sexual offences rose from 315 to 421.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 421 | 80.0 | 34.2 | +34% |
| Shoplifting | 289 | 54.9 | 8.5 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 189 | 35.9 | 15.4 | +17% |
| Public order | 105 | 20.0 | 6.7 | +24% |
| Other theft | 63 | 12.0 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 60 | 11.4 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Vehicle crime | 58 | 11.0 | 5.0 | -5% |
| Drugs | 45 | 8.6 | 3.3 | +61% |
| Other crime | 24 | 4.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 21 | 4.0 | 0.8 | +5% |
| Burglary | 14 | 2.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Robbery | 11 | 2.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 10 | 1.9 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 1.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Waterfront; the highest is Castle, Swansea (340.7 per 1,000) and the lowest St Thomas, Swansea (67.2).
The 10 locations below account for 74% of the crime recorded in Waterfront over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (357).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 357 |
| On or near Nightclub | 144 |
| On or near West Way | 122 |
| On or near Supermarket | 79 |
| On or near Prison | 72 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 57 |
| On or near Paxton Street | 46 |
| On or near Oystermouth Road | 35 |
| On or near Paxton Drive | 34 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 30 |
Of the 1,130 crimes in Waterfront with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 12% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 189 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 341 | 30.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 278 | 24.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 198 | 17.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 132 | 11.7% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 76 | 6.7% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 38 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 29 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 15 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 14 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Waterfront has an estimated population of 5,263 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (19.8%, against 7.9%), more private renting (41%, against 20%) and more unemployed residents (5.7%, against 3.4%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Waterfront average decile 6.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Waterfront | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 8.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 44.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 19.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 43.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 37.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 36.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 41.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.3 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Waterfront a safe place to live?
Waterfront recorded 250.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 120th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Waterfront?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 421 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (289).
Is crime in Waterfront going up or down?
Recorded crime in Waterfront was up 15% on the year before: 1,319 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,149 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Waterfront?
About 5,263 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Waterfront?
Waterfront is policed by South Wales.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.