Crime in Waterhouse Farm: statistics, rates and trends
662 crimes were recorded in Waterhouse Farm in the 12 months to August 2026, 96.6 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Waterhouse Farm at a glance
- Crime trends in Waterhouse Farm
- Types of crime in Waterhouse Farm
- Waterhouse Farm compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Waterhouse Farm
- What happened after crimes were reported in Waterhouse Farm
- Demographics of Waterhouse Farm
- Questions about crime in Waterhouse Farm
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (248), shoplifting (121) and drugs (54) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,325th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Waterhouse Farm | Chelmsford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 662 | 15,908 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 96.6 | 84.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +16% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 6,854 | 188,803 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Waterhouse Farm peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,026 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (571). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 662 | 96.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 571 | 83.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 788 | 115.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 971 | 141.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 892 | 130.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,026 | 149.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 966 | 140.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 916 | 133.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 858 | 125.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 55 |
| July 2026 | 65 |
| June 2026 | 61 |
| May 2026 | 59 |
| April 2026 | 72 |
| March 2026 | 55 |
| February 2026 | 36 |
| January 2026 | 51 |
| December 2025 | 58 |
| November 2025 | 46 |
| October 2025 | 51 |
| September 2025 | 53 |
Compared with England and Wales, Waterhouse Farm recorded notably more drugs (2.4 times the national rate) and shoplifting (2.1 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (62% below) and criminal damage and arson (42% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 73 to 121 and public order rose from 26 to 42, while criminal damage and arson fell from 42 to 27.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 248 | 36.2 | 34.2 | +12% |
| Shoplifting | 121 | 17.7 | 8.5 | +66% |
| Drugs | 54 | 7.9 | 3.3 | +4% |
| Public order | 42 | 6.1 | 6.7 | +62% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 40 | 5.8 | 15.4 | +8% |
| Other theft | 33 | 4.8 | 6.4 | +14% |
| Vehicle crime | 31 | 4.5 | 5.0 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 27 | 3.9 | 6.7 | -36% |
| Burglary | 25 | 3.6 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 15 | 2.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 1.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Waterhouse Farm; the highest is Moulsham and Central (261.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Moulsham Lodge (34.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Waterhouse Farm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moulsham and Central | 4,072 | 261.9 | +171% |
| Marconi | 1,279 | 137.1 | +42% |
| Goat Hall | 271 | 44.6 | -54% |
| Moulsham Lodge | 194 | 34.4 | -64% |
| St Andrews | 808 | 85.5 | -11% |
| Writtle | 332 | 62.0 | -36% |
| Patching Hall | 674 | 73.0 | -24% |
| Trinity | 547 | 82.3 | -15% |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Waterhouse Farm over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (119).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 119 |
| On or near Elgin Avenue | 28 |
| On or near Sherwood Drive | 26 |
| On or near Evelyn Place | 22 |
| On or near Westway | 21 |
| On or near Charnwood Avenue | 20 |
| On or near Rookes Crescent | 20 |
| On or near Delamere Road | 18 |
| On or near Epping Close | 18 |
| On or near Parking Area | 18 |
Of the 622 crimes in Waterhouse Farm with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 40 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 243 | 39.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 202 | 32.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 49 | 7.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 39 | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 33 | 5.3% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 16 | 2.6% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 4 | 0.6% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
Waterhouse Farm has an estimated population of 6,854 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (22%, against 17%) and a younger population (15%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Waterhouse Farm average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Waterhouse Farm | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 17.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Waterhouse Farm a safe place to live?
Waterhouse Farm recorded 96.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,325th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Waterhouse Farm?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 248 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (121).
Is crime in Waterhouse Farm going up or down?
Recorded crime in Waterhouse Farm was up 16% on the year before: 662 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 571 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Waterhouse Farm?
About 6,854 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Waterhouse Farm?
Waterhouse Farm is policed by Essex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.