Crime in Wensleydale: statistics, rates and trends
315 crimes were recorded in Wensleydale in the 12 months to August 2026, 99.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 23% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wensleydale at a glance
- Crime trends in Wensleydale
- Types of crime in Wensleydale
- Wensleydale compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Wensleydale
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wensleydale
- Demographics of Wensleydale
- Questions about crime in Wensleydale
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (104), anti-social behaviour (88) and public order (28) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,258th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Wensleydale | Northumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 315 | 25,844 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 99.2 | 78.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -23% | -14% | -1% |
| Population | 3,177 | 331,420 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Wensleydale of any year here (315 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 39%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 315 | 99.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 411 | 129.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 555 | 174.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 435 | 136.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 454 | 142.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 492 | 154.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 452 | 142.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 508 | 159.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 516 | 162.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 27 |
| July 2026 | 38 |
| June 2026 | 24 |
| May 2026 | 25 |
| April 2026 | 22 |
| March 2026 | 26 |
| February 2026 | 22 |
| January 2026 | 8 |
| December 2025 | 23 |
| November 2025 | 30 |
| October 2025 | 29 |
| September 2025 | 41 |
Compared with England and Wales, Wensleydale recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (80% above the national rate), public order (32% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (27% above the national rate). On the year before, violence and sexual offences fell from 181 to 104.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 104 | 32.7 | 34.2 | -43% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 88 | 27.7 | 15.4 | -3% |
| Public order | 28 | 8.8 | 6.7 | -10% |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 6.3 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 18 | 5.7 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 15 | 4.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 12 | 3.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Other theft | 9 | 2.8 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 1.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 1.9 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 1.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Wensleydale; the highest is Croft, Northumberland (238.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Plessey (33.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wensleydale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isabella | 887 | 131.8 | +33% |
| Plessey | 101 | 33.6 | -66% |
| Croft | 1,471 | 238.0 | +140% |
| South Blyth | 474 | 94.2 | -5% |
| Cowpen | 693 | 101.3 | +2% |
| Newsham | 863 | 138.2 | +39% |
| Bebside & Kitty Brewster | 233 | 51.7 | -48% |
| Hartley | 312 | 64.4 | -35% |
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Wensleydale over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Blyth Bus Station” (30).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Blyth Bus Station | 30 |
| On or near Wolmer Road | 28 |
| On or near Crofthead Close | 12 |
| On or near Park View | 12 |
| On or near Bath Lane | 11 |
| On or near Carlton Street | 11 |
| On or near Hedley Avenue | 11 |
| On or near B1327 | 10 |
| On or near Bohemia Terrace | 10 |
| On or near Forster Street | 9 |
Of the 227 crimes in Wensleydale with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 88 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 79 | 34.8% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 71 | 31.3% | 4.7% |
| Under investigation | 63 | 27.8% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 4.8% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 0.9% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1 | 0.4% | 34.5% |
Wensleydale has an estimated population of 3,177 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (3.9%, against 7.9%), an older population (28%, against 19%) and more retired residents (30%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wensleydale average decile 4.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Wensleydale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Wensleydale a safe place to live?
Wensleydale recorded 99.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,258th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and public order.
What is the most common crime in Wensleydale?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 104 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (88).
Is crime in Wensleydale going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wensleydale was down 23% on the year before: 315 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 411 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wensleydale?
About 3,177 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 28% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wensleydale?
Wensleydale is policed by Northumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.