Crime in Aberdare: statistics, rates and trends
3,670 crimes were recorded in Aberdare in the 12 months to August 2026, 95.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Aberdare at a glance
- Crime trends in Aberdare
- Types of crime in Aberdare
- Aberdare compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Aberdare
- Streets with the most crime in Aberdare
- What happened after crimes were reported in Aberdare
- Demographics of Aberdare
- Questions about crime in Aberdare
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,698), anti-social behaviour (539) and public order (457) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 404th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Aberdare | Rhondda Cynon Taf | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,670 | 20,779 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 95.8 | 85.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 38,302 | 242,844 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Aberdare of any year here (3,670 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,670 | 95.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,024 | 105.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,180 | 109.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,082 | 106.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,110 | 107.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,429 | 115.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,308 | 112.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,108 | 107.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,277 | 111.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 345 |
| July 2026 | 379 |
| June 2026 | 318 |
| May 2026 | 331 |
| April 2026 | 275 |
| March 2026 | 285 |
| February 2026 | 268 |
| January 2026 | 330 |
| December 2025 | 281 |
| November 2025 | 317 |
| October 2025 | 293 |
| September 2025 | 248 |
Compared with England and Wales, Aberdare recorded notably more public order (79% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (30% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (63% below) and vehicle crime (51% below). On the year before, vehicle crime fell from 145 to 93 and shoplifting fell from 170 to 120.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,698 | 44.3 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 539 | 14.1 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Public order | 457 | 11.9 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 301 | 7.9 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Other theft | 146 | 3.8 | 6.4 | -12% |
| Shoplifting | 120 | 3.1 | 8.5 | -29% |
| Vehicle crime | 93 | 2.4 | 5.0 | -36% |
| Other crime | 91 | 2.4 | 2.1 | -27% |
| Drugs | 84 | 2.2 | 3.3 | -16% |
| Burglary | 75 | 2.0 | 3.6 | -13% |
| Possession of weapons | 35 | 0.9 | 1.0 | +6% |
| Theft from the person | 16 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 15 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Aberdare; the highest is Merthyr Tydfil (115.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Treharris (57.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Aberdare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Ash | 1,058 | 88.4 | -8% |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 4,434 | 115.4 | +20% |
| Treorchy | 662 | 86.9 | -9% |
| Treherbert | 466 | 80.5 | -16% |
| Rhondda | 1,169 | 87.3 | -9% |
| Tonypandy | 1,386 | 80.5 | -16% |
| Treharris | 354 | 57.0 | -40% |
| Porth | 1,273 | 98.7 | +3% |
Of the 6 areas within Aberdare, Aberdare East had the highest crime rate (163.7 per 1,000) and Aberdare West and Llwydcoed the lowest (67.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdare East | Neighbourhood | 6,910 | 1,131 | 163.7 |
| Pen-y-waun | Neighbourhood | 3,044 | 326 | 107.1 |
| Cwmbach | Neighbourhood | 5,212 | 535 | 102.6 |
| Aberaman | Neighbourhood | 10,430 | 872 | 83.6 |
| Hirwaun, Penderyn and Rhigos | Neighbourhood | 6,156 | 438 | 71.2 |
| Aberdare West and Llwydcoed | Neighbourhood | 9,807 | 658 | 67.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 20% of the crime recorded in Aberdare over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Sports/Recreation Area” (164).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 164 |
| On or near Parking Area | 95 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 89 |
| On or near Aberdare Bus Station | 88 |
| On or near Commercial Street | 56 |
| On or near Nightclub | 55 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 49 |
| On or near Church Street | 48 |
| On or near Ty Fry | 48 |
| On or near John Street | 46 |
Of the 3,131 crimes in Aberdare with a recorded outcome, 20% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 539 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,361 | 43.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 635 | 20.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 558 | 17.8% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 171 | 5.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 155 | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 96 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 88 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 38 | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 18 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Aberdare has an estimated population of 38,302 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (25%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (26%, against 34%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Aberdare average decile 4.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Aberdare | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 24.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.2 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 7.9% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Aberdare a safe place to live?
Aberdare recorded 95.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 404th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Aberdare?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,698 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (539).
Is crime in Aberdare going up or down?
Recorded crime in Aberdare was down 9% on the year before: 3,670 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,024 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Aberdare?
About 38,302 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Aberdare?
Aberdare 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.