Crime in Aberystwyth: statistics, rates and trends
1,762 crimes were recorded in Aberystwyth in the 12 months to August 2026, 117.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Aberystwyth at a glance
- Crime trends in Aberystwyth
- Types of crime in Aberystwyth
- Aberystwyth compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Aberystwyth
- Streets with the most crime in Aberystwyth
- What happened after crimes were reported in Aberystwyth
- Demographics of Aberystwyth
- Questions about crime in Aberystwyth
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (749), anti-social behaviour (191) and criminal damage and arson (147) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 190th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Aberystwyth | Ceredigion | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,762 | 6,612 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 117.9 | 91.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | +24% | -1% |
| Population | 14,950 | 72,599 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Aberystwyth peaked in the year to August 2022 (2,831 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,504). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,762 | 117.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,938 | 129.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,504 | 100.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,402 | 160.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,831 | 189.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,375 | 158.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,175 | 145.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,226 | 148.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,104 | 140.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 155 |
| July 2026 | 205 |
| June 2026 | 173 |
| May 2026 | 145 |
| April 2026 | 134 |
| March 2026 | 168 |
| February 2026 | 121 |
| January 2026 | 107 |
| December 2025 | 98 |
| November 2025 | 127 |
| October 2025 | 197 |
| September 2025 | 132 |
Compared with England and Wales, Aberystwyth recorded notably more drugs (3.0 times the national rate), possession of weapons (66% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (46% above the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 93 to 130, while drugs fell from 217 to 145 and criminal damage and arson fell from 181 to 147.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 749 | 50.1 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 191 | 12.8 | 15.4 | -1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 147 | 9.8 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Drugs | 145 | 9.7 | 3.3 | -33% |
| Public order | 137 | 9.2 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Shoplifting | 130 | 8.7 | 8.5 | +40% |
| Other theft | 101 | 6.8 | 6.4 | -14% |
| Burglary | 66 | 4.4 | 3.6 | +10% |
| Other crime | 33 | 2.2 | 2.1 | -18% |
| Possession of weapons | 24 | 1.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 19 | 1.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 9 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Aberystwyth; the highest is Carmarthen (167.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Pontarddulais (50.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Aberystwyth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newtown (Powys) | 1,764 | 153.2 | +30% |
| Carmarthen | 2,629 | 167.7 | +42% |
| Welshpool | 791 | 115.8 | -2% |
| Brecon | 728 | 113.2 | -4% |
| Ammanford | 866 | 109.1 | -7% |
| Ystalyfera | 693 | 76.5 | -35% |
| Pontarddulais | 341 | 50.0 | -58% |
| Pontardawe | 488 | 84.1 | -29% |
Of the 4 areas within Aberystwyth, Aberystwyth Rheidol had the highest crime rate (205.4 per 1,000) and Faenor the lowest (27.5), 7 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberystwyth Rheidol | Neighbourhood | 2,235 | 459 | 205.4 |
| Aberystwyth Morfa a Glais | Neighbourhood | 4,916 | 956 | 194.5 |
| Aberystwyth Penparcau | Neighbourhood | 3,072 | 217 | 70.6 |
| Faenor | Neighbourhood | 4,727 | 130 | 27.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Aberystwyth over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Ffordd-Y-Mor” and “Sqwâr Owain Glyndŵr” (68 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Ffordd-Y-Mor | 68 |
| On or near Sqwâr Owain Glyndŵr | 68 |
| On or near Y Stryd Fawr | 65 |
| On or near Parking Area | 62 |
| On or near Supermarket | 56 |
| On or near Alexandra Road | 48 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 44 |
| On or near Police Station | 44 |
| On or near Prospect Street | 43 |
| On or near Eastgate | 40 |
Of the 1,571 crimes in Aberystwyth with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 191 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 678 | 43.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 323 | 20.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 179 | 11.4% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 100 | 6.4% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 97 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 69 | 4.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 49 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 31 | 2.0% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 13 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 12 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
Aberystwyth has an estimated population of 14,950 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (40.0%, against 7.9%), more private renting (38%, against 20%) and more unemployed residents (5.8%, against 3.4%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Aberystwyth average decile 6.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Aberystwyth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 10.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 41.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 40.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 9.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 33.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 45.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 37.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Aberystwyth a safe place to live?
Aberystwyth recorded 117.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 190th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Aberystwyth?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 749 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (191).
Is crime in Aberystwyth going up or down?
Recorded crime in Aberystwyth was down 9% on the year before: 1,762 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,938 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Aberystwyth?
About 14,950 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Aberystwyth?
Aberystwyth is policed by Dyfed-Powys.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.