Crime in Ashford (Ashford): statistics, rates and trends
7,962 crimes were recorded in Ashford (Ashford) in the 12 months to August 2026, 95.7 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ashford (Ashford) at a glance
- Crime trends in Ashford (Ashford)
- Types of crime in Ashford (Ashford)
- Ashford (Ashford) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ashford (Ashford)
- Streets with the most crime in Ashford (Ashford)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ashford (Ashford)
- Demographics of Ashford (Ashford)
- Questions about crime in Ashford (Ashford)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,868), anti-social behaviour (1,603) and shoplifting (772) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 406th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Ashford (Ashford) | Ashford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 7,962 | 10,895 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 95.7 | 77.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 83,167 | 140,936 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Ashford (Ashford) of any year here (7,962 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 7,962 | 95.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 8,002 | 96.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 8,900 | 107.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 9,354 | 112.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 10,265 | 123.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 9,909 | 119.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 9,966 | 119.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 9,919 | 119.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 10,850 | 130.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 779 |
| July 2026 | 730 |
| June 2026 | 681 |
| May 2026 | 664 |
| April 2026 | 615 |
| March 2026 | 690 |
| February 2026 | 561 |
| January 2026 | 641 |
| December 2025 | 732 |
| November 2025 | 655 |
| October 2025 | 663 |
| September 2025 | 551 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ashford (Ashford) recorded notably more bicycle theft (49% above the national rate), possession of weapons (29% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (25% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (75% below) and robbery (45% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 36 to 62 and bicycle theft rose from 60 to 102, while shoplifting fell from 1,057 to 772 and public order fell from 392 to 332.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,868 | 34.5 | 34.2 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,603 | 19.3 | 15.4 | +31% |
| Shoplifting | 772 | 9.3 | 8.5 | -27% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 672 | 8.1 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Other theft | 513 | 6.2 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Public order | 332 | 4.0 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Drugs | 271 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 242 | 2.9 | 5.0 | +11% |
| Other crime | 209 | 2.5 | 2.1 | -11% |
| Burglary | 177 | 2.1 | 3.6 | +2% |
| Possession of weapons | 104 | 1.3 | 1.0 | +3% |
| Bicycle theft | 102 | 1.2 | 0.8 | +70% |
| Robbery | 62 | 0.7 | 1.4 | +72% |
| Theft from the person | 35 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 0% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ashford (Ashford); the highest is Canterbury (165.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Littlestone-on-Sea (36.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ashford (Ashford) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenterden | 530 | 70.7 | -26% |
| Lenham and Harrietsham | 459 | 83.5 | -13% |
| Hythe | 663 | 48.5 | -49% |
| Faversham | 2,049 | 90.9 | -5% |
| Hawkinge | 446 | 51.3 | -46% |
| Littlestone-on-Sea | 209 | 36.9 | -62% |
| Canterbury | 9,598 | 165.8 | +73% |
| Teynham | 436 | 81.5 | -15% |
Of the 20 areas within Ashford (Ashford), Victoria had the highest crime rate (226.7 per 1,000) and Park Farm North the lowest (29.5), 8 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Neighbourhood | 8,055 | 1,826 | 226.7 |
| Norman | Neighbourhood | 3,190 | 595 | 186.5 |
| Bockhanger | Neighbourhood | 4,098 | 521 | 127.1 |
| Godinton | Neighbourhood | 1,467 | 150 | 102.2 |
| Stanhope | Neighbourhood | 3,862 | 392 | 101.5 |
| Willesborough | Neighbourhood | 8,118 | 784 | 96.6 |
| Aylesford & East Stour | Neighbourhood | 6,662 | 580 | 87.1 |
| Beaver | Neighbourhood | 9,253 | 777 | 84.0 |
| Furley | Neighbourhood | 5,798 | 473 | 81.6 |
| Goat Lees | Neighbourhood | 3,347 | 266 | 79.5 |
| Washford | Neighbourhood | 3,632 | 280 | 77.1 |
| Bybrook | Neighbourhood | 3,087 | 201 | 65.1 |
| Singleton East | Neighbourhood | 1,291 | 83 | 64.3 |
| Repton | Neighbourhood | 5,845 | 348 | 59.5 |
| Roman | Neighbourhood | 4,282 | 237 | 55.3 |
| Highfield | Neighbourhood | 2,522 | 125 | 49.6 |
| Conningbrook & Little Burton Farm | Neighbourhood | 1,608 | 73 | 45.4 |
| Kennington | Neighbourhood | 2,320 | 101 | 43.5 |
| Singleton West | Neighbourhood | 1,920 | 67 | 34.9 |
| Park Farm North | Neighbourhood | 2,810 | 83 | 29.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Ashford (Ashford) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (411).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 411 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 361 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 281 |
| On or near Supermarket | 241 |
| On or near Hospital | 237 |
| On or near High Street | 187 |
| On or near Rectory Way | 118 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 97 |
| On or near Kimberley Way | 90 |
| On or near St Johns Lane | 85 |
Of the 6,359 crimes in Ashford (Ashford) with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,603 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,320 | 36.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 2,198 | 34.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 434 | 6.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 421 | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 319 | 5.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 225 | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 221 | 3.5% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 141 | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 46 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 20 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Ashford (Ashford) has an estimated population of 83,167 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (18%, against 23%) and a younger population (15%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ashford (Ashford) average decile 5.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Ashford (Ashford) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 17.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 6.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Ashford (Ashford) a safe place to live?
Ashford (Ashford) recorded 95.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 406th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Ashford (Ashford)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,868 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,603).
Is crime in Ashford (Ashford) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ashford (Ashford) was almost unchanged on the year before: 7,962 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 8,002 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ashford (Ashford)?
About 83,167 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ashford (Ashford)?
Ashford (Ashford) is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.