Crime in Ashington (Northumberland): statistics, rates and trends
3,523 crimes were recorded in Ashington (Northumberland) in the 12 months to August 2026, 117.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 21% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ashington (Northumberland) at a glance
- Crime trends in Ashington (Northumberland)
- Types of crime in Ashington (Northumberland)
- Ashington (Northumberland) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ashington (Northumberland)
- Streets with the most crime in Ashington (Northumberland)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ashington (Northumberland)
- Demographics of Ashington (Northumberland)
- Questions about crime in Ashington (Northumberland)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,173), anti-social behaviour (751) and criminal damage and arson (336) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 194th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Ashington (Northumberland) | Northumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,523 | 25,844 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 117.1 | 78.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -21% | -14% | -1% |
| Population | 30,082 | 331,420 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Ashington (Northumberland) of any year here (3,523 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 34%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,523 | 117.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,450 | 147.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,957 | 164.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,062 | 168.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,593 | 152.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,816 | 160.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,503 | 149.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,807 | 159.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 5,311 | 176.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 336 |
| July 2026 | 310 |
| June 2026 | 275 |
| May 2026 | 343 |
| April 2026 | 307 |
| March 2026 | 273 |
| February 2026 | 192 |
| January 2026 | 117 |
| December 2025 | 273 |
| November 2025 | 300 |
| October 2025 | 391 |
| September 2025 | 406 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ashington (Northumberland) recorded notably more other crime (82% above the national rate), criminal damage and arson (66% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (63% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (39% below) and other theft (29% below). On the year before, drugs fell from 122 to 60 and bicycle theft fell from 37 to 21.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,173 | 39.0 | 34.2 | -20% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 751 | 25.0 | 15.4 | +4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 336 | 11.2 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Shoplifting | 300 | 10.0 | 8.5 | -43% |
| Public order | 242 | 8.0 | 6.7 | -29% |
| Burglary | 152 | 5.1 | 3.6 | -12% |
| Vehicle crime | 150 | 5.0 | 5.0 | -15% |
| Other theft | 137 | 4.6 | 6.4 | -41% |
| Other crime | 116 | 3.9 | 2.1 | -25% |
| Drugs | 60 | 2.0 | 3.3 | -51% |
| Possession of weapons | 36 | 1.2 | 1.0 | -12% |
| Robbery | 31 | 1.0 | 1.4 | -24% |
| Bicycle theft | 21 | 0.7 | 0.8 | -43% |
| Theft from the person | 18 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ashington (Northumberland); the highest is Blyth (Northumberland) (122.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Wideopen (48.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ashington (Northumberland) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stakeford | 641 | 86.2 | -26% |
| Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | 679 | 116.1 | -1% |
| Bedlington | 1,578 | 88.4 | -25% |
| Blyth (Northumberland) | 5,004 | 122.8 | +5% |
| Morpeth | 1,327 | 80.3 | -31% |
| Cramlington | 2,694 | 84.4 | -28% |
| Seaton Delaval | 745 | 91.9 | -22% |
| Wideopen | 496 | 48.1 | -59% |
Of the 6 areas within Ashington (Northumberland), Ashington Central had the highest crime rate (192.8 per 1,000) and Seaton with Spital the lowest (51.0), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashington Central | Neighbourhood | 3,906 | 753 | 192.8 |
| Hirst | Neighbourhood | 6,960 | 1,061 | 152.4 |
| College with North Seaton | Neighbourhood | 6,262 | 849 | 135.6 |
| Haydon | Neighbourhood | 4,205 | 309 | 73.5 |
| Bothal | Neighbourhood | 5,045 | 362 | 71.8 |
| Seaton with Spital | Neighbourhood | 3,704 | 189 | 51.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Ashington (Northumberland) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (334).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 334 |
| On or near Ashington Bus Station | 139 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 98 |
| On or near Supermarket | 97 |
| On or near Castle Terrace | 94 |
| On or near Hedley Way | 76 |
| On or near Sixth Avenue | 75 |
| On or near Fifth Avenue | 70 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 65 |
| On or near First Avenue | 64 |
Of the 2,772 crimes in Ashington (Northumberland) with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 751 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 961 | 34.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 848 | 30.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 803 | 29.0% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 87 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 24 | 0.9% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 18 | 0.6% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 15 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 14 | 0.5% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Ashington (Northumberland) has an estimated population of 30,082 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.8%, against 7.9%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%) and more households without a car (30%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ashington (Northumberland) average decile 4.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Ashington (Northumberland) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 29.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 57.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 45.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Ashington (Northumberland) a safe place to live?
Ashington (Northumberland) recorded 117.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 194th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Ashington (Northumberland)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,173 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (751).
Is crime in Ashington (Northumberland) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ashington (Northumberland) was down 21% on the year before: 3,523 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,450 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ashington (Northumberland)?
About 30,082 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ashington (Northumberland)?
Ashington (Northumberland) 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.