Crime in Berkhamsted: statistics, rates and trends
1,280 crimes were recorded in Berkhamsted in the 12 months to August 2026, 58.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Berkhamsted at a glance
- Crime trends in Berkhamsted
- Types of crime in Berkhamsted
- Berkhamsted compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Berkhamsted
- Streets with the most crime in Berkhamsted
- What happened after crimes were reported in Berkhamsted
- Demographics of Berkhamsted
- Questions about crime in Berkhamsted
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (384), anti-social behaviour (301) and shoplifting (117) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 994th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Berkhamsted | Dacorum | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,280 | 13,768 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 58.0 | 85.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +14% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 22,080 | 161,420 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Berkhamsted peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,496 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (1,059). 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 | 1,280 | 58.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,125 | 51.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,184 | 53.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,135 | 51.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,089 | 49.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,059 | 48.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,185 | 53.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,237 | 56.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,496 | 67.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 110 |
| July 2026 | 117 |
| June 2026 | 111 |
| May 2026 | 140 |
| April 2026 | 104 |
| March 2026 | 134 |
| February 2026 | 84 |
| January 2026 | 89 |
| December 2025 | 100 |
| November 2025 | 107 |
| October 2025 | 86 |
| September 2025 | 98 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (67% below) and public order (58% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 61 to 86 and anti-social behaviour rose from 217 to 301, while vehicle crime fell from 108 to 83.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 384 | 17.4 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 301 | 13.6 | 15.4 | +39% |
| Shoplifting | 117 | 5.3 | 8.5 | +8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 86 | 3.9 | 6.7 | +41% |
| Other theft | 86 | 3.9 | 6.4 | +26% |
| Vehicle crime | 83 | 3.8 | 5.0 | -23% |
| Burglary | 72 | 3.3 | 3.6 | -11% |
| Public order | 62 | 2.8 | 6.7 | +35% |
| Other crime | 29 | 1.3 | 2.1 | +4% |
| Drugs | 24 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 14 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Berkhamsted; the highest is Hemel Hempstead (102.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Wendover (40.2).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Berkhamsted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bovingdon | 341 | 56.3 | -3% |
| Chesham | 1,622 | 72.2 | +24% |
| Tring | 730 | 55.9 | -4% |
| Hemel Hempstead | 10,306 | 102.6 | +77% |
| Amersham | 761 | 44.2 | -24% |
| Little Chalfont | 381 | 52.0 | -10% |
| Aston Clinton | 216 | 42.4 | -27% |
| Wendover | 389 | 40.2 | -31% |
Of the 4 areas within Berkhamsted, Berkhamsted Castle had the highest crime rate (66.6 per 1,000) and Northchurch the lowest (46.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkhamsted Castle | Neighbourhood | 6,306 | 420 | 66.6 |
| Berkhamsted East | Neighbourhood | 5,962 | 366 | 61.4 |
| Berkhamsted West | Neighbourhood | 6,712 | 351 | 52.3 |
| Northchurch | Neighbourhood | 3,100 | 143 | 46.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Berkhamsted over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (72).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 72 |
| On or near Church Lane | 42 |
| On or near St John'S Well Lane | 38 |
| On or near Water Lane | 38 |
| On or near Police Station | 32 |
| On or near Park Rise | 31 |
| On or near Londrina Terrace | 27 |
| On or near Riverside Gardens | 26 |
| On or near Oak Drive | 25 |
| On or near Westfield Road | 25 |
Of the 979 crimes in Berkhamsted with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 301 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 417 | 42.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 323 | 33.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 94 | 9.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 36 | 3.7% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 35 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 26 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 11 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Berkhamsted has an estimated population of 22,080 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (53%, against 34%), fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (11%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Berkhamsted average decile 8.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Berkhamsted | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 52.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 10.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Berkhamsted a safe place to live?
Berkhamsted recorded 58.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 994th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Berkhamsted?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 384 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (301).
Is crime in Berkhamsted going up or down?
Recorded crime in Berkhamsted was up 14% on the year before: 1,280 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,125 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Berkhamsted?
About 22,080 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Berkhamsted?
Berkhamsted is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.