Crime in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen): statistics, rates and trends
14,354 crimes were recorded in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) in the 12 months to August 2026, 113.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) at a glance
- Crime trends in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)
- Types of crime in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)
- Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)
- Streets with the most crime in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)
- Demographics of Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)
- Questions about crime in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (5,583), anti-social behaviour (2,860) and criminal damage and arson (1,073) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 238th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) | Blackburn with Darwen | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 14,354 | 17,854 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 113.1 | 109.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 126,925 | 162,540 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) of any year here (14,354 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 14,354 | 113.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 15,620 | 123.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 15,180 | 119.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 15,121 | 119.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 16,770 | 132.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 18,692 | 147.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 18,303 | 144.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 17,379 | 136.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 18,596 | 146.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,302 |
| July 2026 | 1,358 |
| June 2026 | 1,259 |
| May 2026 | 1,277 |
| April 2026 | 1,157 |
| March 2026 | 1,190 |
| February 2026 | 991 |
| January 2026 | 1,013 |
| December 2025 | 1,117 |
| November 2025 | 1,181 |
| October 2025 | 1,306 |
| September 2025 | 1,203 |
Compared with England and Wales, Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) recorded notably more other crime (48% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (47% above the national rate) and possession of weapons (30% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (75% below) and bicycle theft (65% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 348 to 473 and public order rose from 774 to 983, while anti-social behaviour fell from 4,503 to 2,860 and robbery fell from 135 to 101.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 5,583 | 44.0 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 2,860 | 22.5 | 15.4 | -36% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,073 | 8.5 | 6.7 | +7% |
| Public order | 983 | 7.7 | 6.7 | +27% |
| Other theft | 808 | 6.4 | 6.4 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 794 | 6.3 | 8.5 | -24% |
| Vehicle crime | 698 | 5.5 | 5.0 | -20% |
| Drugs | 473 | 3.7 | 3.3 | +36% |
| Other crime | 398 | 3.1 | 2.1 | +5% |
| Burglary | 333 | 2.6 | 3.6 | -8% |
| Possession of weapons | 160 | 1.3 | 1.0 | +18% |
| Robbery | 101 | 0.8 | 1.4 | -25% |
| Theft from the person | 53 | 0.4 | 1.7 | -5% |
| Bicycle theft | 37 | 0.3 | 0.8 | -23% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen); the highest is Accrington (149.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Longridge (Ribble Valley) (66.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rishton | 638 | 91.0 | -20% |
| Oswaldtwistle | 1,109 | 121.6 | +8% |
| Darwen | 3,013 | 102.7 | -9% |
| Great Harwood | 1,062 | 92.6 | -18% |
| Clayton-le-Moors | 1,139 | 113.7 | +1% |
| Accrington | 5,483 | 149.9 | +33% |
| Haslingden | 1,234 | 73.7 | -35% |
| Longridge (Ribble Valley) | 630 | 66.4 | -41% |
Of the 14 areas within Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen), Blackburn Central had the highest crime rate (259.6 per 1,000) and Wilpshire & Ramsgreave the lowest (28.2), 9 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburn Central | Neighbourhood | 12,825 | 3,329 | 259.6 |
| Blackburn South East | Neighbourhood | 7,968 | 1,157 | 145.2 |
| Mill Hill & Moorgate | Neighbourhood | 7,998 | 1,157 | 144.7 |
| Audley & Queen's Park | Neighbourhood | 11,350 | 1,632 | 143.8 |
| Shear Brow & Corporation Park | Neighbourhood | 9,308 | 1,224 | 131.5 |
| Ewood | Neighbourhood | 9,231 | 1,172 | 127.0 |
| Little Harwood & Whitebirk | Neighbourhood | 10,094 | 1,013 | 100.4 |
| Wensley Fold | Neighbourhood | 9,781 | 947 | 96.8 |
| Roe Lee | Neighbourhood | 9,941 | 737 | 74.1 |
| Blackburn South & Lower Darwen | Neighbourhood | 9,557 | 708 | 74.1 |
| Bastwell & Daisyfield | Neighbourhood | 9,535 | 584 | 61.2 |
| Livesey with Pleasington | Neighbourhood | 9,400 | 530 | 56.4 |
| Billinge & Beardwood | Neighbourhood | 9,816 | 393 | 40.0 |
| Wilpshire & Ramsgreave | Neighbourhood | 5,209 | 147 | 28.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 21% of the crime recorded in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (551).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 551 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 484 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 376 |
| On or near Pankhurst Close | 372 |
| On or near Supermarket | 332 |
| On or near Thornley Avenue | 249 |
| On or near Astley Gate | 204 |
| On or near High Street | 188 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 164 |
| On or near Dunoon Drive | 126 |
Of the 11,494 crimes in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 2,860 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 4,604 | 40.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 3,051 | 26.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,309 | 11.4% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 803 | 7.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 523 | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 495 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 330 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 169 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 104 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 52 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 31 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 14 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) has an estimated population of 126,925 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (26%, against 18%), a younger population (13%, against 19%) and more children (24%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) average decile 3.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 25.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 60.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 40.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) a safe place to live?
Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) recorded 113.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 238th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 5,583 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (2,860).
Is crime in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) was down 8% on the year before: 14,354 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 15,620 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)?
About 126,925 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)?
Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.