Crime in Boston: statistics, rates and trends
6,044 crimes were recorded in Boston in the 12 months to August 2026, 136.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,112), anti-social behaviour (1,337) and shoplifting (602) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 97th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Boston | Boston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 6,044 | 7,787 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 136.7 | 109.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 44,198 | 71,080 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Boston peaked in the year to August 2019 (6,475 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (5,323). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 6,044 | 136.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 6,376 | 144.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 5,731 | 129.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,727 | 129.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,920 | 133.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 5,854 | 132.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 6,444 | 145.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 6,475 | 146.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 5,323 | 120.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 525 |
| July 2026 | 582 |
| June 2026 | 492 |
| May 2026 | 488 |
| April 2026 | 511 |
| March 2026 | 508 |
| February 2026 | 473 |
| January 2026 | 544 |
| December 2025 | 449 |
| November 2025 | 482 |
| October 2025 | 458 |
| September 2025 | 532 |
Compared with England and Wales, Boston recorded notably more bicycle theft (3.5 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (2.0 times the national rate) and shoplifting (61% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (26% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 54 to 78 and burglary rose from 188 to 249, while shoplifting fell from 849 to 602 and drugs fell from 174 to 143.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,112 | 47.8 | 34.2 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,337 | 30.3 | 15.4 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 602 | 13.6 | 8.5 | -29% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 420 | 9.5 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Public order | 320 | 7.2 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Other theft | 282 | 6.4 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Burglary | 249 | 5.6 | 3.6 | +32% |
| Vehicle crime | 162 | 3.7 | 5.0 | +8% |
| Other crime | 150 | 3.4 | 2.1 | +15% |
| Drugs | 143 | 3.2 | 3.3 | -18% |
| Bicycle theft | 126 | 2.9 | 0.8 | -12% |
| Robbery | 78 | 1.8 | 1.4 | +44% |
| Possession of weapons | 46 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -4% |
| Theft from the person | 17 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirton (Boston) | 464 | 79.5 | -42% |
| Coningsby and Tattershall | 604 | 77.8 | -43% |
| Holbeach | 716 | 89.0 | -35% |
| Spalding | 3,207 | 98.2 | -28% |
| Long Sutton (South Holland) | 486 | 81.5 | -40% |
| Ruskington | 297 | 51.9 | -62% |
| Sleaford | 1,353 | 78.9 | -42% |
| Horncastle | 500 | 85.1 | -38% |
Of the 9 areas within Boston, Station had the highest crime rate (338.0 per 1,000) and West the lowest (29.4), 11 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | Neighbourhood | 3,465 | 1,171 | 338.0 |
| Witham | Neighbourhood | 4,699 | 951 | 202.4 |
| Trinity | Neighbourhood | 6,385 | 1,088 | 170.4 |
| Staniland | Neighbourhood | 4,220 | 531 | 125.8 |
| Skirbeck | Neighbourhood | 7,456 | 858 | 115.1 |
| Wyberton | Neighbourhood | 6,002 | 621 | 103.5 |
| Fenside | Neighbourhood | 4,866 | 398 | 81.8 |
| Fishtoft | Neighbourhood | 6,468 | 424 | 65.6 |
| West | Neighbourhood | 2,514 | 74 | 29.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in Boston over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (222).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 222 |
| On or near Parking Area | 219 |
| On or near Petticoat Lane | 172 |
| On or near Church Lane | 170 |
| On or near Hospital | 167 |
| On or near Supermarket | 150 |
| On or near Fydell Street | 137 |
| On or near Trafalgar Place | 104 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 95 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 84 |
Of the 4,707 crimes in Boston with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,337 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,980 | 42.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,451 | 30.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 422 | 9.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 329 | 7.0% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 158 | 3.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 110 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 75 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 70 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 38 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 36 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 34 | 0.7% | 3.1% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 4 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Boston has an estimated population of 44,198 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (29%, against 18%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (19%, against 34%) and fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Boston average decile 3.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Boston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 18.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 29.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 53.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 25.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 20.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Boston a safe place to live?
Boston recorded 136.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 97th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Boston?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,112 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,337).
Is crime in Boston going up or down?
Recorded crime in Boston was down 5% on the year before: 6,044 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 6,376 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Boston?
About 44,198 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Boston?
Boston is policed by Lincolnshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.