Crime in Boston Spa: statistics, rates and trends
249 crimes were recorded in Boston Spa in the 12 months to August 2026, 40.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Boston Spa at a glance
- Crime trends in Boston Spa
- Types of crime in Boston Spa
- Boston Spa compared with nearby towns
- Streets with the most crime in Boston Spa
- What happened after crimes were reported in Boston Spa
- Demographics of Boston Spa
- Questions about crime in Boston Spa
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (117), anti-social behaviour (37) and public order (26) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,281st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Boston Spa | Leeds | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 249 | 105,688 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 40.6 | 125.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 6,139 | 845,189 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Boston Spa peaked in the year to August 2019 (464 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (224). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 249 | 40.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 233 | 38.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 224 | 36.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 334 | 54.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 352 | 57.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 304 | 49.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 363 | 59.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 464 | 75.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 335 | 54.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 23 |
| July 2026 | 24 |
| June 2026 | 40 |
| May 2026 | 24 |
| April 2026 | 18 |
| March 2026 | 19 |
| February 2026 | 8 |
| January 2026 | 22 |
| December 2025 | 24 |
| November 2025 | 12 |
| October 2025 | 18 |
| September 2025 | 17 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (61% below) and violence and sexual offences (44% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 25 to 37 and public order rose from 21 to 26.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 117 | 19.1 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 37 | 6.0 | 15.4 | +48% |
| Public order | 26 | 4.2 | 6.7 | +24% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 14 | 2.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other theft | 14 | 2.3 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 9 | 1.5 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 8 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 8 | 1.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Boston Spa.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Boston Spa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wetherby | 818 | 68.5 | +69% |
| Tadcaster | 411 | 54.7 | +35% |
| Garforth | 1,052 | 65.9 | +63% |
| Sherburn in Elmet | 515 | 55.7 | +37% |
| Knaresborough | 1,062 | 63.2 | +56% |
| Kippax | 606 | 59.8 | +47% |
| Harrogate | 5,520 | 71.2 | +76% |
| Leeds | 82,148 | 146.5 | +261% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Boston Spa over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Queen'S Road” (27).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Queen'S Road | 27 |
| On or near Winnow Lane | 24 |
| On or near Nursery Way | 13 |
| On or near Shires Court | 9 |
| On or near Low Way | 8 |
| On or near Cinder Lane | 7 |
| On or near Lonsdale Meadows | 7 |
| On or near Bellwood Avenue | 6 |
| On or near Church Street | 6 |
| On or near Wickham Avenue | 5 |
Of the 212 crimes in Boston Spa with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 37 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 88 | 41.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 74 | 34.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 20 | 9.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 9 | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 3.3% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 6 | 2.8% | 0.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 0.9% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 0.9% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
Boston Spa has an estimated population of 6,139 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more retired residents (34%, against 22%), an older population (29%, against 19%) and less private renting (10%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Boston Spa average decile 8.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Boston Spa | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 28.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 46.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 79.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Boston Spa a safe place to live?
Boston Spa recorded 40.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,281st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Boston Spa?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 117 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (37).
Is crime in Boston Spa going up or down?
Recorded crime in Boston Spa was up 7% on the year before: 249 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 233 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Boston Spa?
About 6,139 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Boston Spa?
Boston Spa is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.