Crime in Bowburn: statistics, rates and trends
636 crimes were recorded in Bowburn in the 12 months to August 2026, 110.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 31% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (234), anti-social behaviour (175) and criminal damage and arson (75) made up 76% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 258th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Bowburn | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 636 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 110.2 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +31% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 5,772 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bowburn peaked in the year to August 2019 (766 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (486). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 29%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 636 | 110.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 486 | 84.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 564 | 97.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 632 | 109.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 562 | 97.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 525 | 91.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 619 | 107.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 766 | 132.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 494 | 85.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 40 |
| July 2026 | 67 |
| June 2026 | 80 |
| May 2026 | 79 |
| April 2026 | 69 |
| March 2026 | 40 |
| February 2026 | 49 |
| January 2026 | 45 |
| December 2025 | 46 |
| November 2025 | 32 |
| October 2025 | 40 |
| September 2025 | 49 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bowburn recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (2.0 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (93% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (39% below) and other theft (36% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 97 to 175 and public order rose from 26 to 43, while shoplifting fell from 61 to 30.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 234 | 40.5 | 34.2 | +34% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 175 | 30.3 | 15.4 | +80% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 75 | 13.0 | 6.7 | +27% |
| Public order | 43 | 7.4 | 6.7 | +65% |
| Shoplifting | 30 | 5.2 | 8.5 | -51% |
| Other theft | 24 | 4.2 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 18 | 3.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 16 | 2.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Bowburn; the highest is Ferryhill (177.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Hetton-le-Hole (84.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bowburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | 6,305 | 127.7 | +16% |
| Ferryhill | 1,489 | 177.0 | +61% |
| Spennymoor | 2,879 | 160.5 | +46% |
| Brandon (County Durham) | 1,047 | 113.8 | +3% |
| Ushaw Moor and Bearpark | 755 | 117.1 | +6% |
| Shotton Colliery | 691 | 135.9 | +23% |
| Wingate | 772 | 132.4 | +20% |
| Hetton-le-Hole | 822 | 84.1 | -24% |
Bowburn & Coxhoe is the one area listed within Bowburn, with 95.0 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowburn & Coxhoe | Neighbourhood | 15,611 | 1,483 | 95.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Bowburn over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (61).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 61 |
| On or near Tunstall Avenue | 35 |
| On or near Beaumont Close | 28 |
| On or near Margaret Court | 26 |
| On or near Park Avenue | 23 |
| On or near Park Hill | 23 |
| On or near Clarence Street | 22 |
| On or near Dallymore Drive | 22 |
| On or near Robson Crescent | 21 |
| On or near Burn Street | 20 |
Of the 461 crimes in Bowburn with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 175 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 192 | 41.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 133 | 28.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 64 | 13.9% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 18 | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 16 | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 2.0% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
Bowburn has an estimated population of 5,772 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (22%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bowburn average decile 4.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bowburn | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bowburn a safe place to live?
Bowburn recorded 110.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 258th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Bowburn?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 234 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (175).
Is crime in Bowburn going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bowburn was up 31% on the year before: 636 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 486 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bowburn?
About 5,772 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bowburn?
Bowburn is policed by Durham.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.