Crime in Brighouse: statistics, rates and trends
3,315 crimes were recorded in Brighouse in the 12 months to August 2026, 99.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Brighouse at a glance
- Crime trends in Brighouse
- Types of crime in Brighouse
- Brighouse compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Brighouse
- Streets with the most crime in Brighouse
- What happened after crimes were reported in Brighouse
- Demographics of Brighouse
- Questions about crime in Brighouse
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,355), shoplifting (433) and anti-social behaviour (299) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 350th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Brighouse | Calderdale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,315 | 24,413 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 99.9 | 115.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | -6% | -1% |
| Population | 33,182 | 210,929 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Brighouse peaked in the year to August 2019 (3,680 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (3,164). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,315 | 99.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,176 | 95.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,164 | 95.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,228 | 97.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,476 | 104.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,232 | 97.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,579 | 107.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,680 | 110.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,633 | 109.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 262 |
| July 2026 | 362 |
| June 2026 | 322 |
| May 2026 | 318 |
| April 2026 | 270 |
| March 2026 | 288 |
| February 2026 | 283 |
| January 2026 | 235 |
| December 2025 | 224 |
| November 2025 | 236 |
| October 2025 | 252 |
| September 2025 | 263 |
Compared with England and Wales, Brighouse recorded notably more other crime (61% above the national rate) and shoplifting (54% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (41% below) and robbery (31% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 253 to 433 and drugs rose from 65 to 96, while burglary fell from 166 to 123 and public order fell from 285 to 234.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,355 | 40.8 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 433 | 13.0 | 8.5 | +71% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 299 | 9.0 | 15.4 | -4% |
| Public order | 234 | 7.1 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 211 | 6.4 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Other theft | 210 | 6.3 | 6.4 | +7% |
| Vehicle crime | 163 | 4.9 | 5.0 | +15% |
| Burglary | 123 | 3.7 | 3.6 | -26% |
| Other crime | 113 | 3.4 | 2.1 | +3% |
| Drugs | 96 | 2.9 | 3.3 | +48% |
| Robbery | 31 | 0.9 | 1.4 | +11% |
| Possession of weapons | 25 | 0.8 | 1.0 | -14% |
| Bicycle theft | 11 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 11 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Brighouse; the highest is Halifax (151.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Shelf and Northowram (50.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Brighouse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elland | 1,858 | 121.7 | +22% |
| Shelf and Northowram | 305 | 50.3 | -50% |
| Cleckheaton | 1,521 | 123.0 | +23% |
| Liversedge | 1,687 | 103.7 | +4% |
| Huddersfield | 17,230 | 114.8 | +15% |
| Halifax | 13,867 | 151.6 | +52% |
| Mirfield | 1,668 | 82.7 | -17% |
| Gomersal and Birkenshaw | 1,178 | 73.1 | -27% |
Of the 3 areas within Brighouse, Brighouse had the highest crime rate (147.5 per 1,000) and Hipperholme and Lightcliffe the lowest (62.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighouse | Neighbourhood | 11,226 | 1,656 | 147.5 |
| Rastrick | Neighbourhood | 12,134 | 1,056 | 87.0 |
| Hipperholme and Lightcliffe | Neighbourhood | 11,727 | 730 | 62.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Brighouse over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (176).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 176 |
| On or near Market Street | 129 |
| On or near Parking Area | 119 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 101 |
| On or near Whinney Hill Park | 89 |
| On or near Oakhill Road | 88 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 74 |
| On or near Spring Street | 60 |
| On or near Axminster Drive | 58 |
| On or near Close Lea Avenue | 54 |
Of the 3,016 crimes in Brighouse with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 299 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,059 | 35.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 876 | 29.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 347 | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 274 | 9.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 163 | 5.4% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 91 | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 80 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 51 | 1.7% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 41 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Brighouse has an estimated population of 33,182 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.0%, against 7.9%), more retired residents (28%, against 22%) and an older population (23%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Brighouse average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Brighouse | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Brighouse a safe place to live?
Brighouse recorded 99.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 350th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Brighouse?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,355 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (433).
Is crime in Brighouse going up or down?
Recorded crime in Brighouse was up 4% on the year before: 3,315 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,176 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Brighouse?
About 33,182 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Brighouse?
Brighouse 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.