Crime in Burgess Hill: statistics, rates and trends
2,507 crimes were recorded in Burgess Hill in the 12 months to August 2026, 73.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Burgess Hill at a glance
- Crime trends in Burgess Hill
- Types of crime in Burgess Hill
- Burgess Hill compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Burgess Hill
- Streets with the most crime in Burgess Hill
- What happened after crimes were reported in Burgess Hill
- Demographics of Burgess Hill
- Questions about crime in Burgess Hill
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (702), anti-social behaviour (688) and criminal damage and arson (249) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 728th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Burgess Hill | Mid Sussex | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,507 | 9,839 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 73.0 | 60.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 34,354 | 161,755 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Burgess Hill of any year here (2,507 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 32%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,507 | 73.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,370 | 69.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,479 | 72.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,288 | 66.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,919 | 55.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,950 | 56.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,029 | 59.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,067 | 60.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,898 | 55.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 217 |
| July 2026 | 261 |
| June 2026 | 234 |
| May 2026 | 261 |
| April 2026 | 241 |
| March 2026 | 233 |
| February 2026 | 159 |
| January 2026 | 166 |
| December 2025 | 189 |
| November 2025 | 167 |
| October 2025 | 188 |
| September 2025 | 191 |
Compared with England and Wales, Burgess Hill recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (30% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (64% below) and drugs (52% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 460 to 688 and drugs rose from 40 to 54, while vehicle crime fell from 112 to 62 and possession of weapons fell from 31 to 23.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 702 | 20.4 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 688 | 20.0 | 15.4 | +50% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 249 | 7.2 | 6.7 | +13% |
| Shoplifting | 223 | 6.5 | 8.5 | +4% |
| Public order | 197 | 5.7 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Other theft | 134 | 3.9 | 6.4 | -4% |
| Burglary | 80 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -18% |
| Vehicle crime | 62 | 1.8 | 5.0 | -45% |
| Drugs | 54 | 1.6 | 3.3 | +35% |
| Other crime | 51 | 1.5 | 2.1 | -7% |
| Possession of weapons | 23 | 0.7 | 1.0 | -26% |
| Robbery | 23 | 0.7 | 1.4 | +5% |
| Bicycle theft | 15 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Burgess Hill; the highest is Brighton and Hove (124.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Haywards Heath (54.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Burgess Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint | 908 | 60.9 | -17% |
| Haywards Heath | 2,243 | 54.3 | -26% |
| Henfield | 326 | 55.2 | -24% |
| Lewes | 1,801 | 109.6 | +50% |
| Brighton and Hove | 35,044 | 124.8 | +71% |
| Southwick (Adur) | 1,001 | 80.2 | +10% |
| Uckfield | 926 | 59.1 | -19% |
| Shoreham-by-Sea | 1,644 | 69.2 | -5% |
Of the 6 areas within Burgess Hill, Burgess Hill Meeds & Hammonds had the highest crime rate (121.2 per 1,000) and Burgess Hill Franklands the lowest (40.1), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burgess Hill Meeds & Hammonds | Neighbourhood | 6,715 | 814 | 121.2 |
| Burgess Hill Leylands | Neighbourhood | 5,267 | 429 | 81.5 |
| Burgess Hill St Andrews | Neighbourhood | 7,210 | 503 | 69.8 |
| Burgess Hill Victoria | Neighbourhood | 4,677 | 281 | 60.1 |
| Burgess Hill Dunstall | Neighbourhood | 5,250 | 270 | 51.4 |
| Burgess Hill Franklands | Neighbourhood | 5,235 | 210 | 40.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Burgess Hill over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (180).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 180 |
| On or near Supermarket | 148 |
| On or near Keymer Parade | 96 |
| On or near Church Road | 69 |
| On or near Temple Grove | 63 |
| On or near Fairbridge Way | 62 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 62 |
| On or near Wolstonbury Way | 47 |
| On or near Freek'S Lane | 45 |
| On or near Triangle Way | 45 |
Of the 1,819 crimes in Burgess Hill with a recorded outcome, 49% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 688 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 895 | 49.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 567 | 31.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 173 | 9.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 54 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 50 | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 36 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 19 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Burgess Hill has an estimated population of 34,354 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.9%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%) and less social housing (11%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Burgess Hill average decile 8.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Burgess Hill | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 75.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Burgess Hill a safe place to live?
Burgess Hill recorded 73.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 728th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Burgess Hill?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 702 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (688).
Is crime in Burgess Hill going up or down?
Recorded crime in Burgess Hill was up 6% on the year before: 2,507 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,370 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Burgess Hill?
About 34,354 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Burgess Hill?
Burgess Hill is policed by Sussex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.