Crime in Carlisle: statistics, rates and trends
9,447 crimes were recorded in Carlisle in the 12 months to August 2026, 119.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Carlisle at a glance
- Crime trends in Carlisle
- Types of crime in Carlisle
- Carlisle compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Carlisle
- Streets with the most crime in Carlisle
- What happened after crimes were reported in Carlisle
- Demographics of Carlisle
- Questions about crime in Carlisle
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (4,162), public order (1,067) and criminal damage and arson (853) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 185th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Carlisle | Cumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 9,447 | 23,055 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 119.0 | 82.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 79,388 | 280,495 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Carlisle peaked in the year to August 2019 (11,400 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (9,008). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 9,447 | 119.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 9,008 | 113.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 9,563 | 120.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 9,611 | 121.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 10,211 | 128.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 9,264 | 116.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 10,559 | 133.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 11,400 | 143.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 10,488 | 132.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 819 |
| July 2026 | 959 |
| June 2026 | 838 |
| May 2026 | 881 |
| April 2026 | 859 |
| March 2026 | 844 |
| February 2026 | 743 |
| January 2026 | 753 |
| December 2025 | 711 |
| November 2025 | 666 |
| October 2025 | 684 |
| September 2025 | 690 |
Compared with England and Wales, Carlisle recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.0 times the national rate), public order (2.0 times the national rate) and drugs (2.0 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (61% below) and theft from the person (60% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 40 to 60 and theft from the person rose from 36 to 53, while anti-social behaviour fell from 783 to 472.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 4,162 | 52.4 | 34.2 | +9% |
| Public order | 1,067 | 13.4 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 853 | 10.7 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Shoplifting | 838 | 10.6 | 8.5 | +1% |
| Drugs | 516 | 6.5 | 3.3 | +14% |
| Other theft | 501 | 6.3 | 6.4 | +14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 472 | 5.9 | 15.4 | -40% |
| Other crime | 275 | 3.5 | 2.1 | +10% |
| Burglary | 202 | 2.5 | 3.6 | +32% |
| Vehicle crime | 186 | 2.3 | 5.0 | -7% |
| Possession of weapons | 156 | 2.0 | 1.0 | +46% |
| Bicycle theft | 106 | 1.3 | 0.8 | +2% |
| Robbery | 60 | 0.8 | 1.4 | +50% |
| Theft from the person | 53 | 0.7 | 1.7 | +47% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Carlisle; the highest is Workington (135.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Seaton (Allerdale) (35.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Carlisle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wigton | 421 | 67.9 | -43% |
| Penrith | 1,583 | 87.4 | -27% |
| Cockermouth | 408 | 47.6 | -60% |
| Maryport | 863 | 104.4 | -12% |
| Seaton (Allerdale) | 186 | 35.5 | -70% |
| Workington | 3,081 | 135.5 | +14% |
| Hexham | 562 | 52.8 | -56% |
| Whitehaven | 2,317 | 97.7 | -18% |
Of the 13 areas within Carlisle, Castle had the highest crime rate (454.9 per 1,000) and Dalston and Burgh the lowest (35.5), 13 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle | Neighbourhood | 5,975 | 2,718 | 454.9 |
| Currock | Neighbourhood | 6,221 | 1,411 | 226.8 |
| Denton Holme | Neighbourhood | 6,713 | 694 | 103.4 |
| Morton | Neighbourhood | 6,202 | 641 | 103.4 |
| Harraby North | Neighbourhood | 7,841 | 799 | 101.9 |
| Botcherby | Neighbourhood | 6,722 | 647 | 96.3 |
| Upperby | Neighbourhood | 6,672 | 548 | 82.1 |
| Belle Vue | Neighbourhood | 7,094 | 501 | 70.6 |
| Harraby South | Neighbourhood | 4,017 | 282 | 70.2 |
| Belah | Neighbourhood | 6,473 | 439 | 67.8 |
| Yewdale | Neighbourhood | 5,720 | 333 | 58.2 |
| Stanwix Urban | Neighbourhood | 6,098 | 291 | 47.7 |
| Dalston and Burgh | Neighbourhood | 9,318 | 331 | 35.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 24% of the crime recorded in Carlisle over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (363).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 363 |
| On or near The Crescent | 310 |
| On or near Supermarket | 293 |
| On or near Bank Street | 271 |
| On or near Collier Lane | 233 |
| On or near Parking Area | 215 |
| On or near Scotch Street | 204 |
| On or near Clift Street | 157 |
| On or near Brunel Way | 107 |
| On or near Citadel Row | 107 |
Of the 8,975 crimes in Carlisle with a recorded outcome, 20% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 472 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 3,371 | 37.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,834 | 20.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,358 | 15.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 784 | 8.7% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 451 | 5.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 428 | 4.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 288 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 116 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 109 | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 104 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 92 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 39 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Carlisle has an estimated population of 79,388 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.8%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Carlisle average decile 4.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Carlisle | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 10.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Carlisle a safe place to live?
Carlisle recorded 119.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 185th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and public order.
What is the most common crime in Carlisle?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 4,162 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (1,067).
Is crime in Carlisle going up or down?
Recorded crime in Carlisle was up 5% on the year before: 9,447 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 9,008 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Carlisle?
About 79,388 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Carlisle?
Carlisle is policed by Cumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.