Crime in Chard: statistics, rates and trends
1,779 crimes were recorded in Chard in the 12 months to August 2026, 121.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (754), anti-social behaviour (219) and shoplifting (179) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 166th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Chard | Somerset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,779 | 53,421 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 121.7 | 90.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 14,616 | 588,328 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Chard of any year here (1,779 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 | 1,779 | 121.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,663 | 113.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,570 | 107.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,222 | 83.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,394 | 95.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,335 | 91.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,394 | 95.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,450 | 99.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,350 | 92.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 104 |
| July 2026 | 140 |
| June 2026 | 139 |
| May 2026 | 162 |
| April 2026 | 171 |
| March 2026 | 191 |
| February 2026 | 152 |
| January 2026 | 139 |
| December 2025 | 119 |
| November 2025 | 167 |
| October 2025 | 142 |
| September 2025 | 153 |
Compared with England and Wales, Chard recorded notably more public order (70% above the national rate), other crime (59% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (51% above the national rate). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 37 to 85 and other crime rose from 26 to 49.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 754 | 51.6 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 219 | 15.0 | 15.4 | +9% |
| Shoplifting | 179 | 12.2 | 8.5 | +2% |
| Public order | 166 | 11.4 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 124 | 8.5 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Other theft | 90 | 6.2 | 6.4 | +3% |
| Vehicle crime | 85 | 5.8 | 5.0 | +130% |
| Burglary | 58 | 4.0 | 3.6 | +38% |
| Other crime | 49 | 3.4 | 2.1 | +88% |
| Drugs | 19 | 1.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 14 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 10 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Chard; the highest is Taunton (128.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Seaton (East Devon) (43.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Chard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilminster | 396 | 64.1 | -47% |
| Axminster | 486 | 67.6 | -44% |
| Crewkerne | 604 | 91.7 | -25% |
| Honiton | 685 | 56.2 | -54% |
| Taunton | 8,305 | 128.0 | +5% |
| Monkton Heathfield | 695 | 108.5 | -11% |
| Seaton (East Devon) | 337 | 43.3 | -64% |
| Bridport | 845 | 84.8 | -30% |
Of the 2 areas within Chard, Chard South had the highest crime rate (98.0 per 1,000) and Chard North the lowest (97.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chard South | Neighbourhood | 8,835 | 866 | 98.0 |
| Chard North | Neighbourhood | 10,823 | 1,060 | 97.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Chard over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Henson Park” (108).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Henson Park | 108 |
| On or near Supermarket | 86 |
| On or near Parking Area | 68 |
| On or near Tapstone Road | 62 |
| On or near Commercial Row | 57 |
| On or near Coker Way | 44 |
| On or near Silver Street | 42 |
| On or near Great Western Road | 41 |
| On or near Furzehill | 37 |
| On or near Cambridge Street | 34 |
Of the 1,560 crimes in Chard with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 219 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 666 | 42.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 444 | 28.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 94 | 6.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 88 | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 79 | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 72 | 4.6% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 43 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 32 | 2.1% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 22 | 1.4% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Chard has an estimated population of 14,616 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (3.9%, against 7.9%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (20%, against 34%) and more retired residents (28%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Chard average decile 4.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Chard | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 20.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Chard a safe place to live?
Chard recorded 121.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 166th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Chard?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 754 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (219).
Is crime in Chard going up or down?
Recorded crime in Chard was up 7% on the year before: 1,779 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,663 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Chard?
About 14,616 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Chard?
Chard is policed by Avon and Somerset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.