Crime in Congleton: statistics, rates and trends
2,345 crimes were recorded in Congleton in the 12 months to August 2026, 70.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Congleton at a glance
- Crime trends in Congleton
- Types of crime in Congleton
- Congleton compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Congleton
- Streets with the most crime in Congleton
- What happened after crimes were reported in Congleton
- Demographics of Congleton
- Questions about crime in Congleton
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,123), public order (273) and anti-social behaviour (220) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 764th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Congleton | Cheshire East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,345 | 28,139 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 70.6 | 66.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 33,235 | 421,298 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Congleton peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,788 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (384). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,345 | 70.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,273 | 68.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,577 | 77.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 384 | 11.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 772 | 23.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,413 | 72.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,788 | 83.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,486 | 74.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,513 | 75.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 187 |
| July 2026 | 232 |
| June 2026 | 214 |
| May 2026 | 236 |
| April 2026 | 205 |
| March 2026 | 218 |
| February 2026 | 175 |
| January 2026 | 185 |
| December 2025 | 187 |
| November 2025 | 179 |
| October 2025 | 162 |
| September 2025 | 165 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (67% below) and anti-social behaviour (57% below) were well below it. On the year before, other crime rose from 51 to 65 and shoplifting rose from 121 to 145, while vehicle crime fell from 73 to 55.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,123 | 33.8 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Public order | 273 | 8.2 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 220 | 6.6 | 15.4 | +12% |
| Shoplifting | 145 | 4.4 | 8.5 | +20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 139 | 4.2 | 6.7 | +14% |
| Other theft | 114 | 3.4 | 6.4 | -10% |
| Drugs | 86 | 2.6 | 3.3 | +18% |
| Burglary | 72 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -6% |
| Other crime | 65 | 2.0 | 2.1 | +27% |
| Vehicle crime | 55 | 1.7 | 5.0 | -25% |
| Possession of weapons | 28 | 0.8 | 1.0 | +12% |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Congleton; the highest is Leek (92.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Holmes Chapel (29.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Congleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biddulph | 1,291 | 78.5 | +11% |
| Kidsgrove | 1,422 | 91.3 | +29% |
| Alsager | 928 | 57.4 | -19% |
| Sandbach | 899 | 68.1 | -3% |
| Holmes Chapel | 203 | 29.3 | -58% |
| Macclesfield | 4,754 | 86.1 | +22% |
| Elworth | 301 | 37.6 | -47% |
| Leek | 1,719 | 92.5 | +31% |
Of the 3 areas within Congleton, Congleton West had the highest crime rate (79.8 per 1,000) and Brereton Rural the lowest (44.6).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congleton West | Neighbourhood | 16,511 | 1,318 | 79.8 |
| Congleton East | Neighbourhood | 13,921 | 928 | 66.7 |
| Brereton Rural | Neighbourhood | 8,318 | 371 | 44.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in Congleton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (152).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 152 |
| On or near Supermarket | 103 |
| On or near Brunswick Street | 46 |
| On or near Duke Street | 45 |
| On or near Nightclub | 43 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 43 |
| On or near Victoria Street | 41 |
| On or near Wharfedale Road | 38 |
| On or near Elm Road | 36 |
| On or near Springfield Drive | 35 |
Of the 2,125 crimes in Congleton with a recorded outcome, 22% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 220 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 901 | 42.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 461 | 21.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 252 | 11.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 165 | 7.8% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 113 | 5.3% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 87 | 4.1% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 63 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 61 | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Congleton has an estimated population of 33,235 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.3%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%) and less private renting (13%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Congleton average decile 7.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Congleton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 74.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Congleton a safe place to live?
Congleton recorded 70.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 764th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Congleton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,123 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (273).
Is crime in Congleton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Congleton was up 3% on the year before: 2,345 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,273 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Congleton?
About 33,235 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Congleton?
Congleton is policed by Cheshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.