Crime in Cowes: statistics, rates and trends
766 crimes were recorded in Cowes in the 12 months to August 2026, 51.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 4% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (398), anti-social behaviour (85) and criminal damage and arson (63) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,125th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Cowes | Isle of Wight | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 766 | 11,831 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 51.2 | 83.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 14,955 | 141,660 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Cowes peaked in the year to August 2021 (872 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (735). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 1%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 766 | 51.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 735 | 49.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 740 | 49.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 760 | 50.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 772 | 51.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 872 | 58.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 844 | 56.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 794 | 53.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 777 | 52.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 115 |
| July 2026 | 87 |
| June 2026 | 60 |
| May 2026 | 65 |
| April 2026 | 68 |
| March 2026 | 54 |
| February 2026 | 48 |
| January 2026 | 62 |
| December 2025 | 59 |
| November 2025 | 52 |
| October 2025 | 45 |
| September 2025 | 51 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (63% below) and burglary (55% below) were well below it.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 398 | 26.6 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 85 | 5.7 | 15.4 | -8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 63 | 4.2 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Public order | 61 | 4.1 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Other theft | 48 | 3.2 | 6.4 | -4% |
| Drugs | 34 | 2.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 24 | 1.6 | 3.6 | +9% |
| Shoplifting | 17 | 1.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 0.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Cowes; the highest is Newport (Isle of Wight) (125.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Lee-on-the-Solent (44.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Cowes |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Cowes | 654 | 70.4 | +38% |
| Newport (Isle of Wight) | 3,320 | 125.6 | +145% |
| Blackfield and Langley | 346 | 56.2 | +10% |
| Lee-on-the-Solent | 1,155 | 44.9 | -12% |
| Holbury | 482 | 62.4 | +22% |
| Ryde | 2,246 | 93.6 | +83% |
| Locks Heath | 1,925 | 53.5 | +4% |
| Gosport | 5,937 | 85.8 | +67% |
Of the 4 areas within Cowes, Cowes North had the highest crime rate (91.5 per 1,000) and Cowes South & Northwood the lowest (31.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowes North | Neighbourhood | 3,454 | 316 | 91.5 |
| Cowes Medina | Neighbourhood | 4,323 | 218 | 50.4 |
| Cowes West & Gurnard | Neighbourhood | 3,147 | 105 | 33.4 |
| Cowes South & Northwood | Neighbourhood | 4,031 | 127 | 31.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Cowes over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Park Court” (27).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Park Court | 27 |
| On or near Police Station | 24 |
| On or near Shooters Hill | 24 |
| On or near B3320 | 23 |
| On or near Fountain Quay | 21 |
| On or near Mountbatten Avenue | 21 |
| On or near Carvel Lane | 20 |
| On or near High Street | 19 |
| On or near Supermarket | 18 |
| On or near Cockleton Lane | 17 |
Of the 681 crimes in Cowes with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 85 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 314 | 46.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 185 | 27.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 44 | 6.5% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 41 | 6.0% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 31 | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 28 | 4.1% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 19 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.1% | 2.5% |
Cowes has an estimated population of 14,955 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.1%, against 17.1%), fewer students (4.5%, against 7.9%) and an older population (27%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Cowes average decile 6.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Cowes | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Cowes a safe place to live?
Cowes recorded 51.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,125th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Cowes?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 398 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (85).
Is crime in Cowes going up or down?
Recorded crime in Cowes was up 4% on the year before: 766 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 735 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Cowes?
About 14,955 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Cowes?
Cowes is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.