Crime in Dartford: statistics, rates and trends
7,106 crimes were recorded in Dartford in the 12 months to August 2026, 98.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dartford at a glance
- Crime trends in Dartford
- Types of crime in Dartford
- Dartford compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Dartford
- Streets with the most crime in Dartford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dartford
- Demographics of Dartford
- Questions about crime in Dartford
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,556), anti-social behaviour (1,190) and shoplifting (661) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 380th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Dartford | Dartford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 7,106 | 13,370 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 98.0 | 107.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 72,486 | 125,011 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Dartford of any year here (7,106 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 21%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 7,106 | 98.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 7,453 | 102.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 7,510 | 103.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 7,808 | 107.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 8,620 | 118.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 8,704 | 120.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 8,781 | 121.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 8,460 | 116.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 9,005 | 124.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 613 |
| July 2026 | 629 |
| June 2026 | 574 |
| May 2026 | 620 |
| April 2026 | 559 |
| March 2026 | 635 |
| February 2026 | 573 |
| January 2026 | 581 |
| December 2025 | 613 |
| November 2025 | 502 |
| October 2025 | 611 |
| September 2025 | 596 |
Compared with England and Wales, Dartford recorded notably more other crime (30% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (63% below) and bicycle theft (50% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 62 to 87 and shoplifting rose from 546 to 661, while burglary fell from 207 to 151 and theft from the person fell from 56 to 45.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,556 | 35.3 | 34.2 | -14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,190 | 16.4 | 15.4 | +19% |
| Shoplifting | 661 | 9.1 | 8.5 | +21% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 611 | 8.4 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Other theft | 481 | 6.6 | 6.4 | +10% |
| Vehicle crime | 436 | 6.0 | 5.0 | -14% |
| Public order | 312 | 4.3 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Drugs | 276 | 3.8 | 3.3 | -13% |
| Other crime | 199 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Burglary | 151 | 2.1 | 3.6 | -27% |
| Robbery | 87 | 1.2 | 1.4 | +40% |
| Possession of weapons | 71 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -4% |
| Theft from the person | 45 | 0.6 | 1.7 | -20% |
| Bicycle theft | 30 | 0.4 | 0.8 | -14% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Dartford; the highest is Chafford Hundred and West Thurrock (135.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Ebbsfleet Valley (50.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone (Dartford) | 381 | 70.8 | -28% |
| Purfleet-on-Thames | 448 | 81.3 | -17% |
| Swanscombe | 1,476 | 92.6 | -6% |
| Bexley | 20,080 | 78.3 | -20% |
| Swanley | 1,676 | 90.3 | -8% |
| Ebbsfleet Valley | 378 | 50.9 | -48% |
| Chafford Hundred and West Thurrock | 2,816 | 135.8 | +39% |
| Aveley | 760 | 78.2 | -20% |
Of the 12 areas within Dartford, Town had the highest crime rate (243.4 per 1,000) and Bridge the lowest (38.9), 6 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town | Neighbourhood | 5,977 | 1,455 | 243.4 |
| Stone House | Neighbourhood | 8,152 | 1,176 | 144.3 |
| Burnham | Neighbourhood | 5,357 | 634 | 118.3 |
| Temple Hill | Neighbourhood | 9,907 | 1,126 | 113.7 |
| Princes | Neighbourhood | 7,008 | 704 | 100.5 |
| Newtown | Neighbourhood | 5,745 | 479 | 83.4 |
| Maypole & Leyton Cross | Neighbourhood | 4,164 | 258 | 62.0 |
| Brent | Neighbourhood | 5,784 | 339 | 58.6 |
| Heath | Neighbourhood | 6,332 | 333 | 52.6 |
| Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone & Hawley | Neighbourhood | 7,006 | 355 | 50.7 |
| West Hill | Neighbourhood | 7,540 | 311 | 41.2 |
| Bridge | Neighbourhood | 3,728 | 145 | 38.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Dartford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (399).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 399 |
| On or near Supermarket | 302 |
| On or near Laurence Rise | 264 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 253 |
| On or near The Oaks | 157 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 142 |
| On or near William Mundy Way | 140 |
| On or near Nightclub | 118 |
| On or near Cadogan Avenue | 109 |
| On or near Lowfield Street | 96 |
Of the 5,916 crimes in Dartford with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,190 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 2,200 | 37.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,098 | 35.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 449 | 7.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 362 | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 236 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 189 | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 158 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 143 | 2.4% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 43 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 20 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Dartford has an estimated population of 72,486 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has a younger population (12%, against 19%), fewer retired residents (16%, against 22%) and more children (23%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dartford average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Dartford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 1.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Dartford a safe place to live?
Dartford recorded 98.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 380th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime.
What is the most common crime in Dartford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,556 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,190).
Is crime in Dartford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dartford was down 5% on the year before: 7,106 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 7,453 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dartford?
About 72,486 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dartford?
Dartford is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.