Crime in Darwen: statistics, rates and trends
3,013 crimes were recorded in Darwen in the 12 months to August 2026, 102.7 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,278), anti-social behaviour (613) and criminal damage and arson (239) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 322nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Darwen | Blackburn with Darwen | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,013 | 17,854 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 102.7 | 109.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -13% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 29,333 | 162,540 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Darwen of any year here (3,013 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 24%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,013 | 102.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,473 | 118.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,321 | 113.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,626 | 123.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,156 | 141.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,410 | 150.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,327 | 147.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,951 | 134.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,967 | 135.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 238 |
| July 2026 | 242 |
| June 2026 | 268 |
| May 2026 | 270 |
| April 2026 | 245 |
| March 2026 | 246 |
| February 2026 | 222 |
| January 2026 | 249 |
| December 2025 | 293 |
| November 2025 | 266 |
| October 2025 | 222 |
| September 2025 | 252 |
Compared with England and Wales, Darwen recorded notably more other crime (53% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (36% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (27% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (63% below) and public order (28% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 71 to 95 and drugs rose from 67 to 80, while anti-social behaviour fell from 1,013 to 613 and shoplifting fell from 128 to 91.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,278 | 43.6 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 613 | 20.9 | 15.4 | -39% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 239 | 8.1 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Vehicle crime | 180 | 6.1 | 5.0 | +4% |
| Other theft | 147 | 5.0 | 6.4 | -1% |
| Public order | 141 | 4.8 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Other crime | 95 | 3.2 | 2.1 | +34% |
| Shoplifting | 91 | 3.1 | 8.5 | -29% |
| Burglary | 90 | 3.1 | 3.6 | -13% |
| Drugs | 80 | 2.7 | 3.3 | +19% |
| Possession of weapons | 35 | 1.2 | 1.0 | +6% |
| Robbery | 14 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Darwen; the highest is Accrington (149.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Haslingden (73.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Darwen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) | 14,354 | 113.1 | +10% |
| Oswaldtwistle | 1,109 | 121.6 | +18% |
| Rishton | 638 | 91.0 | -11% |
| Accrington | 5,483 | 149.9 | +46% |
| Haslingden | 1,234 | 73.7 | -28% |
| Clayton-le-Moors | 1,139 | 113.7 | +11% |
| Great Harwood | 1,062 | 92.6 | -10% |
| Chorley | 4,805 | 115.4 | +12% |
Of the 3 areas within Darwen, Darwen East had the highest crime rate (129.4 per 1,000) and Darwen South the lowest (61.8).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darwen East | Neighbourhood | 10,714 | 1,386 | 129.4 |
| Darwen West | Neighbourhood | 7,830 | 949 | 121.2 |
| Darwen South | Neighbourhood | 9,658 | 597 | 61.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 21% of the crime recorded in Darwen over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (80).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 80 |
| On or near Church Bank Street | 78 |
| On or near Parking Area | 78 |
| On or near Sandringham Road | 74 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 64 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 60 |
| On or near Linden Crescent | 58 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 48 |
| On or near Victoria Street | 43 |
| On or near Anyon Street | 41 |
Of the 2,400 crimes in Darwen with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 613 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 977 | 40.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 646 | 26.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 236 | 9.8% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 192 | 8.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 101 | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 87 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 63 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 52 | 2.2% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 23 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 6 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Darwen has an estimated population of 29,333 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (27%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Darwen average decile 3.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Darwen | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.4 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 21.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Darwen a safe place to live?
Darwen recorded 102.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 322nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Darwen?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,278 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (613).
Is crime in Darwen going up or down?
Recorded crime in Darwen was down 13% on the year before: 3,013 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,473 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Darwen?
About 29,333 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Darwen?
Darwen is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.