Crime in Dawlish: statistics, rates and trends
1,002 crimes were recorded in Dawlish in the 12 months to August 2026, 82.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (479), shoplifting (131) and criminal damage and arson (93) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 572nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Dawlish | Teignbridge | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,002 | 8,148 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 82.2 | 58.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 12,193 | 138,548 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Dawlish peaked in the year to August 2025 (1,023 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (499). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 57%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,002 | 82.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,023 | 83.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 878 | 72.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 654 | 53.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 656 | 53.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 499 | 40.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 657 | 53.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 638 | 52.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 93 |
| July 2026 | 78 |
| June 2026 | 85 |
| May 2026 | 79 |
| April 2026 | 92 |
| March 2026 | 98 |
| February 2026 | 71 |
| January 2026 | 92 |
| December 2025 | 75 |
| November 2025 | 104 |
| October 2025 | 70 |
| September 2025 | 65 |
Compared with England and Wales, Dawlish recorded notably more shoplifting (27% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (53% below) and other theft (22% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 88 to 131 and other theft rose from 45 to 61, while anti-social behaviour fell from 177 to 88.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 479 | 39.3 | 34.2 | +10% |
| Shoplifting | 131 | 10.7 | 8.5 | +49% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 93 | 7.6 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 88 | 7.2 | 15.4 | -50% |
| Public order | 68 | 5.6 | 6.7 | +21% |
| Other theft | 61 | 5.0 | 6.4 | +36% |
| Vehicle crime | 19 | 1.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 17 | 1.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 17 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 15 | 1.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Dawlish; the highest is Torquay (144.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Bovey Tracey (34.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dawlish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teignmouth | 1,111 | 74.2 | -10% |
| Exmouth | 2,291 | 63.3 | -23% |
| Chudleigh | 211 | 40.2 | -51% |
| Kingsteignton | 630 | 48.1 | -41% |
| Newton Abbot | 2,527 | 84.9 | +3% |
| Torquay | 7,355 | 144.6 | +76% |
| Bovey Tracey | 201 | 34.9 | -58% |
| Exeter | 14,661 | 110.8 | +35% |
Of the 2 areas within Dawlish, Dawlish South West had the highest crime rate (85.4 per 1,000) and Dawlish North East the lowest (75.4).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawlish South West | Neighbourhood | 6,700 | 572 | 85.4 |
| Dawlish North East | Neighbourhood | 8,851 | 667 | 75.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Dawlish over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (120).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 120 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 81 |
| On or near Kestrel Way | 42 |
| On or near Church Street | 37 |
| On or near Queen Street | 29 |
| On or near Orchard Gardens | 28 |
| On or near Celtic Fields | 25 |
| On or near Parking Area | 25 |
| On or near Second Avenue | 22 |
| On or near Exeter Road | 20 |
Of the 914 crimes in Dawlish with a recorded outcome, 23% 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 88 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 438 | 47.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 209 | 22.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 116 | 12.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 51 | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 27 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 18 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 16 | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 12 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Dawlish has an estimated population of 12,193 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (30%, against 19%), more retired residents (33%, against 22%) and fewer students (4.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dawlish average decile 4.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Dawlish | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 32.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Dawlish a safe place to live?
Dawlish recorded 82.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 572nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Dawlish?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 479 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (131).
Is crime in Dawlish going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dawlish was down 2% on the year before: 1,002 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,023 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dawlish?
About 12,193 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dawlish?
Dawlish is policed by Devon & Cornwall.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.