Crime in Dorchester (Dorset): statistics, rates and trends
1,631 crimes were recorded in Dorchester (Dorset) in the 12 months to August 2026, 72.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dorchester (Dorset) at a glance
- Crime trends in Dorchester (Dorset)
- Types of crime in Dorchester (Dorset)
- Dorchester (Dorset) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Dorchester (Dorset)
- Streets with the most crime in Dorchester (Dorset)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dorchester (Dorset)
- Demographics of Dorchester (Dorset)
- Questions about crime in Dorchester (Dorset)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (547), anti-social behaviour (424) and shoplifting (205) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 741st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Dorchester (Dorset) | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,631 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 72.1 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 22,613 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Dorchester (Dorset) of any year here (1,631 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,631 | 72.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,719 | 76.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,793 | 79.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,869 | 82.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,838 | 81.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,814 | 80.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,020 | 89.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,064 | 91.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,246 | 99.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 149 |
| July 2026 | 143 |
| June 2026 | 127 |
| May 2026 | 147 |
| April 2026 | 129 |
| March 2026 | 144 |
| February 2026 | 107 |
| January 2026 | 123 |
| December 2025 | 116 |
| November 2025 | 156 |
| October 2025 | 173 |
| September 2025 | 117 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (61% below) and burglary (55% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime fell from 123 to 59 and public order fell from 96 to 79.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 547 | 24.2 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 424 | 18.8 | 15.4 | +11% |
| Shoplifting | 205 | 9.1 | 8.5 | +1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 115 | 5.1 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Other theft | 94 | 4.2 | 6.4 | -16% |
| Public order | 79 | 3.5 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Vehicle crime | 59 | 2.6 | 5.0 | -52% |
| Burglary | 36 | 1.6 | 3.6 | -5% |
| Drugs | 29 | 1.3 | 3.3 | -3% |
| Other crime | 12 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 11 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Dorchester (Dorset); the highest is Weymouth (101.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Upton (Dorset) (41.8).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dorchester (Dorset) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weymouth | 5,466 | 101.3 | +40% |
| Wool | 302 | 50.7 | -30% |
| Weston (Dorset) | 372 | 67.7 | -6% |
| Bridport | 845 | 84.8 | +18% |
| Wareham | 354 | 59.6 | -17% |
| Blandford Forum | 800 | 58.0 | -20% |
| Sherborne | 667 | 61.0 | -15% |
| Upton (Dorset) | 366 | 41.8 | -42% |
Of the 3 areas within Dorchester (Dorset), Dorchester West had the highest crime rate (101.7 per 1,000) and Dorchester East the lowest (50.4).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester West | Neighbourhood | 7,225 | 735 | 101.7 |
| Dorchester Poundbury | Neighbourhood | 6,142 | 430 | 70.0 |
| Dorchester East | Neighbourhood | 9,246 | 466 | 50.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Dorchester (Dorset) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (81).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 81 |
| On or near Parking Area | 76 |
| On or near Dorchester West | 52 |
| On or near Little Britain | 44 |
| On or near High West Street | 43 |
| On or near Hospital | 42 |
| On or near Cambridge Walk | 35 |
| On or near New Street | 35 |
| On or near Alexandra Terrace | 32 |
| On or near Great Western Road | 26 |
Of the 1,207 crimes in Dorchester (Dorset) with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 424 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 405 | 33.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 344 | 28.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 130 | 10.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 109 | 9.0% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 50 | 4.1% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 41 | 3.4% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 39 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 34 | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 24 | 2.0% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 21 | 1.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Dorchester (Dorset) has an estimated population of 22,613 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (28%, against 19%), more retired residents (32%, against 22%) and fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dorchester (Dorset) average decile 6.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Dorchester (Dorset) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 28.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 32.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Dorchester (Dorset) a safe place to live?
Dorchester (Dorset) recorded 72.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 741st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Dorchester (Dorset)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 547 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (424).
Is crime in Dorchester (Dorset) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dorchester (Dorset) was down 5% on the year before: 1,631 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,719 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dorchester (Dorset)?
About 22,613 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 28% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dorchester (Dorset)?
Dorchester (Dorset) is policed by Dorset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.