Crime in Downham Market: statistics, rates and trends
667 crimes were recorded in Downham Market in the 12 months to August 2026, 59.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Downham Market at a glance
- Crime trends in Downham Market
- Types of crime in Downham Market
- Downham Market compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Downham Market
- Streets with the most crime in Downham Market
- What happened after crimes were reported in Downham Market
- Demographics of Downham Market
- Questions about crime in Downham Market
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (253), anti-social behaviour (104) and shoplifting (73) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 977th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Downham Market | King's Lynn and West Norfolk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 667 | 10,306 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 59.0 | 66.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 11,309 | 156,206 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Downham Market of any year here (667 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 667 | 59.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 760 | 67.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 731 | 64.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 743 | 65.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 835 | 73.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 686 | 60.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 707 | 62.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 685 | 60.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 689 | 60.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 43 |
| July 2026 | 71 |
| June 2026 | 43 |
| May 2026 | 52 |
| April 2026 | 57 |
| March 2026 | 62 |
| February 2026 | 63 |
| January 2026 | 60 |
| December 2025 | 45 |
| November 2025 | 50 |
| October 2025 | 64 |
| September 2025 | 57 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (51% below) and anti-social behaviour (40% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 41 to 58 and shoplifting rose from 54 to 73, while anti-social behaviour fell from 174 to 104 and public order fell from 59 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 253 | 22.4 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 104 | 9.2 | 15.4 | -40% |
| Shoplifting | 73 | 6.5 | 8.5 | +35% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 63 | 5.6 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Other theft | 58 | 5.1 | 6.4 | +41% |
| Public order | 37 | 3.3 | 6.7 | -37% |
| Drugs | 25 | 2.2 | 3.3 | +9% |
| Other crime | 16 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 15 | 1.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 9 | 0.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Downham Market; the highest is Wisbech (132.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Lakenheath (47.8).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Downham Market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elm and Emneth | 402 | 71.9 | +22% |
| Wisbech | 3,414 | 132.8 | +125% |
| Littleport | 680 | 78.0 | +32% |
| King's Lynn | 5,606 | 113.4 | +92% |
| March | 2,133 | 98.9 | +68% |
| Swaffham | 597 | 78.7 | +33% |
| Lakenheath | 242 | 47.8 | -19% |
| Doddington and Wimblington | 280 | 55.8 | -5% |
Of the 4 areas within Downham Market, Downham Old Town had the highest crime rate (111.3 per 1,000) and North Downham the lowest (29.7), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downham Old Town | Neighbourhood | 3,208 | 357 | 111.3 |
| East Downham | Neighbourhood | 3,251 | 154 | 47.4 |
| South Downham | Neighbourhood | 2,358 | 82 | 34.8 |
| North Downham | Neighbourhood | 2,492 | 74 | 29.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 41% of the crime recorded in Downham Market over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Court Gardens” (59).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Court Gardens | 59 |
| On or near Parking Area | 49 |
| On or near Supermarket | 42 |
| On or near Norfolk Square | 21 |
| On or near Low Road | 20 |
| On or near James Scott Close | 18 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 18 |
| On or near Wordsworth Close | 18 |
| On or near St Winnold Close | 17 |
| On or near Rosemary Way | 12 |
Of the 563 crimes in Downham Market with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 104 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 253 | 44.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 134 | 23.8% | 35.3% |
| Local resolution | 41 | 7.3% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 37 | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 37 | 6.6% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 29 | 5.2% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 2.1% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Status update unavailable | 6 | 1.1% | 4.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Downham Market has an estimated population of 11,309 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more retired residents (35%, against 22%), an older population (30%, against 19%) and fewer students (3.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Downham Market average decile 5.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Downham Market | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 34.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Downham Market a safe place to live?
Downham Market recorded 59.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 977th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Downham Market?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 253 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (104).
Is crime in Downham Market going up or down?
Recorded crime in Downham Market was down 12% on the year before: 667 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 760 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Downham Market?
About 11,309 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Downham Market?
Downham Market is policed by Norfolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.