Crime in Dudley (Dudley): statistics, rates and trends
7,248 crimes were recorded in Dudley (Dudley) in the 12 months to August 2026, 114.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dudley (Dudley) at a glance
- Crime trends in Dudley (Dudley)
- Types of crime in Dudley (Dudley)
- Dudley (Dudley) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Dudley (Dudley)
- Streets with the most crime in Dudley (Dudley)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dudley (Dudley)
- Demographics of Dudley (Dudley)
- Questions about crime in Dudley (Dudley)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,142), shoplifting (694) and criminal damage and arson (642) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 218th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Dudley (Dudley) | Dudley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 7,248 | 26,676 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 114.7 | 80.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 63,187 | 331,930 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Dudley (Dudley) peaked in the year to August 2022 (9,512 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (6,596). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 7,248 | 114.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 7,405 | 117.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 7,629 | 120.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 8,276 | 131.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 9,512 | 150.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 8,233 | 130.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 7,145 | 113.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 7,342 | 116.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 6,596 | 104.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 685 |
| July 2026 | 729 |
| June 2026 | 766 |
| May 2026 | 652 |
| April 2026 | 620 |
| March 2026 | 633 |
| February 2026 | 503 |
| January 2026 | 499 |
| December 2025 | 531 |
| November 2025 | 512 |
| October 2025 | 587 |
| September 2025 | 531 |
Compared with England and Wales, Dudley (Dudley) recorded notably more possession of weapons (3.2 times the national rate), vehicle crime (75% above the national rate) and robbery (53% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (75% below) and theft from the person (55% below). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 147 to 195 and public order rose from 394 to 485, while anti-social behaviour fell from 572 to 239.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,142 | 49.7 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 694 | 11.0 | 8.5 | +21% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 642 | 10.2 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Vehicle crime | 550 | 8.7 | 5.0 | -11% |
| Public order | 485 | 7.7 | 6.7 | +23% |
| Other theft | 413 | 6.5 | 6.4 | -4% |
| Burglary | 326 | 5.2 | 3.6 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 239 | 3.8 | 15.4 | -58% |
| Drugs | 196 | 3.1 | 3.3 | +6% |
| Possession of weapons | 195 | 3.1 | 1.0 | +33% |
| Other crime | 169 | 2.7 | 2.1 | +8% |
| Robbery | 132 | 2.1 | 1.4 | +2% |
| Theft from the person | 48 | 0.8 | 1.7 | -8% |
| Bicycle theft | 17 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Dudley (Dudley); the highest is Blackheath (134.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Kingswinford (54.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dudley (Dudley) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rowley Regis | 3,136 | 81.7 | -29% |
| Coseley | 1,975 | 76.9 | -33% |
| Sedgley | 2,238 | 68.7 | -40% |
| Cradley Heath | 1,799 | 94.1 | -18% |
| Brierley Hill | 3,658 | 116.2 | +1% |
| Tipton | 4,617 | 98.7 | -14% |
| Blackheath | 1,208 | 134.4 | +17% |
| Kingswinford | 2,844 | 54.3 | -53% |
Of the 5 areas within Dudley (Dudley), St. James's had the highest crime rate (150.8 per 1,000) and Quarry Bank & Dudley Wood the lowest (76.8).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. James's | Neighbourhood | 14,368 | 2,167 | 150.8 |
| St. Thomas's | Neighbourhood | 18,305 | 2,344 | 128.1 |
| Castle & Priory | Neighbourhood | 15,170 | 1,746 | 115.1 |
| Netherton & Holly Hall | Neighbourhood | 15,378 | 1,324 | 86.1 |
| Quarry Bank & Dudley Wood | Neighbourhood | 13,846 | 1,064 | 76.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 23% of the crime recorded in Dudley (Dudley) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (243).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 243 |
| On or near Castle Street | 239 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 192 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 186 |
| On or near Union Street | 185 |
| On or near Supermarket | 177 |
| On or near Buffery Road | 127 |
| On or near Stone Street | 113 |
| On or near New Street | 88 |
| On or near Castlegate Drive | 82 |
Of the 7,009 crimes in Dudley (Dudley) with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 239 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,806 | 40.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 2,482 | 35.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 638 | 9.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 447 | 6.4% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 201 | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 189 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 111 | 1.6% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 74 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 58 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Dudley (Dudley) has an estimated population of 63,187 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (28%, against 17%), more residents with no qualifications (28%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dudley (Dudley) average decile 2.7 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Dudley (Dudley) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 27.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 52.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 38.5% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Dudley (Dudley) a safe place to live?
Dudley (Dudley) recorded 114.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 218th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Dudley (Dudley)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,142 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (694).
Is crime in Dudley (Dudley) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dudley (Dudley) was down 2% on the year before: 7,248 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 7,405 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dudley (Dudley)?
About 63,187 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dudley (Dudley)?
Dudley (Dudley) is policed by West Midlands.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.