Crime in Ellesmere Port: statistics, rates and trends
6,493 crimes were recorded in Ellesmere Port in the 12 months to August 2026, 93.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ellesmere Port at a glance
- Crime trends in Ellesmere Port
- Types of crime in Ellesmere Port
- Ellesmere Port compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ellesmere Port
- Streets with the most crime in Ellesmere Port
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ellesmere Port
- Demographics of Ellesmere Port
- Questions about crime in Ellesmere Port
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,797), public order (722) and shoplifting (660) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 427th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Ellesmere Port | Cheshire West and Chester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 6,493 | 27,265 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 93.4 | 73.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | +4% | -1% |
| Population | 69,545 | 371,652 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ellesmere Port peaked in the year to August 2019 (7,914 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (5,947). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 6,493 | 93.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 5,947 | 85.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 6,280 | 90.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 6,329 | 91.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 7,099 | 102.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 7,311 | 105.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 7,422 | 106.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 7,914 | 113.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 7,593 | 109.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 553 |
| July 2026 | 672 |
| June 2026 | 609 |
| May 2026 | 540 |
| April 2026 | 530 |
| March 2026 | 537 |
| February 2026 | 477 |
| January 2026 | 478 |
| December 2025 | 518 |
| November 2025 | 544 |
| October 2025 | 533 |
| September 2025 | 502 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ellesmere Port recorded notably more public order (56% above the national rate), and notably less robbery (54% below) and anti-social behaviour (44% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 119 to 233 and drugs rose from 189 to 258, while other crime fell from 166 to 139.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,797 | 40.2 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Public order | 722 | 10.4 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Shoplifting | 660 | 9.5 | 8.5 | +28% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 595 | 8.6 | 15.4 | +17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 430 | 6.2 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Other theft | 356 | 5.1 | 6.4 | +11% |
| Drugs | 258 | 3.7 | 3.3 | +37% |
| Vehicle crime | 233 | 3.4 | 5.0 | +96% |
| Burglary | 157 | 2.3 | 3.6 | +1% |
| Other crime | 139 | 2.0 | 2.1 | -16% |
| Possession of weapons | 55 | 0.8 | 1.0 | -5% |
| Robbery | 44 | 0.6 | 1.4 | +22% |
| Bicycle theft | 40 | 0.6 | 0.8 | +11% |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ellesmere Port; the highest is Shotton (156.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Helsby (36.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ellesmere Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bebington | 3,128 | 55.0 | -41% |
| Chester | 9,531 | 102.9 | +10% |
| Neston (Cheshire West and Chester) | 755 | 51.7 | -45% |
| Helsby | 198 | 36.7 | -61% |
| Shotton | 1,007 | 156.8 | +68% |
| Hawarden | 693 | 57.7 | -38% |
| Connah's Quay | 1,458 | 87.5 | -6% |
| Broughton (Flintshire) | 423 | 64.0 | -31% |
Of the 9 areas within Ellesmere Port, Wolverham had the highest crime rate (250.8 per 1,000) and Strawberry the lowest (32.7), 8 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolverham | Neighbourhood | 4,525 | 1,135 | 250.8 |
| Westminster | Neighbourhood | 6,896 | 885 | 128.3 |
| Central & Grange | Neighbourhood | 15,872 | 1,929 | 121.5 |
| Sutton Villages | Neighbourhood | 10,502 | 861 | 82.0 |
| Whitby Park | Neighbourhood | 5,760 | 459 | 79.7 |
| Whitby Groves | Neighbourhood | 4,357 | 316 | 72.5 |
| Netherpool | Neighbourhood | 4,915 | 266 | 54.1 |
| Ledsham & Manor | Neighbourhood | 10,729 | 353 | 32.9 |
| Strawberry | Neighbourhood | 4,740 | 155 | 32.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 24% of the crime recorded in Ellesmere Port over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (472).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 472 |
| On or near Parking Area | 429 |
| On or near Supermarket | 167 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 81 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 71 |
| On or near Police Station | 67 |
| On or near York Road | 66 |
| On or near Eccleston Avenue | 65 |
| On or near John Nicholas Crescent | 60 |
| On or near Beechfield Road | 59 |
Of the 5,898 crimes in Ellesmere Port with a recorded outcome, 25% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 595 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,458 | 41.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,497 | 25.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 606 | 10.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 417 | 7.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 375 | 6.4% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 236 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 118 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 110 | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 27 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 25 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 20 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Ellesmere Port has an estimated population of 69,545 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.4%, against 7.9%), less private renting (14%, against 20%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (26%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ellesmere Port average decile 5.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Ellesmere Port | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 14.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Ellesmere Port a safe place to live?
Ellesmere Port recorded 93.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 427th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order.
What is the most common crime in Ellesmere Port?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,797 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (722).
Is crime in Ellesmere Port going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ellesmere Port was up 9% on the year before: 6,493 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 5,947 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ellesmere Port?
About 69,545 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ellesmere Port?
Ellesmere Port is policed by Cheshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.