Crime in Exmouth: statistics, rates and trends
2,291 crimes were recorded in Exmouth in the 12 months to August 2026, 63.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,040), anti-social behaviour (294) and criminal damage and arson (255) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 896th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Exmouth | East Devon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,291 | 7,455 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 63.3 | 47.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 36,204 | 158,239 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Exmouth of any year here (2,291 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 18%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,291 | 63.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,323 | 64.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,323 | 64.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,345 | 64.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,319 | 64.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,455 | 67.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,765 | 76.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,790 | 77.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 171 |
| July 2026 | 262 |
| June 2026 | 222 |
| May 2026 | 207 |
| April 2026 | 189 |
| March 2026 | 239 |
| February 2026 | 158 |
| January 2026 | 160 |
| December 2025 | 172 |
| November 2025 | 171 |
| October 2025 | 163 |
| September 2025 | 177 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (70% below) and burglary (70% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 30 to 54 and criminal damage and arson rose from 200 to 255, while burglary fell from 68 to 39 and anti-social behaviour fell from 417 to 294.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,040 | 28.7 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 294 | 8.1 | 15.4 | -29% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 255 | 7.0 | 6.7 | +28% |
| Public order | 141 | 3.9 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Other theft | 140 | 3.9 | 6.4 | +20% |
| Shoplifting | 135 | 3.7 | 8.5 | +19% |
| Drugs | 62 | 1.7 | 3.3 | -26% |
| Vehicle crime | 54 | 1.5 | 5.0 | +80% |
| Other crime | 51 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Burglary | 39 | 1.1 | 3.6 | -43% |
| Possession of weapons | 30 | 0.8 | 1.0 | -12% |
| Bicycle theft | 25 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 13 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 12 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Exmouth; the highest is Exeter (110.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Chudleigh (40.2).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Exmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawlish | 1,002 | 82.2 | +30% |
| Teignmouth | 1,111 | 74.2 | +17% |
| Exeter | 14,661 | 110.8 | +75% |
| Sidmouth | 722 | 49.8 | -21% |
| Cranbrook (East Devon) | 296 | 48.8 | -23% |
| Chudleigh | 211 | 40.2 | -36% |
| Ottery St Mary | 251 | 41.0 | -35% |
| Kingsteignton | 630 | 48.1 | -24% |
Of the 5 areas within Exmouth, Exmouth Town had the highest crime rate (135.7 per 1,000) and Exmouth Brixington the lowest (33.3), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exmouth Town | Neighbourhood | 7,154 | 971 | 135.7 |
| Exmouth Littleham | Neighbourhood | 8,178 | 545 | 66.6 |
| Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh | Neighbourhood | 4,940 | 223 | 45.1 |
| Exmouth Halsdon | Neighbourhood | 8,354 | 300 | 35.9 |
| Exmouth Brixington | Neighbourhood | 7,578 | 252 | 33.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in Exmouth over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (84).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 84 |
| On or near Meadow Crescent | 75 |
| On or near The Strand | 68 |
| On or near Market Street | 65 |
| On or near Parking Area | 63 |
| On or near Queen Street | 51 |
| On or near Rolle Street | 46 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 40 |
| On or near Supermarket | 40 |
| On or near Cleveland Place | 38 |
Of the 1,997 crimes in Exmouth with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 294 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 959 | 48.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 458 | 22.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 267 | 13.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 73 | 3.7% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 60 | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 57 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 46 | 2.3% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 28 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
Exmouth has an estimated population of 36,204 (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 Exmouth average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Exmouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Exmouth a safe place to live?
Exmouth recorded 63.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 896th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Exmouth?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,040 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (294).
Is crime in Exmouth going up or down?
Recorded crime in Exmouth was down 1% on the year before: 2,291 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,323 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Exmouth?
About 36,204 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Exmouth?
Exmouth 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.