Crime in Ferndown: statistics, rates and trends
545 crimes were recorded in Ferndown in the 12 months to August 2026, 39.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ferndown at a glance
- Crime trends in Ferndown
- Types of crime in Ferndown
- Ferndown compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ferndown
- Streets with the most crime in Ferndown
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ferndown
- Demographics of Ferndown
- Questions about crime in Ferndown
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (178), anti-social behaviour (163) and other theft (45) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,292nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Ferndown | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 545 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 39.6 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 13,776 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ferndown peaked in the year to August 2020 (729 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (525). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 4%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 545 | 39.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 597 | 43.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 555 | 40.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 635 | 46.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 672 | 48.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 699 | 50.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 729 | 52.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 630 | 45.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 525 | 38.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 52 |
| July 2026 | 62 |
| June 2026 | 54 |
| May 2026 | 41 |
| April 2026 | 42 |
| March 2026 | 41 |
| February 2026 | 50 |
| January 2026 | 37 |
| December 2025 | 39 |
| November 2025 | 34 |
| October 2025 | 47 |
| September 2025 | 46 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (77% below) and vehicle crime (69% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 30 to 44, while public order fell from 35 to 21 and vehicle crime fell from 30 to 21.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 178 | 12.9 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 163 | 11.8 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Other theft | 45 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -20% |
| Shoplifting | 44 | 3.2 | 8.5 | +47% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 30 | 2.2 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Burglary | 26 | 1.9 | 3.6 | -13% |
| Public order | 21 | 1.5 | 6.7 | -40% |
| Vehicle crime | 21 | 1.5 | 5.0 | -30% |
| Drugs | 7 | 0.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 3 | 0.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ferndown; the highest is Bournemouth (108.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Merley (27.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ferndown |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Moors | 448 | 42.8 | +8% |
| Bearwood | 302 | 59.5 | +51% |
| Wimborne Minster | 972 | 60.8 | +54% |
| Ashley Heath | 319 | 39.2 | -1% |
| Merley | 167 | 27.4 | -31% |
| Bournemouth | 21,896 | 108.0 | +173% |
| Verwood | 508 | 35.5 | -10% |
| Poole | 10,739 | 74.0 | +87% |
Of the 2 areas within Ferndown, Ferndown North had the highest crime rate (54.9 per 1,000) and Ferndown South the lowest (43.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferndown North | Neighbourhood | 8,159 | 448 | 54.9 |
| Ferndown South | Neighbourhood | 8,376 | 368 | 43.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 52% of the crime recorded in Ferndown over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (89).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 89 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 46 |
| On or near Princes Road | 29 |
| On or near Sycamore Gardens | 24 |
| On or near Library Road | 19 |
| On or near Mag'S Barrow | 17 |
| On or near St Cleeve Way | 16 |
| On or near Stables Court | 16 |
| On or near Larks Close | 15 |
| On or near Ham Lane | 13 |
Of the 382 crimes in Ferndown with a recorded outcome, 40% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 163 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 153 | 40.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 137 | 35.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 25 | 6.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 19 | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 15 | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 3.4% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 1.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Ferndown has an estimated population of 13,776 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (41%, against 19%), more retired residents (45%, against 22%) and less social housing (4.9%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ferndown average decile 8.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Ferndown | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 40.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 44.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 45.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 84.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 4.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ferndown a safe place to live?
Ferndown recorded 39.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,292nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ferndown?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 178 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (163).
Is crime in Ferndown going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ferndown was down 9% on the year before: 545 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 597 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ferndown?
About 13,776 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 41% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ferndown?
Ferndown 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.