Crime in Folkestone: statistics, rates and trends
6,682 crimes were recorded in Folkestone in the 12 months to August 2026, 123.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Folkestone at a glance
- Crime trends in Folkestone
- Types of crime in Folkestone
- Folkestone compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Folkestone
- Streets with the most crime in Folkestone
- What happened after crimes were reported in Folkestone
- Demographics of Folkestone
- Questions about crime in Folkestone
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,264), anti-social behaviour (1,329) and shoplifting (750) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 152nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Folkestone | Folkestone and Hythe | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 6,682 | 9,645 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 123.7 | 85.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 54,005 | 112,411 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Folkestone peaked in the year to August 2020 (8,776 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (6,283). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 6,682 | 123.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 6,283 | 116.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 6,310 | 116.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 6,930 | 128.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 7,685 | 142.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 7,730 | 143.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 8,776 | 162.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 8,437 | 156.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 8,622 | 159.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 664 |
| July 2026 | 736 |
| June 2026 | 661 |
| May 2026 | 545 |
| April 2026 | 514 |
| March 2026 | 602 |
| February 2026 | 484 |
| January 2026 | 512 |
| December 2025 | 488 |
| November 2025 | 536 |
| October 2025 | 506 |
| September 2025 | 434 |
Compared with England and Wales, Folkestone recorded notably more drugs (75% above the national rate), possession of weapons (70% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (67% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (71% below) and vehicle crime (39% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 45 to 66 and anti-social behaviour rose from 912 to 1,329, while theft from the person fell from 40 to 26.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,264 | 41.9 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,329 | 24.6 | 15.4 | +46% |
| Shoplifting | 750 | 13.9 | 8.5 | +11% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 608 | 11.3 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Other theft | 414 | 7.7 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Drugs | 310 | 5.7 | 3.3 | +8% |
| Public order | 293 | 5.4 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Other crime | 172 | 3.2 | 2.1 | -1% |
| Vehicle crime | 164 | 3.0 | 5.0 | -1% |
| Burglary | 146 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 0% |
| Possession of weapons | 89 | 1.6 | 1.0 | +37% |
| Robbery | 66 | 1.2 | 1.4 | +47% |
| Bicycle theft | 51 | 0.9 | 0.8 | +42% |
| Theft from the person | 26 | 0.5 | 1.7 | -35% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Folkestone; the highest is Dover (150.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Littlestone-on-Sea (36.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Folkestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawkinge | 446 | 51.3 | -59% |
| Hythe | 663 | 48.5 | -61% |
| Dover | 5,526 | 150.1 | +21% |
| Whitfield (Dover) | 453 | 68.9 | -44% |
| Aylesham | 481 | 74.4 | -40% |
| Littlestone-on-Sea | 209 | 36.9 | -70% |
| Deal | 1,783 | 61.7 | -50% |
| Ashford (Ashford) | 7,962 | 95.7 | -23% |
Of the 6 areas within Folkestone, Folkestone Central had the highest crime rate (229.0 per 1,000) and Sandgate & West Folkestone the lowest (56.5), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Folkestone Central | Neighbourhood | 12,017 | 2,752 | 229.0 |
| Folkestone Harbour | Neighbourhood | 7,023 | 850 | 121.0 |
| Broadmead | Neighbourhood | 4,909 | 584 | 119.0 |
| East Folkestone | Neighbourhood | 10,610 | 1,033 | 97.4 |
| Cheriton | Neighbourhood | 13,977 | 1,154 | 82.6 |
| Sandgate & West Folkestone | Neighbourhood | 5,469 | 309 | 56.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Folkestone over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (425).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 425 |
| On or near Supermarket | 330 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 232 |
| On or near Police Station | 168 |
| On or near Sussex Road | 153 |
| On or near Marine Terrace | 146 |
| On or near Cheriton Interchange | 144 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 130 |
| On or near West Terrace | 115 |
| On or near Claremont Road | 89 |
Of the 5,353 crimes in Folkestone with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,329 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,953 | 36.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,706 | 31.9% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 486 | 9.1% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 431 | 8.1% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 215 | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 195 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 150 | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 108 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 69 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 19 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Folkestone has an estimated population of 54,005 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (32%, against 20%), fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%) and less social housing (13%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Folkestone average decile 4.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Folkestone | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 28.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 13.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Folkestone a safe place to live?
Folkestone recorded 123.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 152nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Folkestone?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,264 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,329).
Is crime in Folkestone going up or down?
Recorded crime in Folkestone was up 6% on the year before: 6,682 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 6,283 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Folkestone?
About 54,005 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Folkestone?
Folkestone is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.