Crime in Gillingham (Medway): statistics, rates and trends
11,367 crimes were recorded in Gillingham (Medway) in the 12 months to August 2026, 98.7 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Gillingham (Medway) at a glance
- Crime trends in Gillingham (Medway)
- Types of crime in Gillingham (Medway)
- Gillingham (Medway) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Gillingham (Medway)
- Streets with the most crime in Gillingham (Medway)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Gillingham (Medway)
- Demographics of Gillingham (Medway)
- Questions about crime in Gillingham (Medway)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (4,099), anti-social behaviour (2,221) and criminal damage and arson (1,031) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 371st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Gillingham (Medway) | Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 11,367 | 29,963 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 98.7 | 102.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 115,187 | 292,655 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Gillingham (Medway) of any year here (11,367 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 24%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 11,367 | 98.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 11,705 | 101.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 11,847 | 102.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 12,910 | 112.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 14,147 | 122.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 14,409 | 125.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 14,785 | 128.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 13,462 | 116.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 14,988 | 130.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 988 |
| July 2026 | 1,082 |
| June 2026 | 944 |
| May 2026 | 951 |
| April 2026 | 978 |
| March 2026 | 998 |
| February 2026 | 848 |
| January 2026 | 948 |
| December 2025 | 872 |
| November 2025 | 932 |
| October 2025 | 897 |
| September 2025 | 929 |
Compared with England and Wales, Gillingham (Medway) recorded notably more other crime (33% above the national rate), criminal damage and arson (33% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (26% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (71% below) and burglary (38% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 1,780 to 2,221 and possession of weapons rose from 105 to 122, while burglary fell from 311 to 252.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 4,099 | 35.6 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 2,221 | 19.3 | 15.4 | +25% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,031 | 9.0 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Other theft | 801 | 7.0 | 6.4 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 770 | 6.7 | 8.5 | -9% |
| Public order | 564 | 4.9 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Vehicle crime | 505 | 4.4 | 5.0 | +3% |
| Drugs | 400 | 3.5 | 3.3 | -4% |
| Other crime | 325 | 2.8 | 2.1 | -8% |
| Burglary | 252 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -19% |
| Possession of weapons | 122 | 1.1 | 1.0 | +16% |
| Robbery | 116 | 1.0 | 1.4 | +4% |
| Bicycle theft | 104 | 0.9 | 0.8 | -10% |
| Theft from the person | 57 | 0.5 | 1.7 | -10% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Gillingham (Medway); the highest is Chatham (126.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Bearsted (34.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Gillingham (Medway) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham | 10,149 | 126.7 | +28% |
| Hoo St Werburgh | 646 | 63.3 | -36% |
| Rochester | 6,763 | 96.4 | -2% |
| Snodland | 1,211 | 98.9 | 0% |
| Bearsted | 289 | 34.5 | -65% |
| Sittingbourne | 5,678 | 102.7 | +4% |
| Larkfield | 2,052 | 70.4 | -29% |
| Maidstone | 11,735 | 105.2 | +7% |
Of the 9 areas within Gillingham (Medway), Gillingham South had the highest crime rate (178.8 per 1,000) and St Mary's Island the lowest (28.1), 6 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillingham South | Neighbourhood | 17,183 | 3,072 | 178.8 |
| Watling | Neighbourhood | 16,016 | 1,924 | 120.1 |
| Gillingham North | Neighbourhood | 16,808 | 1,907 | 113.5 |
| Twydall | Neighbourhood | 9,060 | 688 | 75.9 |
| Rainham North | Neighbourhood | 14,876 | 937 | 63.0 |
| Rainham South West | Neighbourhood | 9,388 | 551 | 58.7 |
| Hempstead & Wigmore | Neighbourhood | 9,610 | 507 | 52.8 |
| Rainham South East | Neighbourhood | 13,680 | 662 | 48.4 |
| St Mary's Island | Neighbourhood | 3,946 | 111 | 28.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Gillingham (Medway) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (551).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 551 |
| On or near Parking Area | 498 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 496 |
| On or near Wharf Road | 341 |
| On or near Hospital | 220 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 208 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 203 |
| On or near Windmill Road | 178 |
| On or near A231 | 115 |
| On or near Connaught Road | 107 |
Of the 9,146 crimes in Gillingham (Medway) with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 2,221 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 3,432 | 37.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 3,241 | 35.4% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 695 | 7.6% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 645 | 7.1% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 347 | 3.8% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 264 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 199 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 180 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 77 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 41 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 16 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Gillingham (Medway) has an estimated population of 115,187 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (11%, against 17%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (26%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Gillingham (Medway) average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Gillingham (Medway) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 7.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Gillingham (Medway) a safe place to live?
Gillingham (Medway) recorded 98.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 371st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Gillingham (Medway)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 4,099 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (2,221).
Is crime in Gillingham (Medway) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Gillingham (Medway) was down 3% on the year before: 11,367 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 11,705 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Gillingham (Medway)?
About 115,187 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Gillingham (Medway)?
Gillingham (Medway) 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.