Crime in Gomersal and Birkenshaw: statistics, rates and trends
1,178 crimes were recorded in Gomersal and Birkenshaw in the 12 months to August 2026, 73.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Gomersal and Birkenshaw at a glance
- Crime trends in Gomersal and Birkenshaw
- Types of crime in Gomersal and Birkenshaw
- Gomersal and Birkenshaw compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Gomersal and Birkenshaw
- Streets with the most crime in Gomersal and Birkenshaw
- What happened after crimes were reported in Gomersal and Birkenshaw
- Demographics of Gomersal and Birkenshaw
- Questions about crime in Gomersal and Birkenshaw
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (397), anti-social behaviour (244) and vehicle crime (106) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 727th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Gomersal and Birkenshaw | Kirklees | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,178 | 43,862 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 73.1 | 97.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 16,118 | 447,847 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Gomersal and Birkenshaw peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,508 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,162). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,178 | 73.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,162 | 72.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,377 | 85.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,486 | 92.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,508 | 93.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,390 | 86.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,417 | 87.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,507 | 93.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,304 | 80.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 90 |
| July 2026 | 109 |
| June 2026 | 106 |
| May 2026 | 117 |
| April 2026 | 91 |
| March 2026 | 115 |
| February 2026 | 111 |
| January 2026 | 95 |
| December 2025 | 70 |
| November 2025 | 93 |
| October 2025 | 98 |
| September 2025 | 83 |
Compared with England and Wales, Gomersal and Birkenshaw recorded notably more burglary (40% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (32% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (69% below) and drugs (49% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 71 to 106 and anti-social behaviour rose from 182 to 244, while shoplifting fell from 62 to 42 and drugs fell from 36 to 27.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 397 | 24.6 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 244 | 15.1 | 15.4 | +34% |
| Vehicle crime | 106 | 6.6 | 5.0 | +49% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 85 | 5.3 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Burglary | 80 | 5.0 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Public order | 79 | 4.9 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Other theft | 58 | 3.6 | 6.4 | -17% |
| Shoplifting | 42 | 2.6 | 8.5 | -32% |
| Other crime | 41 | 2.5 | 2.1 | -23% |
| Drugs | 27 | 1.7 | 3.3 | -25% |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Gomersal and Birkenshaw.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Gomersal and Birkenshaw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleckheaton | 1,521 | 123.0 | +68% |
| Heckmondwike | 1,134 | 95.4 | +31% |
| Liversedge | 1,687 | 103.7 | +42% |
| Batley | 4,884 | 114.6 | +57% |
| Gildersome | 599 | 95.7 | +31% |
| Morley (Leeds) | 4,442 | 133.4 | +83% |
| Mirfield | 1,668 | 82.7 | +13% |
| Pudsey | 3,167 | 89.1 | +22% |
Birstall and Birkenshaw is the one area listed within Gomersal and Birkenshaw, with 84.9 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birstall and Birkenshaw | Neighbourhood | 17,956 | 1,524 | 84.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Gomersal and Birkenshaw over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Spen Lane” (55).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Spen Lane | 55 |
| On or near Butts Hill | 42 |
| On or near Shirley Terrace | 39 |
| On or near Parking Area | 35 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 29 |
| On or near Selene Close | 27 |
| On or near Charles Street | 24 |
| On or near Shirley Mount | 20 |
| On or near The Grove | 20 |
| On or near Shirley Walk | 19 |
Of the 934 crimes in Gomersal and Birkenshaw with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 244 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 332 | 35.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 325 | 34.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 135 | 14.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 47 | 5.0% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 34 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 20 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 12 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 11 | 1.2% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Gomersal and Birkenshaw has an estimated population of 16,118 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (8.8%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%) and fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Gomersal and Birkenshaw average decile 6.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Gomersal and Birkenshaw | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Gomersal and Birkenshaw a safe place to live?
Gomersal and Birkenshaw recorded 73.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 727th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were burglary and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Gomersal and Birkenshaw?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 397 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (244).
Is crime in Gomersal and Birkenshaw going up or down?
Recorded crime in Gomersal and Birkenshaw was up 1% on the year before: 1,178 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,162 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Gomersal and Birkenshaw?
About 16,118 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Gomersal and Birkenshaw?
Gomersal and Birkenshaw is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.