Crime in Harpenden: statistics, rates and trends
1,086 crimes were recorded in Harpenden in the 12 months to August 2026, 37.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Harpenden at a glance
- Crime trends in Harpenden
- Types of crime in Harpenden
- Harpenden compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Harpenden
- Streets with the most crime in Harpenden
- What happened after crimes were reported in Harpenden
- Demographics of Harpenden
- Questions about crime in Harpenden
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (278), anti-social behaviour (240) and vehicle crime (146) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,319th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Harpenden | St Albans | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,086 | 11,943 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 37.6 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 28,871 | 151,012 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Harpenden peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,341 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (1,024). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,086 | 37.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,094 | 37.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,065 | 36.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,050 | 36.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,024 | 35.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,088 | 37.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,339 | 46.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,287 | 44.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,341 | 46.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 85 |
| July 2026 | 92 |
| June 2026 | 101 |
| May 2026 | 100 |
| April 2026 | 100 |
| March 2026 | 96 |
| February 2026 | 72 |
| January 2026 | 83 |
| December 2025 | 86 |
| November 2025 | 98 |
| October 2025 | 99 |
| September 2025 | 74 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (87% below) and public order (74% below) were well below it. On the year before, public order rose from 35 to 50, while shoplifting fell from 60 to 31 and burglary fell from 96 to 64.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 278 | 9.6 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 240 | 8.3 | 15.4 | +5% |
| Vehicle crime | 146 | 5.1 | 5.0 | +7% |
| Other theft | 130 | 4.5 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 91 | 3.2 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Burglary | 64 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -33% |
| Public order | 50 | 1.7 | 6.7 | +43% |
| Shoplifting | 31 | 1.1 | 8.5 | -48% |
| Other crime | 21 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 16 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Harpenden.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Harpenden |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Albans | 6,245 | 85.2 | +127% |
| Hatfield | 5,492 | 127.3 | +238% |
| Luton | 22,791 | 91.6 | +144% |
| Hemel Hempstead | 10,306 | 102.6 | +173% |
| Chiswell Green | 260 | 43.4 | +15% |
| Welwyn Garden City | 5,088 | 100.0 | +166% |
| London Colney | 1,274 | 151.6 | +303% |
| Bricket Wood | 295 | 55.3 | +47% |
Of the 4 areas within Harpenden, Harpenden West had the highest crime rate (80.9 per 1,000) and Harpenden South the lowest (27.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harpenden West | Neighbourhood | 8,309 | 672 | 80.9 |
| Harpenden East | Neighbourhood | 7,902 | 376 | 47.6 |
| Harpenden North & Rural | Neighbourhood | 7,888 | 258 | 32.7 |
| Harpenden South | Neighbourhood | 6,824 | 188 | 27.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Harpenden over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (106).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 106 |
| On or near Parking Area | 37 |
| On or near Supermarket | 37 |
| On or near Lea Business Park | 31 |
| On or near Hill Close | 22 |
| On or near Willow Way | 22 |
| On or near Whitings Close | 19 |
| On or near Westminster Court | 17 |
| On or near Baulk Close | 15 |
| On or near Pickford Hill | 15 |
Of the 846 crimes in Harpenden with a recorded outcome, 52% 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 240 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 440 | 52.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 226 | 26.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 60 | 7.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 42 | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 24 | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 24 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 9 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Harpenden has an estimated population of 28,871 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (61%, against 34%), fewer residents with no qualifications (7.1%, against 18.2%) and fewer households without a car (9.2%, against 23.3%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Harpenden average decile 9.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Harpenden | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 60.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 7.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 9.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 80.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Harpenden a safe place to live?
Harpenden recorded 37.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,319th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Harpenden?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 278 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (240).
Is crime in Harpenden going up or down?
Recorded crime in Harpenden was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,086 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,094 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Harpenden?
About 28,871 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Harpenden?
Harpenden is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.