Crime in Harrogate: statistics, rates and trends
5,520 crimes were recorded in Harrogate in the 12 months to August 2026, 71.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Harrogate at a glance
- Crime trends in Harrogate
- Types of crime in Harrogate
- Harrogate compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Harrogate
- Streets with the most crime in Harrogate
- What happened after crimes were reported in Harrogate
- Demographics of Harrogate
- Questions about crime in Harrogate
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,989), anti-social behaviour (1,114) and shoplifting (729) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 753rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Harrogate | North Yorkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 5,520 | 41,610 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 71.2 | 65.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 77,535 | 635,270 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Harrogate of any year here (5,520 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 30%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 5,520 | 71.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 5,758 | 74.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 5,748 | 74.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 6,509 | 83.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 6,633 | 85.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 7,130 | 92.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 7,536 | 97.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 7,441 | 96.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 7,848 | 101.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 543 |
| July 2026 | 531 |
| June 2026 | 516 |
| May 2026 | 470 |
| April 2026 | 446 |
| March 2026 | 426 |
| February 2026 | 378 |
| January 2026 | 447 |
| December 2025 | 414 |
| November 2025 | 446 |
| October 2025 | 441 |
| September 2025 | 462 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and robbery (63% below) and vehicle crime (60% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 582 to 729 and possession of weapons rose from 33 to 38, while drugs fell from 229 to 136 and vehicle crime fell from 243 to 156.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,989 | 25.7 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,114 | 14.4 | 15.4 | -16% |
| Shoplifting | 729 | 9.4 | 8.5 | +25% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 375 | 4.8 | 6.7 | +7% |
| Other theft | 322 | 4.2 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Public order | 285 | 3.7 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Burglary | 176 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -36% |
| Vehicle crime | 156 | 2.0 | 5.0 | -36% |
| Drugs | 136 | 1.8 | 3.3 | -41% |
| Other crime | 105 | 1.4 | 2.1 | +3% |
| Bicycle theft | 41 | 0.5 | 0.8 | -7% |
| Robbery | 39 | 0.5 | 1.4 | +15% |
| Possession of weapons | 38 | 0.5 | 1.0 | +15% |
| Theft from the person | 15 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Harrogate; the highest is Yeadon (121.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Burley in Wharfedale (37.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Harrogate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knaresborough | 1,062 | 63.2 | -11% |
| Wetherby | 818 | 68.5 | -4% |
| Otley (Leeds) | 937 | 74.2 | +4% |
| Ripon | 1,034 | 59.9 | -16% |
| Boston Spa | 249 | 40.6 | -43% |
| Burley in Wharfedale | 218 | 37.7 | -47% |
| Yeadon | 1,618 | 121.3 | +70% |
| Guiseley | 735 | 67.5 | -5% |
Of the 10 areas within Harrogate, Valley Gardens & Central Harrogate had the highest crime rate (183.6 per 1,000) and Oatlands & Pannal the lowest (30.3), 6 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Gardens & Central Harrogate | Neighbourhood | 8,213 | 1,508 | 183.6 |
| High Harrogate & Kingsley | Neighbourhood | 9,610 | 865 | 90.0 |
| Fairfax & Starbeck | Neighbourhood | 7,620 | 605 | 79.4 |
| Coppice Valley & Duchy | Neighbourhood | 7,627 | 538 | 70.5 |
| Bilton & Nidd Gorge | Neighbourhood | 7,700 | 504 | 65.5 |
| Stray, Woodlands & Hookstone | Neighbourhood | 8,175 | 388 | 47.5 |
| Bilton Grange & New Park | Neighbourhood | 5,616 | 265 | 47.2 |
| Killinghall, Hampsthwaite & Saltergate | Neighbourhood | 13,007 | 502 | 38.6 |
| Harlow & St. Georges | Neighbourhood | 8,581 | 325 | 37.9 |
| Oatlands & Pannal | Neighbourhood | 9,186 | 278 | 30.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in Harrogate over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (277).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 277 |
| On or near Supermarket | 269 |
| On or near | 235 |
| On or near Hollins Mews | 110 |
| On or near Hospital | 105 |
| On or near Cambridge Place | 87 |
| On or near Parliament Street | 77 |
| On or near Cambridge Road | 73 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 70 |
| On or near Oxford Place | 68 |
Of the 4,406 crimes in Harrogate with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,114 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,677 | 38.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,013 | 23.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 587 | 13.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 409 | 9.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 230 | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 141 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 138 | 3.1% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 95 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 51 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 30 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 23 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 12 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
Harrogate has an estimated population of 77,535 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (11%, against 17%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (14%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Harrogate average decile 7.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Harrogate | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 40.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 2.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Harrogate a safe place to live?
Harrogate recorded 71.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 753rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Harrogate?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,989 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,114).
Is crime in Harrogate going up or down?
Recorded crime in Harrogate was down 4% on the year before: 5,520 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 5,758 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Harrogate?
About 77,535 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Harrogate?
Harrogate is policed by North Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.