Crime in Hatfield: statistics, rates and trends
5,492 crimes were recorded in Hatfield in the 12 months to August 2026, 127.3 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Hatfield at a glance
- Crime trends in Hatfield
- Types of crime in Hatfield
- Hatfield compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Hatfield
- Streets with the most crime in Hatfield
- What happened after crimes were reported in Hatfield
- Demographics of Hatfield
- Questions about crime in Hatfield
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,908), anti-social behaviour (1,018) and shoplifting (367) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 137th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Hatfield | Welwyn Hatfield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 5,492 | 12,131 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 127.3 | 98.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 43,155 | 122,819 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Hatfield peaked in the year to August 2018 (6,008 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (4,977). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 5,492 | 127.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 5,535 | 128.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 5,022 | 116.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,025 | 116.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,142 | 119.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,977 | 115.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 5,284 | 122.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 5,613 | 130.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 6,008 | 139.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 468 |
| July 2026 | 491 |
| June 2026 | 478 |
| May 2026 | 457 |
| April 2026 | 454 |
| March 2026 | 450 |
| February 2026 | 369 |
| January 2026 | 423 |
| December 2025 | 480 |
| November 2025 | 479 |
| October 2025 | 504 |
| September 2025 | 439 |
Compared with England and Wales, Hatfield recorded notably more bicycle theft (3.1 times the national rate), drugs (2.1 times the national rate) and possession of weapons (58% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (33% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 160 to 294 and other crime rose from 83 to 121, while theft from the person fell from 99 to 49.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,908 | 44.2 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,018 | 23.6 | 15.4 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 367 | 8.5 | 8.5 | +11% |
| Other theft | 355 | 8.2 | 6.4 | -13% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 350 | 8.1 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Public order | 304 | 7.0 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Vehicle crime | 302 | 7.0 | 5.0 | +3% |
| Drugs | 294 | 6.8 | 3.3 | +84% |
| Burglary | 156 | 3.6 | 3.6 | -1% |
| Other crime | 121 | 2.8 | 2.1 | +46% |
| Bicycle theft | 110 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0% |
| Robbery | 92 | 2.1 | 1.4 | +33% |
| Possession of weapons | 66 | 1.5 | 1.0 | +14% |
| Theft from the person | 49 | 1.1 | 1.7 | -51% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Hatfield; the highest is London Colney (151.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Harpenden (37.6).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hatfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welwyn Garden City | 5,088 | 100.0 | -21% |
| London Colney | 1,274 | 151.6 | +19% |
| St Albans | 6,245 | 85.2 | -33% |
| Potters Bar | 2,320 | 94.8 | -25% |
| Chiswell Green | 260 | 43.4 | -66% |
| Harpenden | 1,086 | 37.6 | -70% |
| Radlett | 490 | 60.0 | -53% |
| Bricket Wood | 295 | 55.3 | -57% |
Of the 4 areas within Hatfield, Hatfield Central had the highest crime rate (201.5 per 1,000) and Hatfield South West the lowest (86.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatfield Central | Neighbourhood | 9,345 | 1,883 | 201.5 |
| Hatfield Villages | Neighbourhood | 11,457 | 1,537 | 134.2 |
| Hatfield East | Neighbourhood | 8,016 | 779 | 97.2 |
| Hatfield South West | Neighbourhood | 10,869 | 944 | 86.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Hatfield over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (454).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 454 |
| On or near Supermarket | 363 |
| On or near Police Station | 177 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 176 |
| On or near Parkhouse Bus Station | 107 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 93 |
| On or near Aviation Avenue | 84 |
| On or near A1001 | 78 |
| On or near Dog Kennel Lane | 73 |
| On or near Queensway | 72 |
Of the 4,474 crimes in Hatfield with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,018 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,591 | 35.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,449 | 32.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 505 | 11.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 276 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 206 | 4.6% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 174 | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 156 | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 59 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 19 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 13 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Hatfield has an estimated population of 43,155 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (28.2%, against 7.9%), more unemployed residents (5.9%, against 3.4%) and more social housing (29%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hatfield average decile 6.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Hatfield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 10.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 11.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 28.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 44.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 29.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hatfield a safe place to live?
Hatfield recorded 127.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 137th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Hatfield?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,908 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,018).
Is crime in Hatfield going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hatfield was almost unchanged on the year before: 5,492 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 5,535 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hatfield?
About 43,155 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 10% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hatfield?
Hatfield 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.