Crime in Hawkhurst: statistics, rates and trends
285 crimes were recorded in Hawkhurst in the 12 months to August 2026, 54.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Hawkhurst at a glance
- Crime trends in Hawkhurst
- Types of crime in Hawkhurst
- Hawkhurst compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Hawkhurst
- Streets with the most crime in Hawkhurst
- What happened after crimes were reported in Hawkhurst
- Demographics of Hawkhurst
- Questions about crime in Hawkhurst
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (99), anti-social behaviour (51) and shoplifting (38) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,060th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Hawkhurst | Tunbridge Wells | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 285 | 8,086 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 54.8 | 67.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 5,202 | 119,694 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Hawkhurst peaked in the year to August 2023 (379 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (278). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 25%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 285 | 54.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 278 | 53.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 359 | 69.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 379 | 72.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 316 | 60.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 353 | 67.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 365 | 70.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 362 | 69.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 378 | 72.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 24 |
| July 2026 | 21 |
| June 2026 | 19 |
| May 2026 | 32 |
| April 2026 | 25 |
| March 2026 | 20 |
| February 2026 | 14 |
| January 2026 | 16 |
| December 2025 | 23 |
| November 2025 | 20 |
| October 2025 | 36 |
| September 2025 | 35 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (44% below) and other theft (40% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 20 to 38 and anti-social behaviour rose from 34 to 51, while violence and sexual offences fell from 123 to 99.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 99 | 19.0 | 34.2 | -20% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 51 | 9.8 | 15.4 | +50% |
| Shoplifting | 38 | 7.3 | 8.5 | +90% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 34 | 6.5 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Other theft | 20 | 3.8 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Burglary | 11 | 2.1 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Public order | 9 | 1.7 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Hawkhurst; the highest is Hastings (146.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Heathfield (Wealden) (44.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hawkhurst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenterden | 530 | 70.7 | +29% |
| Staplehurst | 468 | 61.3 | +12% |
| Paddock Wood | 838 | 89.4 | +63% |
| Pembury | 484 | 83.4 | +52% |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells | 4,218 | 79.5 | +45% |
| Heathfield (Wealden) | 373 | 44.9 | -18% |
| Hastings | 13,338 | 146.2 | +167% |
| Coxheath | 619 | 58.6 | +7% |
Hawkhurst, Sandhurst & Benenden is the one area listed within Hawkhurst, with 46.2 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawkhurst, Sandhurst & Benenden | Neighbourhood | 8,963 | 414 | 46.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Hawkhurst over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (37).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 37 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 15 |
| On or near White'S Lane | 12 |
| On or near Heartenoak Road | 9 |
| On or near Herschel Place | 9 |
| On or near Limes Grove | 9 |
| On or near Parking Area | 9 |
| On or near Dickens Way | 8 |
| On or near Mercers | 8 |
| On or near Copthall Avenue | 7 |
Of the 234 crimes in Hawkhurst with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 51 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 96 | 41.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 86 | 36.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 16 | 6.8% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 4.7% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 9 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
Hawkhurst has an estimated population of 5,202 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%), fewer students (4.5%, against 7.9%) and an older population (26%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hawkhurst average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Hawkhurst | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hawkhurst a safe place to live?
Hawkhurst recorded 54.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,060th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Hawkhurst?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 99 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (51).
Is crime in Hawkhurst going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hawkhurst was up 3% on the year before: 285 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 278 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hawkhurst?
About 5,202 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hawkhurst?
Hawkhurst 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.