Crime in Heathfield (Wealden): statistics, rates and trends
373 crimes were recorded in Heathfield (Wealden) in the 12 months to August 2026, 44.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Heathfield (Wealden) at a glance
- Crime trends in Heathfield (Wealden)
- Types of crime in Heathfield (Wealden)
- Heathfield (Wealden) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Heathfield (Wealden)
- Streets with the most crime in Heathfield (Wealden)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Heathfield (Wealden)
- Demographics of Heathfield (Wealden)
- Questions about crime in Heathfield (Wealden)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (132), anti-social behaviour (94) and criminal damage and arson (29) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,226th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Heathfield (Wealden) | Wealden | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 373 | 9,107 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 44.9 | 54.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 8,301 | 166,908 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Heathfield (Wealden) peaked in the year to August 2021 (475 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (326). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 373 | 44.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 349 | 42.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 326 | 39.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 411 | 49.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 406 | 48.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 475 | 57.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 450 | 54.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 343 | 41.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 402 | 48.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 44 |
| July 2026 | 33 |
| June 2026 | 37 |
| May 2026 | 37 |
| April 2026 | 28 |
| March 2026 | 21 |
| February 2026 | 28 |
| January 2026 | 41 |
| December 2025 | 27 |
| November 2025 | 19 |
| October 2025 | 27 |
| September 2025 | 31 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (62% below) and shoplifting (60% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 66 to 94, while criminal damage and arson fell from 39 to 29.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 132 | 15.9 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 94 | 11.3 | 15.4 | +42% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 29 | 3.5 | 6.7 | -26% |
| Shoplifting | 28 | 3.4 | 8.5 | 0% |
| Public order | 21 | 2.5 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Other theft | 18 | 2.2 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Burglary | 14 | 1.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 13 | 1.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 8 | 1.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 6 | 0.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 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 Heathfield (Wealden).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Heathfield (Wealden) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uckfield | 926 | 59.1 | +32% |
| Crowborough | 956 | 45.1 | 0% |
| Hailsham | 1,803 | 83.4 | +86% |
| Polegate | 570 | 60.3 | +34% |
| Lower Willingdon | 405 | 50.1 | +12% |
| Rusthall and Langton Green | 408 | 51.0 | +14% |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells | 4,218 | 79.5 | +77% |
| Lewes | 1,801 | 109.6 | +144% |
Of the 2 areas within Heathfield (Wealden), Heathfield North had the highest crime rate (58.2 per 1,000) and Heathfield South the lowest (24.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heathfield North | Neighbourhood | 5,050 | 294 | 58.2 |
| Heathfield South | Neighbourhood | 3,251 | 79 | 24.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Heathfield (Wealden) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “High Street” (34).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near High Street | 34 |
| On or near Parking Area | 26 |
| On or near Waldron Thorns | 18 |
| On or near Millennium Way | 15 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 14 |
| On or near Centenary Drive | 13 |
| On or near Leeves Way | 12 |
| On or near Newnham Way | 12 |
| On or near Leeves Close | 10 |
| On or near Mutton Hall Hill | 10 |
Of the 279 crimes in Heathfield (Wealden) with a recorded outcome, 42% 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 94 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 117 | 41.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 80 | 28.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 36 | 12.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 12 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 3.9% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
Heathfield (Wealden) has an estimated population of 8,301 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.0%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (11%, against 23%) and an older population (27%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Heathfield (Wealden) average decile 8.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Heathfield (Wealden) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 10.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Heathfield (Wealden) a safe place to live?
Heathfield (Wealden) recorded 44.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,226th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Heathfield (Wealden)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 132 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (94).
Is crime in Heathfield (Wealden) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Heathfield (Wealden) was up 7% on the year before: 373 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 349 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Heathfield (Wealden)?
About 8,301 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Heathfield (Wealden)?
Heathfield (Wealden) is policed by Sussex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.