Crime in Heckmondwike: statistics, rates and trends
1,134 crimes were recorded in Heckmondwike in the 12 months to August 2026, 95.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Heckmondwike at a glance
- Crime trends in Heckmondwike
- Types of crime in Heckmondwike
- Heckmondwike compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Heckmondwike
- Streets with the most crime in Heckmondwike
- What happened after crimes were reported in Heckmondwike
- Demographics of Heckmondwike
- Questions about crime in Heckmondwike
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (537), anti-social behaviour (123) and criminal damage and arson (91) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 411th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Heckmondwike | Kirklees | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,134 | 43,862 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 95.4 | 97.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 11,888 | 447,847 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Heckmondwike of any year here (1,134 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 8%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,134 | 95.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,223 | 102.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,271 | 106.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,473 | 123.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,464 | 123.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,383 | 116.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,271 | 106.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,219 | 102.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,237 | 104.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 77 |
| July 2026 | 114 |
| June 2026 | 134 |
| May 2026 | 107 |
| April 2026 | 98 |
| March 2026 | 93 |
| February 2026 | 83 |
| January 2026 | 62 |
| December 2025 | 86 |
| November 2025 | 96 |
| October 2025 | 94 |
| September 2025 | 90 |
Compared with England and Wales, Heckmondwike recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.1 times the national rate), other crime (43% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (32% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (33% below) and burglary (27% below). On the year before, other crime fell from 62 to 36 and burglary fell from 53 to 31.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 537 | 45.2 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 123 | 10.3 | 15.4 | +10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 91 | 7.7 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Public order | 88 | 7.4 | 6.7 | -34% |
| Other theft | 80 | 6.7 | 6.4 | -6% |
| Vehicle crime | 67 | 5.6 | 5.0 | -1% |
| Other crime | 36 | 3.0 | 2.1 | -42% |
| Drugs | 35 | 2.9 | 3.3 | -3% |
| Burglary | 31 | 2.6 | 3.6 | -42% |
| Possession of weapons | 24 | 2.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 0.5 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Heckmondwike; the highest is Morley (Leeds) (133.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Gomersal and Birkenshaw (73.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Heckmondwike |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batley | 4,884 | 114.6 | +20% |
| Liversedge | 1,687 | 103.7 | +9% |
| Dewsbury | 8,191 | 125.1 | +31% |
| Gomersal and Birkenshaw | 1,178 | 73.1 | -23% |
| Cleckheaton | 1,521 | 123.0 | +29% |
| Mirfield | 1,668 | 82.7 | -13% |
| Gildersome | 599 | 95.7 | 0% |
| Morley (Leeds) | 4,442 | 133.4 | +40% |
Heckmondwike is the one area listed within Heckmondwike, with 96.2 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heckmondwike | Neighbourhood | 18,786 | 1,807 | 96.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 23% of the crime recorded in Heckmondwike over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Barber Square” (54).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Barber Square | 54 |
| On or near Parking Area | 29 |
| On or near Elm Grove | 25 |
| On or near Oak Street | 24 |
| On or near Briar Close | 23 |
| On or near Church Lane | 23 |
| On or near Wood Avenue | 22 |
| On or near Frank Peel Close | 21 |
| On or near Moor View | 21 |
| On or near Westfield Street | 21 |
Of the 1,011 crimes in Heckmondwike with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 123 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 401 | 39.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 277 | 27.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 146 | 14.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 53 | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 42 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 26 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 24 | 2.4% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 12 | 1.2% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
Heckmondwike has an estimated population of 11,888 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (29%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (21%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Heckmondwike average decile 2.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Heckmondwike | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 29.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 29.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Heckmondwike a safe place to live?
Heckmondwike recorded 95.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 411th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Heckmondwike?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 537 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (123).
Is crime in Heckmondwike going up or down?
Recorded crime in Heckmondwike was down 7% on the year before: 1,134 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,223 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Heckmondwike?
About 11,888 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Heckmondwike?
Heckmondwike is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.