Crime in Hertford: statistics, rates and trends
2,537 crimes were recorded in Hertford in the 12 months to August 2026, 81.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Hertford at a glance
- Crime trends in Hertford
- Types of crime in Hertford
- Hertford compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Hertford
- Streets with the most crime in Hertford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Hertford
- Demographics of Hertford
- Questions about crime in Hertford
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (850), anti-social behaviour (507) and shoplifting (286) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 577th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Hertford | East Hertfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,537 | 10,712 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 81.9 | 68.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 30,969 | 156,875 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Hertford peaked in the year to August 2019 (3,325 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (2,330). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,537 | 81.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,586 | 83.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,415 | 78.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,403 | 77.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,656 | 85.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,330 | 75.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,707 | 87.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,325 | 107.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,809 | 90.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 230 |
| July 2026 | 252 |
| June 2026 | 251 |
| May 2026 | 267 |
| April 2026 | 216 |
| March 2026 | 190 |
| February 2026 | 159 |
| January 2026 | 171 |
| December 2025 | 168 |
| November 2025 | 205 |
| October 2025 | 231 |
| September 2025 | 197 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and theft from the person (60% below) and other crime (47% below) were well below it. On the year before, burglary rose from 68 to 89 and drugs rose from 62 to 80, while bicycle theft fell from 32 to 22 and public order fell from 168 to 124.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 850 | 27.4 | 34.2 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 507 | 16.4 | 15.4 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 286 | 9.2 | 8.5 | +18% |
| Other theft | 204 | 6.6 | 6.4 | +5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 158 | 5.1 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Vehicle crime | 127 | 4.1 | 5.0 | -13% |
| Public order | 124 | 4.0 | 6.7 | -26% |
| Burglary | 89 | 2.9 | 3.6 | +31% |
| Drugs | 80 | 2.6 | 3.3 | +29% |
| Other crime | 35 | 1.1 | 2.1 | -26% |
| Bicycle theft | 22 | 0.7 | 0.8 | -31% |
| Theft from the person | 21 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 20 | 0.6 | 1.0 | -5% |
| Robbery | 14 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Hertford; the highest is Hatfield (127.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Ware (67.8).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hertford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ware | 1,363 | 67.8 | -17% |
| Hoddesdon | 3,513 | 87.5 | +7% |
| Welwyn Garden City | 5,088 | 100.0 | +22% |
| Cheshunt | 4,322 | 97.2 | +19% |
| Hatfield | 5,492 | 127.3 | +55% |
| Waltham Cross | 1,587 | 119.2 | +45% |
| Harlow | 10,574 | 110.3 | +35% |
| Potters Bar | 2,320 | 94.8 | +16% |
Of the 4 areas within Hertford, Hertford Castle had the highest crime rate (149.8 per 1,000) and Hertford Bengeo the lowest (58.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hertford Castle | Neighbourhood | 4,974 | 745 | 149.8 |
| Hertford Kingsmead | Neighbourhood | 9,820 | 802 | 81.7 |
| Hertford Sele | Neighbourhood | 6,453 | 417 | 64.6 |
| Hertford Bengeo | Neighbourhood | 9,722 | 573 | 58.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Hertford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (228).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 228 |
| On or near South Street | 107 |
| On or near Fore Street | 86 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 84 |
| On or near Bircherley Street | 59 |
| On or near Nightclub | 50 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 49 |
| On or near Divot Place | 44 |
| On or near Salisbury Square | 42 |
| On or near Parking Area | 31 |
Of the 2,030 crimes in Hertford with a recorded outcome, 40% 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 507 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 820 | 40.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 617 | 30.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 219 | 10.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 126 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 108 | 5.3% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 53 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 42 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 21 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Hertford has an estimated population of 30,969 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.9%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (12%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hertford average decile 8.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Hertford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 43.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hertford a safe place to live?
Hertford recorded 81.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 577th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Hertford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 850 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (507).
Is crime in Hertford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hertford was down 2% on the year before: 2,537 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,586 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hertford?
About 30,969 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hertford?
Hertford 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.