Crime in Hitchin: statistics, rates and trends
2,533 crimes were recorded in Hitchin in the 12 months to August 2026, 69.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (833), anti-social behaviour (586) and shoplifting (199) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 778th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Hitchin | North Hertfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,533 | 9,152 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 69.9 | 66.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 36,223 | 137,201 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Hitchin peaked in the year to August 2018 (3,200 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (2,418). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 21%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,533 | 69.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,435 | 67.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,525 | 69.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,418 | 66.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,666 | 73.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,503 | 69.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,755 | 76.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,042 | 84.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,200 | 88.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 268 |
| July 2026 | 246 |
| June 2026 | 232 |
| May 2026 | 237 |
| April 2026 | 213 |
| March 2026 | 204 |
| February 2026 | 200 |
| January 2026 | 175 |
| December 2025 | 159 |
| November 2025 | 180 |
| October 2025 | 198 |
| September 2025 | 221 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and theft from the person (62% below) and robbery (55% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs rose from 64 to 81 and vehicle crime rose from 100 to 121, while other theft fell from 233 to 190 and theft from the person fell from 28 to 23.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 833 | 23.0 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 586 | 16.2 | 15.4 | +16% |
| Shoplifting | 199 | 5.5 | 8.5 | +3% |
| Other theft | 190 | 5.2 | 6.4 | -18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 164 | 4.5 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Public order | 129 | 3.6 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 121 | 3.3 | 5.0 | +21% |
| Burglary | 84 | 2.3 | 3.6 | +8% |
| Drugs | 81 | 2.2 | 3.3 | +27% |
| Other crime | 48 | 1.3 | 2.1 | -4% |
| Possession of weapons | 28 | 0.8 | 1.0 | +12% |
| Bicycle theft | 25 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 23 | 0.6 | 1.7 | -18% |
| Robbery | 22 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Hitchin; the highest is Stevenage (115.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Barton-le-Clay (39.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hitchin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letchworth | 2,848 | 84.7 | +21% |
| Arlesey | 368 | 57.8 | -17% |
| Baldock | 806 | 75.2 | +8% |
| Stotfold | 664 | 48.5 | -31% |
| Stevenage | 10,934 | 115.1 | +65% |
| Shefford | 593 | 70.5 | +1% |
| Barton-le-Clay | 198 | 39.4 | -44% |
| Luton | 22,791 | 91.6 | +31% |
Of the 5 areas within Hitchin, Hitchin Priory had the highest crime rate (119.9 per 1,000) and Hitchin Highbury the lowest (43.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitchin Priory | Neighbourhood | 6,640 | 796 | 119.9 |
| Hitchin Bearton | Neighbourhood | 8,428 | 679 | 80.6 |
| Hitchin Oughton | Neighbourhood | 5,178 | 351 | 67.8 |
| Hitchin Walsworth | Neighbourhood | 7,866 | 356 | 45.3 |
| Hitchin Highbury | Neighbourhood | 8,111 | 351 | 43.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Hitchin over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (161).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 161 |
| On or near High Street | 123 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 99 |
| On or near Exchange Yard | 67 |
| On or near Sun Street | 66 |
| On or near Watersmeet | 62 |
| On or near Supermarket | 58 |
| On or near Hermitage Road | 57 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 52 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 46 |
Of the 1,947 crimes in Hitchin with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 586 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 717 | 36.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 604 | 31.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 239 | 12.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 114 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 99 | 5.1% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 69 | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 53 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 28 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Hitchin has an estimated population of 36,223 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (48%, against 34%), fewer students (5.4%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (13%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hitchin average decile 8.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Hitchin | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 47.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hitchin a safe place to live?
Hitchin recorded 69.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 778th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Hitchin?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 833 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (586).
Is crime in Hitchin going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hitchin was up 4% on the year before: 2,533 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,435 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hitchin?
About 36,223 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hitchin?
Hitchin 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.