Crime in Honiton: statistics, rates and trends
685 crimes were recorded in Honiton in the 12 months to August 2026, 56.2 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 (324), anti-social behaviour (74) and shoplifting (59) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,032nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Honiton | East Devon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 685 | 7,455 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 56.2 | 47.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 12,190 | 158,239 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Honiton peaked in the year to August 2019 (813 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (652). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 5%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 685 | 56.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 657 | 53.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 789 | 64.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 652 | 53.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 692 | 56.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 743 | 61.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 813 | 66.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 718 | 58.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 68 |
| July 2026 | 45 |
| June 2026 | 57 |
| May 2026 | 54 |
| April 2026 | 65 |
| March 2026 | 63 |
| February 2026 | 40 |
| January 2026 | 54 |
| December 2025 | 61 |
| November 2025 | 49 |
| October 2025 | 62 |
| September 2025 | 67 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (64% below) and anti-social behaviour (60% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 38 to 59 and other theft rose from 38 to 52, while criminal damage and arson fell from 66 to 45 and anti-social behaviour fell from 95 to 74.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 324 | 26.6 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 74 | 6.1 | 15.4 | -22% |
| Shoplifting | 59 | 4.8 | 8.5 | +55% |
| Other theft | 52 | 4.3 | 6.4 | +37% |
| Public order | 48 | 3.9 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 45 | 3.7 | 6.7 | -32% |
| Vehicle crime | 22 | 1.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 19 | 1.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 11 | 0.9 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Honiton; the highest is Chard (121.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Ottery St Mary (41.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Honiton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottery St Mary | 251 | 41.0 | -27% |
| Sidmouth | 722 | 49.8 | -11% |
| Seaton (East Devon) | 337 | 43.3 | -23% |
| Axminster | 486 | 67.6 | +20% |
| Cranbrook (East Devon) | 296 | 48.8 | -13% |
| Cullompton | 851 | 69.5 | +24% |
| Chard | 1,779 | 121.7 | +117% |
| Wellington (Somerset West and Taunton) | 1,278 | 87.8 | +56% |
Of the 2 areas within Honiton, Honiton St Paul's had the highest crime rate (71.1 per 1,000) and Honiton St Michael's the lowest (45.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honiton St Paul's | Neighbourhood | 5,189 | 369 | 71.1 |
| Honiton St Michael's | Neighbourhood | 7,001 | 316 | 45.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in Honiton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Lee Close” and “Parking Area” (36 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Lee Close | 36 |
| On or near Parking Area | 36 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 30 |
| On or near The Angel | 29 |
| On or near Whitmore Way | 27 |
| On or near Central Place | 26 |
| On or near Duchy Road | 16 |
| On or near Swan Yard | 16 |
| On or near High Street | 15 |
| On or near Vine Passage | 14 |
Of the 611 crimes in Honiton with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 74 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 273 | 44.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 145 | 23.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 80 | 13.1% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 23 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 19 | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 17 | 2.8% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 2.5% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 2.1% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 11 | 1.8% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Honiton has an estimated population of 12,190 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (30%, against 19%), more retired residents (33%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Honiton average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Honiton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Honiton a safe place to live?
Honiton recorded 56.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,032nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Honiton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 324 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (74).
Is crime in Honiton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Honiton was up 4% on the year before: 685 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 657 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Honiton?
About 12,190 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Honiton?
Honiton is policed by Devon & Cornwall.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.