Crime in Horbury: statistics, rates and trends
783 crimes were recorded in Horbury in the 12 months to August 2026, 84.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (371), public order (71) and anti-social behaviour (70) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 539th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Horbury | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 783 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 84.5 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 9,267 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Horbury of any year here (783 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 783 | 84.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 886 | 95.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 896 | 96.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 939 | 101.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 880 | 95.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 784 | 84.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 846 | 91.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 938 | 101.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,066 | 115.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 78 |
| July 2026 | 60 |
| June 2026 | 66 |
| May 2026 | 79 |
| April 2026 | 70 |
| March 2026 | 76 |
| February 2026 | 60 |
| January 2026 | 61 |
| December 2025 | 53 |
| November 2025 | 64 |
| October 2025 | 64 |
| September 2025 | 52 |
Compared with England and Wales, Horbury recorded notably more other crime (2.0 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (51% below) and shoplifting (50% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 23 to 40, while burglary fell from 33 to 21 and public order fell from 93 to 71.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 371 | 40.0 | 34.2 | -18% |
| Public order | 71 | 7.7 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 70 | 7.6 | 15.4 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 54 | 5.8 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Other theft | 50 | 5.4 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 48 | 5.2 | 5.0 | +4% |
| Other crime | 40 | 4.3 | 2.1 | +74% |
| Shoplifting | 39 | 4.2 | 8.5 | +11% |
| Burglary | 21 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -36% |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 6 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Horbury; the highest is Wakefield (148.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Crigglestone and Durkar (61.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Horbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crigglestone and Durkar | 320 | 61.1 | -28% |
| Ossett | 1,556 | 73.8 | -13% |
| Wakefield | 14,395 | 148.2 | +75% |
| Dewsbury | 8,191 | 125.1 | +48% |
| East Ardsley | 1,125 | 77.9 | -8% |
| Crofton | 438 | 65.4 | -23% |
| Batley | 4,884 | 114.6 | +36% |
| Clayton West and Scissett | 329 | 64.9 | -23% |
Horbury and South Ossett is the one area listed within Horbury, with 76.5 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horbury and South Ossett | Neighbourhood | 15,160 | 1,159 | 76.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Horbury over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “B6128” (66).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near B6128 | 66 |
| On or near The Shutt | 35 |
| On or near Parking Area | 32 |
| On or near Castle Grove | 31 |
| On or near Berry Lane | 27 |
| On or near The Sycamores | 27 |
| On or near Sunroyd Hill | 26 |
| On or near East Avenue | 25 |
| On or near North Avenue | 19 |
| On or near Rachael Street | 17 |
Of the 713 crimes in Horbury with a recorded outcome, 31% 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 70 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 283 | 39.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 223 | 31.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 84 | 11.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 44 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 34 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 17 | 2.4% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 9 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 1.0% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Horbury has an estimated population of 9,267 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.5%, against 7.9%), more retired residents (28%, against 22%) and an older population (24%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Horbury average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Horbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Horbury a safe place to live?
Horbury recorded 84.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 539th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime.
What is the most common crime in Horbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 371 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (71).
Is crime in Horbury going up or down?
Recorded crime in Horbury was down 12% on the year before: 783 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 886 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Horbury?
About 9,267 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Horbury?
Horbury 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.