Crime in Hoylake: statistics, rates and trends
329 crimes were recorded in Hoylake in the 12 months to August 2026, 54.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (125), shoplifting (58) and public order (38) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,077th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Hoylake | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 329 | 26,029 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 54.1 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 6,083 | 328,873 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Hoylake of any year here (329 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 20%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 329 | 54.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 352 | 57.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 348 | 57.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 445 | 73.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 514 | 84.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 606 | 99.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 525 | 86.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 424 | 69.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 413 | 67.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 32 |
| July 2026 | 21 |
| June 2026 | 22 |
| May 2026 | 36 |
| April 2026 | 19 |
| March 2026 | 30 |
| February 2026 | 36 |
| January 2026 | 16 |
| December 2025 | 21 |
| November 2025 | 37 |
| October 2025 | 26 |
| September 2025 | 33 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (61% below) and other theft (49% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 25 to 58 and violence and sexual offences rose from 106 to 125, while anti-social behaviour fell from 67 to 36 and other theft fell from 25 to 20.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 125 | 20.5 | 34.2 | +18% |
| Shoplifting | 58 | 9.5 | 8.5 | +132% |
| Public order | 38 | 6.2 | 6.7 | -10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 36 | 5.9 | 15.4 | -46% |
| Other theft | 20 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 14 | 2.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 9 | 1.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 8 | 1.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Hoylake; the highest is Birkenhead (115.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Greasby (24.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hoylake |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Kirby | 655 | 48.4 | -11% |
| Greasby | 229 | 24.3 | -55% |
| Wallasey | 6,953 | 79.6 | +47% |
| Heswall | 1,000 | 34.1 | -37% |
| Birkenhead | 13,212 | 115.4 | +113% |
| Bagillt | 475 | 87.1 | +61% |
| Holywell (Flintshire) | 963 | 110.8 | +105% |
| Bebington | 3,128 | 55.0 | +2% |
Hoylake and Meols is the one area listed within Hoylake, with 58.1 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoylake and Meols | Neighbourhood | 12,517 | 727 | 58.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 51% of the crime recorded in Hoylake over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Waverley Road” (42).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Waverley Road | 42 |
| On or near Market Street | 30 |
| On or near Charles Road | 18 |
| On or near School Lane | 15 |
| On or near Marine Road | 13 |
| On or near Lighthouse Road | 12 |
| On or near Parking Area | 11 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 10 |
| On or near Yeoman Cottages | 10 |
| On or near Birkenhead Road | 8 |
Of the 293 crimes in Hoylake with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 12% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 36 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 124 | 42.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 77 | 26.3% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 36 | 12.3% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 33 | 11.3% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 1.7% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.4% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 1.0% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Hoylake has an estimated population of 6,083 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (6.6%, against 17.1%), an older population (29%, against 19%) and more retired residents (31%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hoylake average decile 6.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Hoylake | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 28.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 43.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hoylake a safe place to live?
Hoylake recorded 54.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,077th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Hoylake?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 125 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (58).
Is crime in Hoylake going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hoylake was down 7% on the year before: 329 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 352 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hoylake?
About 6,083 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hoylake?
Hoylake is policed by Merseyside.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.