Crime in Ilminster: statistics, rates and trends
396 crimes were recorded in Ilminster in the 12 months to August 2026, 64.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 20% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ilminster at a glance
- Crime trends in Ilminster
- Types of crime in Ilminster
- Ilminster compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ilminster
- Streets with the most crime in Ilminster
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ilminster
- Demographics of Ilminster
- Questions about crime in Ilminster
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (169), anti-social behaviour (65) and criminal damage and arson (33) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 880th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Ilminster | Somerset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 396 | 53,421 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 64.1 | 90.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +20% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 6,180 | 588,328 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ilminster peaked in the year to August 2018 (408 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (287). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 396 | 64.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 330 | 53.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 332 | 53.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 294 | 47.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 344 | 55.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 287 | 46.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 301 | 48.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 322 | 52.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 408 | 66.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 26 |
| July 2026 | 29 |
| June 2026 | 20 |
| May 2026 | 25 |
| April 2026 | 48 |
| March 2026 | 55 |
| February 2026 | 31 |
| January 2026 | 30 |
| December 2025 | 26 |
| November 2025 | 46 |
| October 2025 | 41 |
| September 2025 | 19 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (62% below) and public order (39% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 48 to 65 and criminal damage and arson rose from 25 to 33, while public order fell from 31 to 25.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 169 | 27.3 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 65 | 10.5 | 15.4 | +35% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 33 | 5.3 | 6.7 | +32% |
| Other theft | 27 | 4.4 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 25 | 4.0 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Shoplifting | 20 | 3.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Burglary | 18 | 2.9 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 18 | 2.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 8 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ilminster; the highest is Taunton (128.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Somerton (58.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ilminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chard | 1,779 | 121.7 | +90% |
| Crewkerne | 604 | 91.7 | +43% |
| Monkton Heathfield | 695 | 108.5 | +69% |
| Taunton | 8,305 | 128.0 | +100% |
| Axminster | 486 | 67.6 | +5% |
| Somerton | 388 | 58.5 | -9% |
| Yeovil | 6,211 | 119.7 | +87% |
| North Petherton | 502 | 95.8 | +50% |
Ilminster is the one area listed within Ilminster, with 49.9 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilminster | Neighbourhood | 11,118 | 555 | 49.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 49% of the crime recorded in Ilminster over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (50).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 50 |
| On or near Rutters Lane | 22 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 22 |
| On or near Supermarket | 18 |
| On or near Ile Court | 16 |
| On or near Railway Cuttings | 16 |
| On or near Station Road | 13 |
| On or near Greendale | 12 |
| On or near Silver Street | 12 |
| On or near The Incline | 12 |
Of the 331 crimes in Ilminster with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 65 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 156 | 47.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 102 | 30.8% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 19 | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 18 | 5.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 15 | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 3.0% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 0.6% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
Ilminster has an estimated population of 6,180 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (3.1%, against 7.9%), more retired residents (34%, against 22%) and an older population (29%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ilminster average decile 5.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Ilminster | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 28.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ilminster a safe place to live?
Ilminster recorded 64.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 880th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ilminster?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 169 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (65).
Is crime in Ilminster going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ilminster was up 20% on the year before: 396 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 330 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ilminster?
About 6,180 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ilminster?
Ilminster is policed by Avon and Somerset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.