Crime in King's Lynn: statistics, rates and trends
5,606 crimes were recorded in King's Lynn in the 12 months to August 2026, 113.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in King's Lynn at a glance
- Crime trends in King's Lynn
- Types of crime in King's Lynn
- King's Lynn compared with nearby towns
- Areas within King's Lynn
- Streets with the most crime in King's Lynn
- What happened after crimes were reported in King's Lynn
- Demographics of King's Lynn
- Questions about crime in King's Lynn
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,355), shoplifting (677) and anti-social behaviour (594) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 233rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | King's Lynn | King's Lynn and West Norfolk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 5,606 | 10,306 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 113.4 | 66.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 49,456 | 156,206 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in King's Lynn of any year here (5,606 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 5,606 | 113.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 5,715 | 115.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 5,701 | 115.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 6,143 | 124.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 6,632 | 134.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 5,998 | 121.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 6,309 | 127.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 6,317 | 127.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 6,638 | 134.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 499 |
| July 2026 | 576 |
| June 2026 | 547 |
| May 2026 | 526 |
| April 2026 | 518 |
| March 2026 | 444 |
| February 2026 | 394 |
| January 2026 | 380 |
| December 2025 | 389 |
| November 2025 | 442 |
| October 2025 | 423 |
| September 2025 | 468 |
Compared with England and Wales, King's Lynn recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.2 times the national rate), shoplifting (62% above the national rate) and possession of weapons (52% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (60% below) and vehicle crime (56% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 23 to 36 and burglary rose from 91 to 107, while vehicle crime fell from 136 to 107.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,355 | 47.6 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 677 | 13.7 | 8.5 | +10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 594 | 12.0 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 461 | 9.3 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Public order | 440 | 8.9 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Other theft | 267 | 5.4 | 6.4 | -4% |
| Drugs | 220 | 4.4 | 3.3 | -4% |
| Other crime | 145 | 2.9 | 2.1 | +7% |
| Burglary | 107 | 2.2 | 3.6 | +18% |
| Vehicle crime | 107 | 2.2 | 5.0 | -21% |
| Bicycle theft | 91 | 1.8 | 0.8 | -12% |
| Possession of weapons | 73 | 1.5 | 1.0 | -8% |
| Robbery | 36 | 0.7 | 1.4 | +57% |
| Theft from the person | 33 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than King's Lynn; the highest is Wisbech (132.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Downham Market (59.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs King's Lynn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downham Market | 667 | 59.0 | -48% |
| Wisbech | 3,414 | 132.8 | +17% |
| Long Sutton (South Holland) | 486 | 81.5 | -28% |
| Elm and Emneth | 402 | 71.9 | -37% |
| Swaffham | 597 | 78.7 | -31% |
| Holbeach | 716 | 89.0 | -22% |
| Fakenham | 708 | 86.7 | -23% |
| March | 2,133 | 98.9 | -13% |
Of the 9 areas within King's Lynn, St. Margaret's with St. Nicholas had the highest crime rate (350.4 per 1,000) and The Woottons the lowest (26.3), 13 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Margaret's with St. Nicholas | Neighbourhood | 5,266 | 1,845 | 350.4 |
| Gaywood Clock | Neighbourhood | 2,065 | 328 | 158.8 |
| North Lynn | Neighbourhood | 7,139 | 938 | 131.4 |
| South & West Lynn | Neighbourhood | 5,799 | 751 | 129.5 |
| Springwood | Neighbourhood | 4,562 | 421 | 92.3 |
| Gaywood Chase | Neighbourhood | 3,134 | 283 | 90.3 |
| Fairstead | Neighbourhood | 6,938 | 601 | 86.6 |
| Gaywood North Bank | Neighbourhood | 7,696 | 259 | 33.7 |
| The Woottons | Neighbourhood | 6,857 | 180 | 26.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 22% of the crime recorded in King's Lynn over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (212).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 212 |
| On or near Supermarket | 197 |
| On or near Hospital | 156 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 128 |
| On or near Sir Lewis Street | 114 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 99 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 89 |
| On or near Purfleet | 79 |
| On or near Mulberry Road | 72 |
| On or near Walpole Road | 69 |
Of the 5,012 crimes in King's Lynn with a recorded outcome, 16% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 594 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,268 | 45.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 788 | 15.7% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 482 | 9.6% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 481 | 9.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 343 | 6.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 319 | 6.4% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 116 | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 92 | 1.8% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 79 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 21 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 13 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
King's Lynn has an estimated population of 49,456 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.7%, against 7.9%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (23%, against 34%) and more residents with no qualifications (24%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up King's Lynn average decile 4.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | King's Lynn | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 18.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is King's Lynn a safe place to live?
King's Lynn recorded 113.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 233rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in King's Lynn?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,355 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (677).
Is crime in King's Lynn going up or down?
Recorded crime in King's Lynn was down 2% on the year before: 5,606 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 5,715 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of King's Lynn?
About 49,456 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers King's Lynn?
King's Lynn is policed by Norfolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.