Crime in Knottingley: statistics, rates and trends
1,456 crimes were recorded in Knottingley in the 12 months to August 2026, 161.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 20% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Knottingley at a glance
- Crime trends in Knottingley
- Types of crime in Knottingley
- Knottingley compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Knottingley
- Streets with the most crime in Knottingley
- What happened after crimes were reported in Knottingley
- Demographics of Knottingley
- Questions about crime in Knottingley
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (560), shoplifting (160) and anti-social behaviour (151) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 38th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Knottingley | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,456 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 161.8 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -20% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 8,996 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Knottingley of any year here (1,456 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,456 | 161.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,824 | 202.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,477 | 164.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,767 | 196.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,842 | 204.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,565 | 174.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,614 | 179.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,747 | 194.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,763 | 196.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 128 |
| July 2026 | 140 |
| June 2026 | 151 |
| May 2026 | 159 |
| April 2026 | 98 |
| March 2026 | 91 |
| February 2026 | 107 |
| January 2026 | 115 |
| December 2025 | 123 |
| November 2025 | 95 |
| October 2025 | 131 |
| September 2025 | 118 |
Compared with England and Wales, Knottingley recorded notably more other crime (3.1 times the national rate), vehicle crime (2.7 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (2.3 times the national rate). On the year before, other crime rose from 37 to 59, while public order fell from 125 to 76 and burglary fell from 65 to 40.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 560 | 62.2 | 34.2 | -17% |
| Shoplifting | 160 | 17.8 | 8.5 | -28% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 151 | 16.8 | 15.4 | -38% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 138 | 15.3 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Vehicle crime | 121 | 13.5 | 5.0 | -18% |
| Other theft | 100 | 11.1 | 6.4 | -6% |
| Public order | 76 | 8.4 | 6.7 | -39% |
| Other crime | 59 | 6.6 | 2.1 | +59% |
| Burglary | 40 | 4.4 | 3.6 | -38% |
| Drugs | 25 | 2.8 | 3.3 | -7% |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Knottingley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pontefract | 4,107 | 120.2 | -26% |
| Castleford | 6,882 | 147.6 | -9% |
| Featherstone (Wakefield) | 1,360 | 107.4 | -34% |
| Ackworth Moor Top | 389 | 58.4 | -64% |
| Allerton Bywater | 712 | 88.4 | -45% |
| Sherburn in Elmet | 515 | 55.7 | -66% |
| Upton (Wakefield) | 527 | 81.3 | -50% |
| Kippax | 606 | 59.8 | -63% |
Knottingley is the one area listed within Knottingley, with 141.9 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knottingley | Neighbourhood | 14,983 | 2,126 | 141.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Knottingley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (124).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 124 |
| On or near Cattlelaith Lane | 108 |
| On or near Ennerdale Drive | 66 |
| On or near Racca Green | 43 |
| On or near Sycamore Close | 42 |
| On or near Morley Avenue | 41 |
| On or near Garsdale Walk | 39 |
| On or near Bridge Lane | 36 |
| On or near Redwood Way | 36 |
| On or near Lowswater Road | 34 |
Of the 1,305 crimes in Knottingley with a recorded outcome, 36% 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 151 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 468 | 35.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 457 | 35.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 142 | 10.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 75 | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 49 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 28 | 2.1% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 27 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 20 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 20 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Knottingley has an estimated population of 8,996 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (31%, against 17%), more residents with no qualifications (32%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (16%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Knottingley average decile 2.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Knottingley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 16.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 32.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 29.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 31.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 19.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Knottingley a safe place to live?
Knottingley recorded 161.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 38th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Knottingley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 560 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (160).
Is crime in Knottingley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Knottingley was down 20% on the year before: 1,456 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,824 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Knottingley?
About 8,996 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Knottingley?
Knottingley 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.