Crime in Lancaster: statistics, rates and trends
5,614 crimes were recorded in Lancaster in the 12 months to August 2026, 116.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 15% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Lancaster at a glance
- Crime trends in Lancaster
- Types of crime in Lancaster
- Lancaster compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Lancaster
- Streets with the most crime in Lancaster
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lancaster
- Demographics of Lancaster
- Questions about crime in Lancaster
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,893), anti-social behaviour (1,264) and criminal damage and arson (473) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 196th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Lancaster | Lancaster | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 5,614 | 14,063 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 116.4 | 97.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -15% | -10% | -1% |
| Population | 48,222 | 145,006 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Lancaster of any year here (5,614 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 18%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 5,614 | 116.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 6,610 | 137.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 6,611 | 137.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,820 | 120.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 7,080 | 146.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 6,751 | 140.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 7,274 | 150.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 6,493 | 134.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 6,878 | 142.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 530 |
| July 2026 | 580 |
| June 2026 | 538 |
| May 2026 | 447 |
| April 2026 | 397 |
| March 2026 | 404 |
| February 2026 | 340 |
| January 2026 | 380 |
| December 2025 | 430 |
| November 2025 | 513 |
| October 2025 | 505 |
| September 2025 | 550 |
Compared with England and Wales, Lancaster recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.1 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (71% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (45% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (72% below) and vehicle crime (37% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 41 to 51 and shoplifting rose from 388 to 472, while anti-social behaviour fell from 2,036 to 1,264 and burglary fell from 360 to 248.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,893 | 39.3 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,264 | 26.2 | 15.4 | -38% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 473 | 9.8 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Shoplifting | 472 | 9.8 | 8.5 | +22% |
| Public order | 349 | 7.2 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Other theft | 298 | 6.2 | 6.4 | +3% |
| Burglary | 248 | 5.1 | 3.6 | -31% |
| Vehicle crime | 152 | 3.2 | 5.0 | -23% |
| Drugs | 143 | 3.0 | 3.3 | -6% |
| Other crime | 117 | 2.4 | 2.1 | -12% |
| Bicycle theft | 83 | 1.7 | 0.8 | -19% |
| Robbery | 51 | 1.1 | 1.4 | +24% |
| Possession of weapons | 48 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -9% |
| Theft from the person | 23 | 0.5 | 1.7 | -28% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Lancaster; the highest is Morecambe (140.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Bailrigg (27.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morecambe | 4,511 | 140.9 | +21% |
| Bailrigg | 140 | 27.3 | -77% |
| Bolton-le-Sands | 266 | 37.0 | -68% |
| Heysham | 1,189 | 80.1 | -31% |
| Carnforth | 396 | 71.8 | -38% |
| Garstang | 348 | 51.1 | -56% |
| Fleetwood | 3,004 | 120.3 | +3% |
| Thornton (Wyre) | 1,371 | 69.2 | -41% |
Of the 9 areas within Lancaster, Castle had the highest crime rate (419.3 per 1,000) and John O'Gaunt the lowest (29.6), 14 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle | Neighbourhood | 3,866 | 1,621 | 419.3 |
| Skerton | Neighbourhood | 7,049 | 853 | 121.0 |
| Bulk | Neighbourhood | 9,563 | 1,093 | 114.3 |
| Scale Hall | Neighbourhood | 8,005 | 884 | 110.4 |
| Marsh | Neighbourhood | 8,940 | 715 | 80.0 |
| Scotforth West | Neighbourhood | 5,208 | 342 | 65.7 |
| Scotforth East | Neighbourhood | 4,439 | 242 | 54.5 |
| Bowerham | Neighbourhood | 4,990 | 181 | 36.3 |
| John O'Gaunt | Neighbourhood | 3,851 | 114 | 29.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in Lancaster over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (265).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 265 |
| On or near Calkeld Lane | 224 |
| On or near Parking Area | 160 |
| On or near Market Street | 156 |
| On or near Supermarket | 137 |
| On or near Hospital | 128 |
| On or near Brock Street | 84 |
| On or near Mainway | 78 |
| On or near Cable Street | 75 |
| On or near The Grove | 72 |
Of the 4,350 crimes in Lancaster with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,264 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,443 | 33.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,261 | 29.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 623 | 14.3% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 282 | 6.5% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 205 | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 193 | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 183 | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 68 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 46 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 22 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 13 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 10 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Lancaster has an estimated population of 48,222 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (20.7%, against 7.9%), more households without a car (32%, against 23%) and more private renting (25%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lancaster average decile 5.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Lancaster | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 20.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 31.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 25.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 9.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Lancaster a safe place to live?
Lancaster recorded 116.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 196th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Lancaster?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,893 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,264).
Is crime in Lancaster going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lancaster was down 15% on the year before: 5,614 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 6,610 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lancaster?
About 48,222 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lancaster?
Lancaster is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.