Crime in Ledbury: statistics, rates and trends
548 crimes were recorded in Ledbury in the 12 months to August 2026, 55.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (208), anti-social behaviour (97) and criminal damage and arson (55) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,041st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Ledbury | Herefordshire, County of | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 548 | 11,739 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 55.7 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 9,843 | 191,047 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Ledbury of any year here (548 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 | 548 | 55.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 568 | 57.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 610 | 62.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 718 | 72.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 792 | 80.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 742 | 75.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 615 | 62.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 650 | 66.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 686 | 69.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 62 |
| July 2026 | 43 |
| June 2026 | 65 |
| May 2026 | 26 |
| April 2026 | 43 |
| March 2026 | 49 |
| February 2026 | 37 |
| January 2026 | 48 |
| December 2025 | 48 |
| November 2025 | 52 |
| October 2025 | 44 |
| September 2025 | 31 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (70% below) and other theft (57% below) were well below it. On the year before, public order rose from 34 to 48 and burglary rose from 22 to 26, while shoplifting fell from 35 to 25 and other theft fell from 32 to 27.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 208 | 21.1 | 34.2 | -10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 97 | 9.9 | 15.4 | +10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 55 | 5.6 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Public order | 48 | 4.9 | 6.7 | +41% |
| Other theft | 27 | 2.7 | 6.4 | -16% |
| Vehicle crime | 27 | 2.7 | 5.0 | +12% |
| Burglary | 26 | 2.6 | 3.6 | +18% |
| Shoplifting | 25 | 2.5 | 8.5 | -29% |
| Drugs | 14 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 13 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ledbury; the highest is Worcester (114.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Fernhill Heath (41.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ledbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Malvern | 2,477 | 71.8 | +29% |
| Ross-on-Wye | 833 | 73.3 | +32% |
| Kempsey | 297 | 53.5 | -4% |
| Hereford | 5,673 | 93.3 | +67% |
| Worcester | 11,934 | 114.4 | +105% |
| Pershore | 816 | 92.6 | +66% |
| Fernhill Heath | 211 | 41.7 | -25% |
| Leominster | 1,150 | 95.7 | +72% |
Of the 3 areas within Ledbury, Ledbury North had the highest crime rate (69.2 per 1,000) and Ledbury West the lowest (25.7).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ledbury North | Neighbourhood | 3,208 | 222 | 69.2 |
| Ledbury South | Neighbourhood | 5,003 | 284 | 56.8 |
| Ledbury West | Neighbourhood | 1,632 | 42 | 25.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Ledbury over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (36).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 36 |
| On or near Shepherds Close | 24 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 23 |
| On or near Spring Grove | 20 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 19 |
| On or near Martins Way | 17 |
| On or near High Street | 16 |
| On or near Kipling Road | 16 |
| On or near Biddulph Way | 15 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 15 |
Of the 451 crimes in Ledbury with a recorded outcome, 22% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 97 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 180 | 39.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 100 | 22.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 87 | 19.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 39 | 8.6% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 22 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Ledbury has an estimated population of 9,843 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (32%, against 19%), more retired residents (34%, against 22%) and fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ledbury average decile 6.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Ledbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 31.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ledbury a safe place to live?
Ledbury recorded 55.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,041st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ledbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 208 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (97).
Is crime in Ledbury going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ledbury was down 4% on the year before: 548 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 568 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ledbury?
About 9,843 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 32% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ledbury?
Ledbury is policed by West Mercia.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.