Crime in Liverpool: statistics, rates and trends
70,503 crimes were recorded in Liverpool in the 12 months to August 2026, 133.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Liverpool at a glance
- Crime trends in Liverpool
- Types of crime in Liverpool
- Liverpool compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Liverpool
- Streets with the most crime in Liverpool
- What happened after crimes were reported in Liverpool
- Demographics of Liverpool
- Questions about crime in Liverpool
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (26,154), drugs (7,725) and anti-social behaviour (6,626) made up 57% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 111th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Liverpool | Liverpool | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 70,503 | 69,301 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 133.7 | 136.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 527,270 | 508,961 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Liverpool peaked in the year to August 2022 (83,163 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (69,823). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 5%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 70,503 | 133.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 69,823 | 132.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 70,773 | 134.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 78,230 | 148.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 83,163 | 157.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 78,791 | 149.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 74,383 | 141.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 72,578 | 137.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 74,382 | 141.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 5,983 |
| July 2026 | 6,507 |
| June 2026 | 6,096 |
| May 2026 | 5,766 |
| April 2026 | 5,538 |
| March 2026 | 6,074 |
| February 2026 | 5,150 |
| January 2026 | 5,511 |
| December 2025 | 5,703 |
| November 2025 | 6,027 |
| October 2025 | 6,306 |
| September 2025 | 5,842 |
Compared with England and Wales, Liverpool recorded notably more drugs (4.5 times the national rate), public order (82% above the national rate) and other crime (54% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (31% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 4,596 to 5,480.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 26,154 | 49.6 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Drugs | 7,725 | 14.7 | 3.3 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 6,626 | 12.6 | 15.4 | -3% |
| Public order | 6,410 | 12.2 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Shoplifting | 5,480 | 10.4 | 8.5 | +19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 5,112 | 9.7 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Other theft | 4,043 | 7.7 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 2,684 | 5.1 | 5.0 | +4% |
| Burglary | 1,801 | 3.4 | 3.6 | -9% |
| Other crime | 1,718 | 3.3 | 2.1 | -12% |
| Robbery | 819 | 1.6 | 1.4 | +7% |
| Possession of weapons | 712 | 1.4 | 1.0 | +8% |
| Theft from the person | 614 | 1.2 | 1.7 | -3% |
| Bicycle theft | 605 | 1.1 | 0.8 | +7% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Liverpool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huyton with Roby | 5,057 | 82.3 | -38% |
| Bootle (Sefton) | 7,572 | 132.4 | -1% |
| Aintree | 612 | 92.1 | -31% |
| Litherland | 1,739 | 102.9 | -23% |
| Kirkby | 4,602 | 101.2 | -24% |
| Birkenhead | 13,212 | 115.4 | -14% |
| Bebington | 3,128 | 55.0 | -59% |
| Prescot | 4,093 | 100.0 | -25% |
Of the 65 areas within Liverpool, Brownlow Hill had the highest crime rate (631.6 per 1,000) and Mossley Hill the lowest (26.7), 24 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownlow Hill | Neighbourhood | 12,328 | 7,786 | 631.6 |
| City Centre South | Neighbourhood | 11,691 | 6,643 | 568.2 |
| City Centre North | Neighbourhood | 10,176 | 2,983 | 293.1 |
| Vauxhall | Neighbourhood | 9,044 | 2,471 | 273.2 |
| Everton West | Neighbourhood | 5,186 | 1,387 | 267.5 |
| Kirkdale East | Neighbourhood | 3,568 | 690 | 193.4 |
| Old Swan West | Neighbourhood | 7,897 | 1,496 | 189.4 |
| Kirkdale West | Neighbourhood | 7,090 | 1,262 | 178.0 |
| County | Neighbourhood | 12,948 | 2,183 | 168.6 |
| Walton | Neighbourhood | 12,330 | 2,045 | 165.9 |
| Sefton Park | Neighbourhood | 6,556 | 1,087 | 165.8 |
| Tuebrook Breckside Park | Neighbourhood | 7,180 | 1,186 | 165.2 |
| Kensington & Fairfield | Neighbourhood | 21,441 | 3,350 | 156.2 |
| Princes Park | Neighbourhood | 8,942 | 1,298 | 145.2 |
| Fazakerley West | Neighbourhood | 7,831 | 1,037 | 132.4 |
| Dingle | Neighbourhood | 10,175 | 1,334 | 131.1 |
| Everton East | Neighbourhood | 7,727 | 1,009 | 130.6 |
| Speke | Neighbourhood | 14,727 | 1,916 | 130.1 |
| Garston | Neighbourhood | 11,511 | 1,477 | 128.3 |
| Waterfront South | Neighbourhood | 2,683 | 333 | 124.1 |
| Stoneycroft | Neighbourhood | 4,374 | 533 | 121.9 |
| Anfield | Neighbourhood | 14,222 | 1,663 | 116.9 |
| Fazakerley East | Neighbourhood | 7,633 | 891 | 116.7 |
| Croxteth | Neighbourhood | 5,644 | 643 | 113.9 |
| Clubmoor West | Neighbourhood | 5,566 | 627 | 112.6 |
| Orrell Park | Neighbourhood | 5,985 | 671 | 112.1 |
| Canning | Neighbourhood | 10,608 | 1,187 | 111.9 |
| Arundel | Neighbourhood | 5,850 | 642 | 109.7 |
| Everton North | Neighbourhood | 7,262 | 795 | 109.5 |
| Clubmoor East | Neighbourhood | 6,056 | 647 | 106.8 |
| Greenbank Park | Neighbourhood | 6,157 | 628 | 102.0 |
| Edge Hill | Neighbourhood | 7,015 | 706 | 100.6 |
| Knotty Ash & Dovecot Park | Neighbourhood | 6,052 | 605 | 100.0 |
| Belle Vale | Neighbourhood | 13,186 | 1,309 | 99.3 |
| Toxteth | Neighbourhood | 8,188 | 797 | 97.3 |
| Festival Gardens | Neighbourhood | 2,506 | 243 | 97.0 |
| Old Swan East | Neighbourhood | 5,501 | 531 | 96.5 |
| Halewood South | Neighbourhood | 13,239 | 1,243 | 93.9 |
| Smithdown | Neighbourhood | 15,161 | 1,413 | 93.2 |
| Penny Lane | Neighbourhood | 6,225 | 560 | 90.0 |
| Norris Green | Neighbourhood | 17,944 | 1,589 | 88.6 |
| Tuebrook Larkhill | Neighbourhood | 7,949 | 688 | 86.6 |
| Sandfield Park | Neighbourhood | 7,933 | 670 | 84.5 |
| St Michaels | Neighbourhood | 7,136 | 601 | 84.2 |
| West Derby Deysbrook | Neighbourhood | 4,823 | 406 | 84.2 |
| Yew Tree | Neighbourhood | 12,627 | 1,018 | 80.6 |
| Broadgreen | Neighbourhood | 5,674 | 447 | 78.8 |
| Much Woolton & Hunts Cross | Neighbourhood | 12,036 | 935 | 77.7 |
| Fazakerley North | Neighbourhood | 4,289 | 321 | 74.8 |
| Wavertree Village | Neighbourhood | 4,371 | 316 | 72.3 |
| Wavertree Garden Suburb | Neighbourhood | 6,130 | 443 | 72.3 |
| West Derby Leyfield | Neighbourhood | 7,655 | 505 | 66.0 |
| Aigburth | Neighbourhood | 6,287 | 377 | 60.0 |
| Church | Neighbourhood | 6,282 | 376 | 59.9 |
| Springwood | Neighbourhood | 7,055 | 417 | 59.1 |
| Woolton Village | Neighbourhood | 4,498 | 245 | 54.5 |
| Croxteth Country Park | Neighbourhood | 6,991 | 296 | 42.3 |
| Allerton | Neighbourhood | 5,998 | 252 | 42.0 |
| Grassendale & Cressington | Neighbourhood | 6,774 | 280 | 41.3 |
| Halewood North | Neighbourhood | 8,138 | 329 | 40.4 |
| Gateacre | Neighbourhood | 6,172 | 230 | 37.3 |
| West Derby Muirhead | Neighbourhood | 4,076 | 137 | 33.6 |
| Childwall | Neighbourhood | 13,580 | 452 | 33.3 |
| Calderstones | Neighbourhood | 6,022 | 171 | 28.4 |
| Mossley Hill | Neighbourhood | 2,437 | 65 | 26.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 15% of the crime recorded in Liverpool over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (2,258).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 2,258 |
| On or near Parking Area | 2,076 |
| On or near Nightclub | 1,524 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 1,393 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 847 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 754 |
| On or near Rainford Gardens | 531 |
| On or near Church Street | 522 |
| On or near Police Station | 521 |
| On or near Parker Street | 455 |
Of the 63,877 crimes in Liverpool with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 6,626 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 23,660 | 37.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 18,918 | 29.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 6,996 | 11.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 4,936 | 7.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 4,042 | 6.3% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 1,883 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,812 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 863 | 1.4% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 314 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 234 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 204 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Liverpool has an estimated population of 527,270 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (14.8%, against 7.9%), more households without a car (40%, against 23%) and more social housing (26%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Liverpool average decile 3.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Liverpool | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 14.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 39.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 48.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 26.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 25.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.4 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 37.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Liverpool a safe place to live?
Liverpool recorded 133.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 111th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and public order.
What is the most common crime in Liverpool?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 26,154 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by drugs (7,725).
Is crime in Liverpool going up or down?
Recorded crime in Liverpool was almost unchanged on the year before: 70,503 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 69,823 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Liverpool?
About 527,270 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Liverpool?
Liverpool is policed by Merseyside.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.