Crime in Maidstone: statistics, rates and trends
11,735 crimes were recorded in Maidstone in the 12 months to August 2026, 105.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Maidstone at a glance
- Crime trends in Maidstone
- Types of crime in Maidstone
- Maidstone compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Maidstone
- Streets with the most crime in Maidstone
- What happened after crimes were reported in Maidstone
- Demographics of Maidstone
- Questions about crime in Maidstone
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (4,293), anti-social behaviour (2,369) and shoplifting (1,098) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 297th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Maidstone | Maidstone | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 11,735 | 16,356 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 105.2 | 87.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 111,543 | 187,767 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Maidstone of any year here (11,735 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 | 11,735 | 105.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 12,059 | 108.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 13,374 | 119.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 12,680 | 113.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 13,365 | 119.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 13,934 | 124.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 14,545 | 130.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 13,812 | 123.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 14,168 | 127.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,107 |
| July 2026 | 1,014 |
| June 2026 | 1,014 |
| May 2026 | 1,033 |
| April 2026 | 1,007 |
| March 2026 | 978 |
| February 2026 | 849 |
| January 2026 | 990 |
| December 2025 | 927 |
| November 2025 | 1,006 |
| October 2025 | 946 |
| September 2025 | 864 |
Compared with England and Wales, Maidstone recorded notably more other crime (38% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (38% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (36% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (65% below) and robbery (53% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 1,912 to 2,369, while burglary fell from 272 to 220 and public order fell from 580 to 484.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 4,293 | 38.5 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 2,369 | 21.2 | 15.4 | +24% |
| Shoplifting | 1,098 | 9.8 | 8.5 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,021 | 9.2 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Other theft | 796 | 7.1 | 6.4 | +5% |
| Public order | 484 | 4.3 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Drugs | 451 | 4.0 | 3.3 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 379 | 3.4 | 5.0 | -6% |
| Other crime | 326 | 2.9 | 2.1 | -13% |
| Burglary | 220 | 2.0 | 3.6 | -19% |
| Possession of weapons | 104 | 0.9 | 1.0 | -13% |
| Robbery | 71 | 0.6 | 1.4 | -10% |
| Theft from the person | 65 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0% |
| Bicycle theft | 58 | 0.5 | 0.8 | -16% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Maidstone; the highest is Chatham (126.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Bearsted (34.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Maidstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bearsted | 289 | 34.5 | -67% |
| Coxheath | 619 | 58.6 | -44% |
| Larkfield | 2,052 | 70.4 | -33% |
| Kings Hill | 494 | 49.1 | -53% |
| Snodland | 1,211 | 98.9 | -6% |
| Chatham | 10,149 | 126.7 | +20% |
| Staplehurst | 468 | 61.3 | -42% |
| Lenham and Harrietsham | 459 | 83.5 | -21% |
Of the 13 areas within Maidstone, High Street had the highest crime rate (278.2 per 1,000) and Palace Wood the lowest (31.6), 9 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Street | Neighbourhood | 11,566 | 3,218 | 278.2 |
| Park Wood & Mangravet | Neighbourhood | 9,498 | 1,115 | 117.4 |
| Barming Heath & Teston | Neighbourhood | 8,557 | 971 | 113.5 |
| Fant & Oakwood | Neighbourhood | 12,591 | 1,276 | 101.3 |
| Shepway | Neighbourhood | 12,601 | 1,267 | 100.5 |
| Allington & Bridge | Neighbourhood | 8,404 | 745 | 88.6 |
| Ringlestone | Neighbourhood | 2,001 | 176 | 88.0 |
| Penenden Heath | Neighbourhood | 15,420 | 1,239 | 80.4 |
| Tovil | Neighbourhood | 6,554 | 459 | 70.0 |
| Senacre | Neighbourhood | 1,366 | 88 | 64.4 |
| Loose & Linton | Neighbourhood | 10,450 | 669 | 64.0 |
| Grove Green & Vinters Park | Neighbourhood | 8,072 | 409 | 50.7 |
| Palace Wood | Neighbourhood | 7,320 | 231 | 31.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in Maidstone over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (1,055).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 1,055 |
| On or near Hospital | 423 |
| On or near Supermarket | 253 |
| On or near Gabriel'S Hill | 245 |
| On or near Granada Street | 228 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 225 |
| On or near Bank Street | 155 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 137 |
| On or near Nightclub | 126 |
| On or near Week Street | 117 |
Of the 9,366 crimes in Maidstone with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 2,369 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 3,494 | 37.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 3,204 | 34.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 839 | 9.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 584 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 380 | 4.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 266 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 220 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 180 | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 104 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 67 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 19 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Maidstone has an estimated population of 111,543 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (19%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Maidstone average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Maidstone | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Maidstone a safe place to live?
Maidstone recorded 105.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 297th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Maidstone?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 4,293 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (2,369).
Is crime in Maidstone going up or down?
Recorded crime in Maidstone was down 3% on the year before: 11,735 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 12,059 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Maidstone?
About 111,543 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Maidstone?
Maidstone is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.