Crime in Market Drayton: statistics, rates and trends
872 crimes were recorded in Market Drayton in the 12 months to August 2026, 68.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Market Drayton at a glance
- Crime trends in Market Drayton
- Types of crime in Market Drayton
- Market Drayton compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Market Drayton
- Streets with the most crime in Market Drayton
- What happened after crimes were reported in Market Drayton
- Demographics of Market Drayton
- Questions about crime in Market Drayton
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (398), anti-social behaviour (113) and shoplifting (77) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 808th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Market Drayton | Shropshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 872 | 19,214 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 68.0 | 57.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -10% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 12,817 | 332,455 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Market Drayton of any year here (872 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 32%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 872 | 68.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 971 | 75.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 959 | 74.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,042 | 81.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,140 | 88.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,300 | 101.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,395 | 108.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,220 | 95.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,279 | 99.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 69 |
| July 2026 | 83 |
| June 2026 | 58 |
| May 2026 | 73 |
| April 2026 | 58 |
| March 2026 | 60 |
| February 2026 | 64 |
| January 2026 | 76 |
| December 2025 | 87 |
| November 2025 | 75 |
| October 2025 | 92 |
| September 2025 | 77 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (43% below) and public order (32% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs rose from 20 to 35 and other theft rose from 60 to 73, while criminal damage and arson fell from 106 to 62 and anti-social behaviour fell from 160 to 113.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 398 | 31.1 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 113 | 8.8 | 15.4 | -29% |
| Shoplifting | 77 | 6.0 | 8.5 | +13% |
| Other theft | 73 | 5.7 | 6.4 | +22% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 62 | 4.8 | 6.7 | -42% |
| Public order | 58 | 4.5 | 6.7 | +7% |
| Drugs | 35 | 2.7 | 3.3 | +75% |
| Burglary | 18 | 1.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 9 | 0.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Market Drayton; the highest is Crewe (105.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Shavington (42.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Market Drayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitchurch (Shropshire) | 707 | 69.3 | +2% |
| Wem | 444 | 70.2 | +3% |
| Newport (Telford and Wrekin) | 735 | 53.9 | -21% |
| Nantwich | 1,655 | 79.3 | +17% |
| Shavington | 279 | 42.5 | -38% |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 8,182 | 103.1 | +51% |
| Crewe | 8,050 | 105.4 | +55% |
| Stone (Stafford) | 1,282 | 70.5 | +4% |
Of the 3 areas within Market Drayton, Market Drayton East & Rural had the highest crime rate (90.8 per 1,000) and Market Drayton North the lowest (40.0).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Drayton East & Rural | Neighbourhood | 5,691 | 517 | 90.8 |
| Market Drayton South | Neighbourhood | 4,282 | 241 | 56.3 |
| Market Drayton North | Neighbourhood | 4,779 | 191 | 40.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Market Drayton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (52).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 52 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 46 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 42 |
| On or near Fairfields Road | 40 |
| On or near Supermarket | 35 |
| On or near Shropshire Street | 27 |
| On or near Unicorn Court | 26 |
| On or near St Mary'S Street | 25 |
| On or near Cheshire Street | 23 |
| On or near Sycamore Way | 19 |
Of the 759 crimes in Market Drayton with a recorded outcome, 17% 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 113 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 412 | 54.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 131 | 17.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 93 | 12.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 36 | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 36 | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Market Drayton has an estimated population of 12,817 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (3.9%, against 7.9%), an older population (25%, against 19%) and more retired residents (28%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Market Drayton average decile 5.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Market Drayton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Market Drayton a safe place to live?
Market Drayton recorded 68.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 808th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Market Drayton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 398 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (113).
Is crime in Market Drayton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Market Drayton was down 10% on the year before: 872 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 971 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Market Drayton?
About 12,817 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Market Drayton?
Market Drayton 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.