Crime in Market Harborough: statistics, rates and trends
1,581 crimes were recorded in Market Harborough in the 12 months to August 2026, 61.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Market Harborough at a glance
- Crime trends in Market Harborough
- Types of crime in Market Harborough
- Market Harborough compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Market Harborough
- Streets with the most crime in Market Harborough
- What happened after crimes were reported in Market Harborough
- Demographics of Market Harborough
- Questions about crime in Market Harborough
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (565), shoplifting (206) and anti-social behaviour (171) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 927th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Market Harborough | Harborough | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,581 | 5,417 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 61.8 | 51.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 25,593 | 104,713 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Market Harborough peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,770 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (1,406). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,581 | 61.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,584 | 61.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,551 | 60.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,406 | 54.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,564 | 61.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,521 | 59.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,514 | 59.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,770 | 69.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,703 | 66.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 157 |
| July 2026 | 138 |
| June 2026 | 150 |
| May 2026 | 127 |
| April 2026 | 117 |
| March 2026 | 145 |
| February 2026 | 128 |
| January 2026 | 107 |
| December 2025 | 120 |
| November 2025 | 123 |
| October 2025 | 138 |
| September 2025 | 131 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (64% below) and anti-social behaviour (57% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 100 to 148 and drugs rose from 22 to 30, while vehicle crime fell from 86 to 60 and anti-social behaviour fell from 241 to 171.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 565 | 22.1 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 206 | 8.0 | 8.5 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 171 | 6.7 | 15.4 | -29% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 148 | 5.8 | 6.7 | +48% |
| Public order | 137 | 5.4 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Other theft | 109 | 4.3 | 6.4 | +11% |
| Burglary | 72 | 2.8 | 3.6 | -8% |
| Vehicle crime | 60 | 2.3 | 5.0 | -30% |
| Drugs | 30 | 1.2 | 3.3 | +36% |
| Other crime | 26 | 1.0 | 2.1 | +30% |
| Bicycle theft | 17 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 17 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 15 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Market Harborough; the highest is Kettering (107.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt (31.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Market Harborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desborough | 907 | 76.4 | +24% |
| Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt | 240 | 31.5 | -49% |
| Rothwell (North Northamptonshire) | 703 | 75.7 | +23% |
| Fleckney | 308 | 56.5 | -9% |
| Great Glen | 245 | 42.6 | -31% |
| Corby | 6,622 | 93.9 | +52% |
| Kettering | 7,067 | 107.3 | +74% |
| Oadby | 1,340 | 52.6 | -15% |
Of the 4 areas within Market Harborough, Market Harborough-Logan had the highest crime rate (77.4 per 1,000) and Market Harborough-Welland the lowest (44.8).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Harborough-Logan | Neighbourhood | 4,770 | 369 | 77.4 |
| Market Harborough-Great Bowden & Arden | Neighbourhood | 6,330 | 468 | 73.9 |
| Market Harborough-Little Bowden | Neighbourhood | 6,351 | 342 | 53.8 |
| Market Harborough-Welland | Neighbourhood | 10,410 | 466 | 44.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Market Harborough over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” and “Shopping Area” (149 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 149 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 149 |
| On or near Church Street | 81 |
| On or near Rockingham Road | 65 |
| On or near Supermarket | 64 |
| On or near Nightclub | 48 |
| On or near A4304 | 46 |
| On or near Adam And Eve Street | 28 |
| On or near Andrew Macdonald Close | 28 |
| On or near Naseby Square | 28 |
Of the 1,410 crimes in Market Harborough with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 171 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 585 | 41.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 385 | 27.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 163 | 11.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 80 | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 52 | 3.7% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 36 | 2.6% | 0.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 32 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 23 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 12 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
Market Harborough has an estimated population of 25,593 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (10%, against 17%), fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%) and fewer students (5.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Market Harborough average decile 8.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Market Harborough | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Market Harborough a safe place to live?
Market Harborough recorded 61.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 927th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Market Harborough?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 565 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (206).
Is crime in Market Harborough going up or down?
Recorded crime in Market Harborough was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,581 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,584 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Market Harborough?
About 25,593 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Market Harborough?
Market Harborough is policed by Leicestershire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.