Crime in Morpeth: statistics, rates and trends
1,327 crimes were recorded in Morpeth in the 12 months to August 2026, 80.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 20% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (516), anti-social behaviour (229) and public order (143) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 606th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Morpeth | Northumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,327 | 25,844 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 80.3 | 78.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -20% | -14% | -1% |
| Population | 16,533 | 331,420 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Morpeth of any year here (1,327 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,327 | 80.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,667 | 100.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,972 | 119.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,989 | 120.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,819 | 110.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,964 | 118.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,676 | 101.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,523 | 92.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,718 | 103.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 95 |
| July 2026 | 141 |
| June 2026 | 123 |
| May 2026 | 125 |
| April 2026 | 107 |
| March 2026 | 85 |
| February 2026 | 82 |
| January 2026 | 51 |
| December 2025 | 125 |
| November 2025 | 151 |
| October 2025 | 129 |
| September 2025 | 113 |
Compared with England and Wales, Morpeth recorded notably more other crime (40% above the national rate) and public order (30% above the national rate), and notably less other theft (57% below) and vehicle crime (55% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 29 to 49 and anti-social behaviour rose from 185 to 229, while other theft fell from 110 to 46 and criminal damage and arson fell from 180 to 109.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 516 | 31.2 | 34.2 | -25% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 229 | 13.9 | 15.4 | +24% |
| Public order | 143 | 8.6 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Shoplifting | 113 | 6.8 | 8.5 | -31% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 109 | 6.6 | 6.7 | -39% |
| Other crime | 49 | 3.0 | 2.1 | +69% |
| Other theft | 46 | 2.8 | 6.4 | -58% |
| Burglary | 44 | 2.7 | 3.6 | -4% |
| Vehicle crime | 37 | 2.2 | 5.0 | -18% |
| Drugs | 25 | 1.5 | 3.3 | -19% |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Morpeth; the highest is Blyth (Northumberland) (122.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Ponteland (35.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Morpeth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stakeford | 641 | 86.2 | +7% |
| Bedlington | 1,578 | 88.4 | +10% |
| Ashington (Northumberland) | 3,523 | 117.1 | +46% |
| Cramlington | 2,694 | 84.4 | +5% |
| Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | 679 | 116.1 | +45% |
| Blyth (Northumberland) | 5,004 | 122.8 | +53% |
| Wideopen | 496 | 48.1 | -40% |
| Ponteland | 442 | 35.4 | -56% |
Of the 4 areas within Morpeth, Morpeth North had the highest crime rate (156.7 per 1,000) and Morpeth Kirkhill the lowest (32.7), 5 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morpeth North | Neighbourhood | 5,827 | 913 | 156.7 |
| Morpeth Stobhill | Neighbourhood | 2,897 | 163 | 56.3 |
| Choppington & Hepscott | Neighbourhood | 5,124 | 277 | 54.1 |
| Morpeth Kirkhill | Neighbourhood | 5,775 | 189 | 32.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 52% of the crime recorded in Morpeth over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Howburn Court” (292).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Howburn Court | 292 |
| On or near Parking Area | 84 |
| On or near Lumsden'S Lane | 82 |
| On or near Balmoral Grove | 50 |
| On or near Chantry Place | 50 |
| On or near Whalebone Lane | 48 |
| On or near Sleekburn | 23 |
| On or near First Avenue | 22 |
| On or near Shields Road | 22 |
| On or near Dark Lane | 19 |
Of the 1,098 crimes in Morpeth with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 229 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under investigation | 369 | 33.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 367 | 33.4% | 4.7% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 315 | 28.7% | 35.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 23 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 9 | 0.8% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 0.4% | 3.1% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 4 | 0.4% | 34.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Morpeth has an estimated population of 16,533 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more retired residents (36%, against 22%), an older population (31%, against 19%) and less private renting (12%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Morpeth average decile 7.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Morpeth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 36.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 43.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 75.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Morpeth a safe place to live?
Morpeth recorded 80.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 606th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and public order.
What is the most common crime in Morpeth?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 516 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (229).
Is crime in Morpeth going up or down?
Recorded crime in Morpeth was down 20% on the year before: 1,327 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,667 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Morpeth?
About 16,533 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 31% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Morpeth?
Morpeth is policed by Northumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.