Crime in Neath: statistics, rates and trends
3,557 crimes were recorded in Neath in the 12 months to August 2026, 92.3 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,608), anti-social behaviour (463) and public order (462) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 441st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Neath | Neath Port Talbot | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,557 | 11,824 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 92.3 | 82.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 38,522 | 143,249 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Neath peaked in the year to August 2021 (4,229 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (3,271). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 2%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,557 | 92.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,443 | 89.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,541 | 91.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,271 | 84.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,336 | 86.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,229 | 109.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,944 | 102.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,894 | 101.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,503 | 90.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 271 |
| July 2026 | 400 |
| June 2026 | 316 |
| May 2026 | 327 |
| April 2026 | 300 |
| March 2026 | 294 |
| February 2026 | 270 |
| January 2026 | 271 |
| December 2025 | 246 |
| November 2025 | 282 |
| October 2025 | 316 |
| September 2025 | 264 |
Compared with England and Wales, Neath recorded notably more public order (80% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (61% below) and burglary (60% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 126 to 199 and possession of weapons rose from 22 to 32, while drugs fell from 158 to 105 and anti-social behaviour fell from 688 to 463.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,608 | 41.7 | 34.2 | +13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 463 | 12.0 | 15.4 | -33% |
| Public order | 462 | 12.0 | 6.7 | +18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 227 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Shoplifting | 199 | 5.2 | 8.5 | +58% |
| Other theft | 195 | 5.1 | 6.4 | +26% |
| Drugs | 105 | 2.7 | 3.3 | -34% |
| Other crime | 100 | 2.6 | 2.1 | +28% |
| Vehicle crime | 75 | 1.9 | 5.0 | -7% |
| Burglary | 55 | 1.4 | 3.6 | +4% |
| Possession of weapons | 32 | 0.8 | 1.0 | +45% |
| Robbery | 18 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 10 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Neath; the highest is Port Talbot (113.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Cwmavon (53.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Neath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baglan | 969 | 76.6 | -17% |
| Cwmavon | 270 | 53.0 | -43% |
| Clydach (Swansea) | 543 | 74.1 | -20% |
| Port Talbot | 3,370 | 113.9 | +23% |
| Pontardawe | 488 | 84.1 | -9% |
| Swansea | 18,240 | 100.6 | +9% |
| Ystalyfera | 693 | 76.5 | -17% |
| Maesteg | 1,833 | 99.0 | +7% |
Of the 10 areas within Neath, Neath North had the highest crime rate (282.8 per 1,000) and Bryn-coch North the lowest (16.7), 17 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neath North | Neighbourhood | 3,865 | 1,093 | 282.8 |
| Neath East | Neighbourhood | 6,216 | 735 | 118.2 |
| Neath South | Neighbourhood | 4,778 | 408 | 85.4 |
| Coedffranc Central | Neighbourhood | 5,482 | 410 | 74.8 |
| Dyffryn | Neighbourhood | 5,479 | 336 | 61.3 |
| Bryn-coch South | Neighbourhood | 3,171 | 194 | 61.2 |
| Coedffranc North | Neighbourhood | 2,279 | 136 | 59.7 |
| Cadoxton | Neighbourhood | 1,542 | 92 | 59.7 |
| Cimla and Pelenna | Neighbourhood | 4,773 | 214 | 44.8 |
| Bryn-coch North | Neighbourhood | 2,091 | 35 | 16.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 21% of the crime recorded in Neath over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (152).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 152 |
| On or near Croft Road | 98 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 81 |
| On or near Green Street | 79 |
| On or near Maes-Yr-Hâf Road | 63 |
| On or near Summerfield Place | 58 |
| On or near Eva Street | 55 |
| On or near Old Market Street | 52 |
| On or near Commercial Street | 48 |
| On or near Fairyland | 47 |
Of the 3,094 crimes in Neath with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 463 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,274 | 41.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 655 | 21.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 521 | 16.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 206 | 6.7% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 178 | 5.8% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 91 | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 82 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 66 | 2.1% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Neath has an estimated population of 38,522 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (14%, against 20%), fewer students (5.6%, against 7.9%) and more residents with no qualifications (23%, against 18%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Neath average decile 4.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Neath | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.9 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 19.0% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Neath a safe place to live?
Neath recorded 92.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 441st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order.
What is the most common crime in Neath?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,608 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (463).
Is crime in Neath going up or down?
Recorded crime in Neath was up 3% on the year before: 3,557 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,443 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Neath?
About 38,522 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Neath?
Neath is policed by South Wales.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.