Crime in North Petherton: statistics, rates and trends
502 crimes were recorded in North Petherton in the 12 months to August 2026, 95.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 25% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in North Petherton at a glance
- Crime trends in North Petherton
- Types of crime in North Petherton
- North Petherton compared with nearby towns
- Streets with the most crime in North Petherton
- What happened after crimes were reported in North Petherton
- Demographics of North Petherton
- Questions about crime in North Petherton
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (218), anti-social behaviour (98) and shoplifting (45) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 405th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | North Petherton | Somerset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 502 | 53,421 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 95.8 | 90.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +25% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 5,240 | 588,328 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in North Petherton of any year here (502 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 65%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 502 | 95.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 401 | 76.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 369 | 70.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 414 | 79.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 294 | 56.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 264 | 50.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 287 | 54.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 318 | 60.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 305 | 58.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 23 |
| July 2026 | 43 |
| June 2026 | 46 |
| May 2026 | 38 |
| April 2026 | 40 |
| March 2026 | 64 |
| February 2026 | 51 |
| January 2026 | 32 |
| December 2025 | 32 |
| November 2025 | 44 |
| October 2025 | 56 |
| September 2025 | 33 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (35% below) was well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 55 to 98 and criminal damage and arson rose from 30 to 35, while public order fell from 48 to 40.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 218 | 41.6 | 34.2 | +13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 98 | 18.7 | 15.4 | +78% |
| Shoplifting | 45 | 8.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Public order | 40 | 7.6 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 35 | 6.7 | 6.7 | +17% |
| Other theft | 22 | 4.2 | 6.4 | +5% |
| Burglary | 14 | 2.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 14 | 2.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 1.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 2 | 0.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than North Petherton; the highest is Bridgwater (173.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Somerton (58.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs North Petherton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgwater | 9,040 | 173.7 | +81% |
| Monkton Heathfield | 695 | 108.5 | +13% |
| Taunton | 8,305 | 128.0 | +34% |
| Burnham-on-Sea | 1,565 | 92.4 | -4% |
| Wellington (Somerset West and Taunton) | 1,278 | 87.8 | -8% |
| Street | 859 | 66.6 | -31% |
| Ilminster | 396 | 64.1 | -33% |
| Somerton | 388 | 58.5 | -39% |
The 10 locations below account for 61% of the crime recorded in North Petherton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Clare Street” (67).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Clare Street | 67 |
| On or near Portman Drive | 47 |
| On or near Market Way | 37 |
| On or near Rogers Close | 34 |
| On or near Huntworth Lane | 27 |
| On or near Baymead Meadow | 24 |
| On or near Newton Road | 22 |
| On or near Parking Area | 20 |
| On or near Portman Road | 17 |
| On or near King Alfred Close | 12 |
Of the 404 crimes in North Petherton with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 98 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 200 | 49.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 123 | 30.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 30 | 7.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 18 | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 6 | 1.5% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 0.7% | 3.1% |
North Petherton has an estimated population of 5,240 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (11%, against 23%), fewer students (3.9%, against 7.9%) and more retired residents (29%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up North Petherton average decile 5.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | North Petherton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 74.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is North Petherton a safe place to live?
North Petherton recorded 95.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 405th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in North Petherton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 218 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (98).
Is crime in North Petherton going up or down?
Recorded crime in North Petherton was up 25% on the year before: 502 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 401 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of North Petherton?
About 5,240 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers North Petherton?
North Petherton is policed by Avon and Somerset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.