Crime in Northwich: statistics, rates and trends
2,035 crimes were recorded in Northwich in the 12 months to August 2026, 106.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Northwich at a glance
- Crime trends in Northwich
- Types of crime in Northwich
- Northwich compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Northwich
- Streets with the most crime in Northwich
- What happened after crimes were reported in Northwich
- Demographics of Northwich
- Questions about crime in Northwich
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (860), anti-social behaviour (251) and shoplifting (232) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 287th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Northwich | Cheshire West and Chester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,035 | 27,265 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 106.1 | 73.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | +4% | -1% |
| Population | 19,172 | 371,652 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Northwich of any year here (2,035 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,035 | 106.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,065 | 107.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,056 | 107.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,182 | 113.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,688 | 140.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,655 | 138.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,720 | 141.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,511 | 131.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,446 | 127.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 225 |
| July 2026 | 177 |
| June 2026 | 198 |
| May 2026 | 173 |
| April 2026 | 156 |
| March 2026 | 163 |
| February 2026 | 114 |
| January 2026 | 148 |
| December 2025 | 157 |
| November 2025 | 175 |
| October 2025 | 175 |
| September 2025 | 174 |
Compared with England and Wales, Northwich recorded notably more public order (78% above the national rate), shoplifting (43% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (31% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (53% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 27 to 45 and drugs rose from 46 to 68, while criminal damage and arson fell from 139 to 112.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 860 | 44.9 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 251 | 13.1 | 15.4 | +9% |
| Shoplifting | 232 | 12.1 | 8.5 | 0% |
| Public order | 227 | 11.8 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 112 | 5.8 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Other theft | 99 | 5.2 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Drugs | 68 | 3.5 | 3.3 | +48% |
| Burglary | 56 | 2.9 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 45 | 2.3 | 5.0 | +67% |
| Other crime | 42 | 2.2 | 2.1 | +27% |
| Possession of weapons | 15 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 14 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Northwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford | 256 | 38.6 | -64% |
| Davenham | 598 | 39.0 | -63% |
| Rudheath | 224 | 41.1 | -61% |
| Barnton | 273 | 47.6 | -55% |
| Weaverham | 251 | 38.0 | -64% |
| Cuddington (Cheshire West and Chester) | 201 | 37.7 | -64% |
| Winsford | 3,082 | 87.1 | -18% |
| Middlewich | 1,122 | 76.8 | -28% |
Of the 2 areas within Northwich, Northwich Witton had the highest crime rate (101.4 per 1,000) and Northwich Winnington & Castle the lowest (52.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwich Witton | Neighbourhood | 5,127 | 520 | 101.4 |
| Northwich Winnington & Castle | Neighbourhood | 9,100 | 476 | 52.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Northwich over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (206).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 206 |
| On or near Market Street | 129 |
| On or near Sheath Street | 93 |
| On or near Sandiford Square | 73 |
| On or near Pullman Drive | 62 |
| On or near Princes Avenue | 52 |
| On or near Clough Lane | 48 |
| On or near A5509 | 41 |
| On or near Ash Street | 41 |
| On or near Franklin Mews | 40 |
Of the 1,784 crimes in Northwich with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 251 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 698 | 39.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 434 | 24.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 200 | 11.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 167 | 9.4% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 110 | 6.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 78 | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 36 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 21 | 1.2% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 12 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Northwich has an estimated population of 19,172 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%) and a younger population (15%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Northwich average decile 5.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Northwich | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 17.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Northwich a safe place to live?
Northwich recorded 106.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 287th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Northwich?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 860 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (251).
Is crime in Northwich going up or down?
Recorded crime in Northwich was down 1% on the year before: 2,035 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,065 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Northwich?
About 19,172 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Northwich?
Northwich is policed by Cheshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.