Crime in Oxford: statistics, rates and trends
17,690 crimes were recorded in Oxford in the 12 months to August 2026, 103.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (5,990), shoplifting (2,148) and anti-social behaviour (1,594) made up 55% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 310th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Oxford | Oxford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 17,690 | 17,767 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 103.9 | 107.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 170,195 | 166,034 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Oxford peaked in the year to August 2024 (18,469 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (16,132). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 4%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 17,690 | 103.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 18,150 | 106.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 18,469 | 108.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 18,103 | 106.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 17,826 | 104.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 17,055 | 100.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 16,132 | 94.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 17,284 | 101.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 16,957 | 99.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,572 |
| July 2026 | 1,742 |
| June 2026 | 1,557 |
| May 2026 | 1,488 |
| April 2026 | 1,468 |
| March 2026 | 1,384 |
| February 2026 | 1,329 |
| January 2026 | 1,328 |
| December 2025 | 1,331 |
| November 2025 | 1,494 |
| October 2025 | 1,491 |
| September 2025 | 1,506 |
Compared with England and Wales, Oxford recorded notably more bicycle theft (6.6 times the national rate), shoplifting (49% above the national rate) and other theft (40% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (39% below) and possession of weapons (33% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 210 to 244, while possession of weapons fell from 182 to 110 and theft from the person fell from 491 to 345.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 5,990 | 35.2 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 2,148 | 12.6 | 8.5 | -16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,594 | 9.4 | 15.4 | +11% |
| Other theft | 1,538 | 9.0 | 6.4 | -1% |
| Public order | 1,510 | 8.9 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,080 | 6.3 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Bicycle theft | 924 | 5.4 | 0.8 | -8% |
| Vehicle crime | 746 | 4.4 | 5.0 | +4% |
| Drugs | 671 | 3.9 | 3.3 | -17% |
| Burglary | 512 | 3.0 | 3.6 | -16% |
| Theft from the person | 345 | 2.0 | 1.7 | -30% |
| Other crime | 278 | 1.6 | 2.1 | +3% |
| Robbery | 244 | 1.4 | 1.4 | +16% |
| Possession of weapons | 110 | 0.6 | 1.0 | -40% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kidlington | 937 | 58.8 | -43% |
| Abingdon-on-Thames | 2,257 | 68.5 | -34% |
| Eynsham | 298 | 43.9 | -58% |
| Didcot | 2,234 | 61.7 | -41% |
| Benson | 214 | 31.3 | -70% |
| Witney | 1,763 | 64.1 | -38% |
| Bicester | 3,255 | 83.2 | -20% |
| Wallingford | 463 | 53.0 | -49% |
Of the 25 areas within Oxford, Osney & St Thomas had the highest crime rate (231.4 per 1,000) and Cumnor the lowest (27.8), 8 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osney & St Thomas | Neighbourhood | 7,610 | 1,761 | 231.4 |
| Carfax & Jericho | Neighbourhood | 13,087 | 2,764 | 211.2 |
| Littlemore | Neighbourhood | 6,600 | 1,112 | 168.5 |
| St Clement's | Neighbourhood | 6,312 | 912 | 144.5 |
| Cowley | Neighbourhood | 9,138 | 1,154 | 126.3 |
| Hinksey Park | Neighbourhood | 5,410 | 665 | 122.9 |
| Headington | Neighbourhood | 9,300 | 1,105 | 118.8 |
| Blackbird Leys | Neighbourhood | 6,665 | 763 | 114.5 |
| St Mary's | Neighbourhood | 7,253 | 762 | 105.1 |
| Northfield Brook | Neighbourhood | 7,034 | 680 | 96.7 |
| Rose Hill & Iffley | Neighbourhood | 7,137 | 651 | 91.2 |
| Churchill | Neighbourhood | 8,051 | 699 | 86.8 |
| Donnington | Neighbourhood | 8,888 | 725 | 81.6 |
| Wolvercote | Neighbourhood | 5,108 | 415 | 81.2 |
| Lye Valley | Neighbourhood | 8,783 | 689 | 78.4 |
| Walton Manor | Neighbourhood | 5,935 | 457 | 77.0 |
| Temple Cowley | Neighbourhood | 3,715 | 284 | 76.4 |
| Barton & Sandhills | Neighbourhood | 6,035 | 419 | 69.4 |
| Headington Hill & Northway | Neighbourhood | 5,712 | 368 | 64.4 |
| Cutteslowe & Sunnymead | Neighbourhood | 7,018 | 397 | 56.6 |
| Quarry & Risinghurst | Neighbourhood | 6,788 | 357 | 52.6 |
| Marston | Neighbourhood | 7,411 | 343 | 46.3 |
| Botley & Sunningwell | Neighbourhood | 7,927 | 349 | 44.0 |
| Summertown | Neighbourhood | 7,044 | 285 | 40.5 |
| Cumnor | Neighbourhood | 6,042 | 168 | 27.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in Oxford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (1,140).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 1,140 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 579 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 470 |
| On or near Parking Area | 398 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 343 |
| On or near Police Station | 325 |
| On or near Castle Street | 308 |
| On or near Hospital | 282 |
| On or near Nightclub | 267 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 251 |
Of the 16,096 crimes in Oxford with a recorded outcome, 38% 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 1,594 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 6,049 | 37.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 4,864 | 30.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 1,976 | 12.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 910 | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 717 | 4.5% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 692 | 4.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 386 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 247 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 108 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 77 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 40 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 16 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Oxford has an estimated population of 170,195 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (26.3%, against 7.9%), more private renting (32%, against 20%) and more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (48%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Oxford average decile 7.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Oxford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 12.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 26.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 48.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 31.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 48.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 1.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Oxford a safe place to live?
Oxford recorded 103.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 310th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Oxford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 5,990 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (2,148).
Is crime in Oxford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Oxford was down 3% on the year before: 17,690 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 18,150 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Oxford?
About 170,195 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Oxford?
Oxford is policed by Thames Valley.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.