Crime in Paddock Wood: statistics, rates and trends
838 crimes were recorded in Paddock Wood in the 12 months to August 2026, 89.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Paddock Wood at a glance
- Crime trends in Paddock Wood
- Types of crime in Paddock Wood
- Paddock Wood compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Paddock Wood
- Streets with the most crime in Paddock Wood
- What happened after crimes were reported in Paddock Wood
- Demographics of Paddock Wood
- Questions about crime in Paddock Wood
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (242), shoplifting (180) and anti-social behaviour (147) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 478th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Paddock Wood | Tunbridge Wells | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 838 | 8,086 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 89.4 | 67.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 9,370 | 119,694 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Paddock Wood of any year here (838 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 29%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 838 | 89.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 740 | 79.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 772 | 82.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 815 | 87.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 650 | 69.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 735 | 78.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 728 | 77.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 695 | 74.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 652 | 69.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 63 |
| July 2026 | 78 |
| June 2026 | 69 |
| May 2026 | 73 |
| April 2026 | 67 |
| March 2026 | 89 |
| February 2026 | 100 |
| January 2026 | 64 |
| December 2025 | 63 |
| November 2025 | 71 |
| October 2025 | 52 |
| September 2025 | 49 |
Compared with England and Wales, Paddock Wood recorded notably more shoplifting (2.3 times the national rate) and other theft (31% above the national rate), and notably less public order (66% below) and violence and sexual offences (25% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 57 to 180 and vehicle crime rose from 22 to 38, while public order fell from 37 to 21 and criminal damage and arson fell from 84 to 63.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 242 | 25.8 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Shoplifting | 180 | 19.2 | 8.5 | +216% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 147 | 15.7 | 15.4 | +9% |
| Other theft | 79 | 8.4 | 6.4 | +25% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 63 | 6.7 | 6.7 | -25% |
| Vehicle crime | 38 | 4.1 | 5.0 | +73% |
| Burglary | 26 | 2.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Public order | 21 | 2.2 | 6.7 | -43% |
| Other crime | 18 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 13 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Paddock Wood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pembury | 484 | 83.4 | -7% |
| Tonbridge | 3,064 | 79.9 | -11% |
| Southborough | 507 | 46.9 | -48% |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells | 4,218 | 79.5 | -11% |
| Coxheath | 619 | 58.6 | -34% |
| Kings Hill | 494 | 49.1 | -45% |
| Staplehurst | 468 | 61.3 | -31% |
| Rusthall and Langton Green | 408 | 51.0 | -43% |
Paddock Wood is the one area listed within Paddock Wood, with 89.4 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paddock Wood | Neighbourhood | 9,370 | 838 | 89.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 56% of the crime recorded in Paddock Wood over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (161).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 161 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 73 |
| On or near Bowls Place | 49 |
| On or near Bloxham Avenue | 47 |
| On or near Church Road | 30 |
| On or near Norton Close | 27 |
| On or near B2160 | 23 |
| On or near Mascalls Park | 22 |
| On or near Goldings | 17 |
| On or near Queen Street | 17 |
Of the 691 crimes in Paddock Wood with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 147 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 288 | 41.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 229 | 33.1% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 52 | 7.5% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 41 | 5.9% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 21 | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 19 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 13 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Paddock Wood has an estimated population of 9,370 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%), fewer students (4.7%, against 7.9%) and less private renting (13%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Paddock Wood average decile 6.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Paddock Wood | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Paddock Wood a safe place to live?
Paddock Wood recorded 89.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 478th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and other theft.
What is the most common crime in Paddock Wood?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 242 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (180).
Is crime in Paddock Wood going up or down?
Recorded crime in Paddock Wood was up 13% on the year before: 838 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 740 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Paddock Wood?
About 9,370 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Paddock Wood?
Paddock Wood is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.