Crime in Padiham: statistics, rates and trends
1,527 crimes were recorded in Padiham in the 12 months to August 2026, 137.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (637), anti-social behaviour (345) and criminal damage and arson (148) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 93rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Padiham | Burnley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,527 | 14,031 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 137.7 | 141.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 11,092 | 99,233 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Padiham peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,915 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (1,441). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,527 | 137.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,610 | 145.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,629 | 146.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,651 | 148.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,915 | 172.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,871 | 168.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,726 | 155.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,441 | 129.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,675 | 151.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 138 |
| July 2026 | 142 |
| June 2026 | 161 |
| May 2026 | 150 |
| April 2026 | 136 |
| March 2026 | 120 |
| February 2026 | 104 |
| January 2026 | 101 |
| December 2025 | 131 |
| November 2025 | 106 |
| October 2025 | 139 |
| September 2025 | 99 |
Compared with England and Wales, Padiham recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (2.0 times the national rate), other crime (2.0 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (2.0 times the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (55% below) and drugs (42% below). On the year before, public order rose from 55 to 84 and violence and sexual offences rose from 534 to 637, while anti-social behaviour fell from 560 to 345 and drugs fell from 25 to 21.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 637 | 57.4 | 34.2 | +19% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 345 | 31.1 | 15.4 | -38% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 148 | 13.3 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Public order | 84 | 7.6 | 6.7 | +53% |
| Burglary | 65 | 5.9 | 3.6 | +18% |
| Other theft | 61 | 5.5 | 6.4 | +3% |
| Vehicle crime | 53 | 4.8 | 5.0 | -10% |
| Other crime | 47 | 4.2 | 2.1 | -8% |
| Shoplifting | 42 | 3.8 | 8.5 | 0% |
| Drugs | 21 | 1.9 | 3.3 | -16% |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Padiham; the highest is Accrington (149.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Rishton (91.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Padiham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnley | 12,274 | 146.3 | +6% |
| Clayton-le-Moors | 1,139 | 113.7 | -17% |
| Brierfield | 1,205 | 96.6 | -30% |
| Accrington | 5,483 | 149.9 | +9% |
| Great Harwood | 1,062 | 92.6 | -33% |
| Rishton | 638 | 91.0 | -34% |
| Nelson (Pendle) | 3,882 | 107.9 | -22% |
| Oswaldtwistle | 1,109 | 121.6 | -12% |
Of the 2 areas within Padiham, Gawthorpe had the highest crime rate (151.6 per 1,000) and Hapton with Park the lowest (102.0).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gawthorpe | Neighbourhood | 6,608 | 1,002 | 151.6 |
| Hapton with Park | Neighbourhood | 6,478 | 661 | 102.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 27% of the crime recorded in Padiham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Whitegate Close” (93).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Whitegate Close | 93 |
| On or near Parking Area | 59 |
| On or near Supermarket | 51 |
| On or near Malvern Avenue | 49 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 32 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 32 |
| On or near Waterside Mews | 29 |
| On or near Stockbridge Road | 24 |
| On or near Hapton Street | 23 |
| On or near Calder Green Approach | 22 |
Of the 1,182 crimes in Padiham with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 345 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 522 | 44.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 310 | 26.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 134 | 11.3% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 79 | 6.7% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 43 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 40 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 18 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 3 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Padiham has an estimated population of 11,092 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (23%, against 34%), more residents with no qualifications (24%, against 18%) and more private renting (26%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Padiham average decile 1.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Padiham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 24.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 29.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 45.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Padiham a safe place to live?
Padiham recorded 137.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 93rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Padiham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 637 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (345).
Is crime in Padiham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Padiham was down 5% on the year before: 1,527 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,610 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Padiham?
About 11,092 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Padiham?
Padiham is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.