Crime in Penrith: statistics, rates and trends
1,583 crimes were recorded in Penrith in the 12 months to August 2026, 87.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (769), shoplifting (184) and public order (163) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 504th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Penrith | Westmorland and Furness | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,583 | 16,568 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 87.4 | 72.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 18,110 | 230,185 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Penrith peaked in the year to August 2024 (1,872 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,381). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,583 | 87.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,709 | 94.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,872 | 103.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,793 | 99.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,830 | 101.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,444 | 79.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,551 | 85.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,608 | 88.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,381 | 76.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 121 |
| July 2026 | 140 |
| June 2026 | 150 |
| May 2026 | 152 |
| April 2026 | 120 |
| March 2026 | 134 |
| February 2026 | 135 |
| January 2026 | 122 |
| December 2025 | 126 |
| November 2025 | 139 |
| October 2025 | 133 |
| September 2025 | 111 |
Compared with England and Wales, Penrith recorded notably more drugs (55% above the national rate), possession of weapons (42% above the national rate) and public order (35% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (79% below) and vehicle crime (77% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour fell from 123 to 58 and criminal damage and arson fell from 153 to 113.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 769 | 42.5 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 184 | 10.2 | 8.5 | -12% |
| Public order | 163 | 9.0 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 113 | 6.2 | 6.7 | -26% |
| Drugs | 92 | 5.1 | 3.3 | -25% |
| Other theft | 71 | 3.9 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 58 | 3.2 | 15.4 | -53% |
| Other crime | 42 | 2.3 | 2.1 | +5% |
| Burglary | 26 | 1.4 | 3.6 | +13% |
| Possession of weapons | 25 | 1.4 | 1.0 | -4% |
| Vehicle crime | 21 | 1.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 11 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Penrith; the highest is Workington (135.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Seaton (Allerdale) (35.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Penrith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlisle | 9,447 | 119.0 | +36% |
| Wigton | 421 | 67.9 | -22% |
| Windermere | 373 | 65.9 | -25% |
| Kendal | 2,425 | 80.1 | -8% |
| Cockermouth | 408 | 47.6 | -46% |
| Maryport | 863 | 104.4 | +19% |
| Seaton (Allerdale) | 186 | 35.5 | -59% |
| Workington | 3,081 | 135.5 | +55% |
Of the 2 areas within Penrith, Penrith South had the highest crime rate (117.0 per 1,000) and Penrith North the lowest (47.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penrith South | Neighbourhood | 10,362 | 1,212 | 117.0 |
| Penrith North | Neighbourhood | 7,748 | 371 | 47.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Penrith over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (63).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 63 |
| On or near Myers Lane | 59 |
| On or near Market Court | 57 |
| On or near Parking Area | 57 |
| On or near Supermarket | 53 |
| On or near Little Dockray | 42 |
| On or near Brewery Lane | 39 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 34 |
| On or near Carleton Road | 32 |
| On or near Two Lions Square | 29 |
Of the 1,525 crimes in Penrith with a recorded outcome, 19% 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 58 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 560 | 36.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 296 | 19.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 214 | 14.0% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 122 | 8.0% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 115 | 7.5% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 79 | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 63 | 4.1% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 25 | 1.6% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 19 | 1.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 16 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Penrith has an estimated population of 18,110 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.0%, against 7.9%), an older population (24%, against 19%) and more retired residents (26%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Penrith average decile 6.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Penrith | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Penrith a safe place to live?
Penrith recorded 87.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 504th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Penrith?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 769 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (184).
Is crime in Penrith going up or down?
Recorded crime in Penrith was down 7% on the year before: 1,583 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,709 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Penrith?
About 18,110 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Penrith?
Penrith is policed by Cumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.