Crime in Pontardawe: statistics, rates and trends
488 crimes were recorded in Pontardawe in the 12 months to August 2026, 84.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Pontardawe at a glance
- Crime trends in Pontardawe
- Types of crime in Pontardawe
- Pontardawe compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Pontardawe
- Streets with the most crime in Pontardawe
- What happened after crimes were reported in Pontardawe
- Demographics of Pontardawe
- Questions about crime in Pontardawe
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (240), public order (61) and anti-social behaviour (60) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 548th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Pontardawe | Neath Port Talbot | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 488 | 11,824 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 84.1 | 82.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 5,806 | 143,249 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Pontardawe peaked in the year to August 2021 (630 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (443). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 488 | 84.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 443 | 76.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 448 | 77.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 465 | 80.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 462 | 79.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 630 | 108.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 478 | 82.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 462 | 79.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 524 | 90.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 45 |
| July 2026 | 44 |
| June 2026 | 43 |
| May 2026 | 47 |
| April 2026 | 41 |
| March 2026 | 47 |
| February 2026 | 24 |
| January 2026 | 54 |
| December 2025 | 23 |
| November 2025 | 38 |
| October 2025 | 46 |
| September 2025 | 36 |
Compared with England and Wales, Pontardawe recorded notably more public order (58% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (33% below) and other theft (25% below). On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 32 to 39 and violence and sexual offences rose from 200 to 240.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 240 | 41.3 | 34.2 | +20% |
| Public order | 61 | 10.5 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 60 | 10.3 | 15.4 | +18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 39 | 6.7 | 6.7 | +22% |
| Other theft | 28 | 4.8 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Drugs | 13 | 2.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 13 | 2.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 7 | 1.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 1.0 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Pontardawe; the highest is Ammanford (109.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Pontarddulais (50.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Pontardawe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clydach (Swansea) | 543 | 74.1 | -12% |
| Ystalyfera | 693 | 76.5 | -9% |
| Neath | 3,557 | 92.3 | +10% |
| Baglan | 969 | 76.6 | -9% |
| Ammanford | 866 | 109.1 | +30% |
| Swansea | 18,240 | 100.6 | +20% |
| Pontarddulais | 341 | 50.0 | -40% |
| Cwmavon | 270 | 53.0 | -37% |
Pontardawe is the one area listed within Pontardawe, with 84.1 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontardawe | Neighbourhood | 5,806 | 488 | 84.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Pontardawe over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (60).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 60 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 25 |
| On or near Cysgod-Y-Fro | 22 |
| On or near Godre'R Fro | 20 |
| On or near Wesley Terrace | 20 |
| On or near Lon-Y-Coed | 16 |
| On or near Ffordd Parc Ynysderw | 15 |
| On or near Gellyfowy Road | 13 |
| On or near Rodfa Alltacham | 12 |
| On or near A4067 | 11 |
Of the 428 crimes in Pontardawe with a recorded outcome, 20% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 60 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 187 | 43.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 86 | 20.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 74 | 17.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 28 | 6.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 18 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 13 | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 11 | 2.6% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Pontardawe has an estimated population of 5,806 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (12%, against 20%), more social housing (24%, against 17%) and fewer households without a car (19%, against 23%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Pontardawe average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Pontardawe | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Pontardawe a safe place to live?
Pontardawe recorded 84.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 548th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order.
What is the most common crime in Pontardawe?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 240 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (61).
Is crime in Pontardawe going up or down?
Recorded crime in Pontardawe was up 10% on the year before: 488 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 443 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Pontardawe?
About 5,806 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Pontardawe?
Pontardawe is policed by South Wales.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.