Crime in Rawtenstall: statistics, rates and trends
1,613 crimes were recorded in Rawtenstall in the 12 months to August 2026, 77.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 17% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Rawtenstall at a glance
- Crime trends in Rawtenstall
- Types of crime in Rawtenstall
- Rawtenstall compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Rawtenstall
- Streets with the most crime in Rawtenstall
- What happened after crimes were reported in Rawtenstall
- Demographics of Rawtenstall
- Questions about crime in Rawtenstall
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (649), anti-social behaviour (359) and criminal damage and arson (138) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 654th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Rawtenstall | Rossendale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,613 | 6,369 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 77.8 | 87.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -17% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 20,724 | 73,045 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Rawtenstall peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,122 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (1,606). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,613 | 77.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,935 | 93.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,827 | 88.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,606 | 77.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,699 | 82.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,081 | 100.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,122 | 102.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,704 | 82.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,797 | 86.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 122 |
| July 2026 | 141 |
| June 2026 | 139 |
| May 2026 | 138 |
| April 2026 | 149 |
| March 2026 | 143 |
| February 2026 | 134 |
| January 2026 | 136 |
| December 2025 | 127 |
| November 2025 | 117 |
| October 2025 | 105 |
| September 2025 | 162 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (65% below) and shoplifting (50% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 61 to 87 and violence and sexual offences rose from 561 to 649, while anti-social behaviour fell from 665 to 359 and drugs fell from 44 to 24.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 649 | 31.3 | 34.2 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 359 | 17.3 | 15.4 | -46% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 138 | 6.7 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Public order | 101 | 4.9 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Shoplifting | 87 | 4.2 | 8.5 | +43% |
| Other theft | 69 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -37% |
| Vehicle crime | 68 | 3.3 | 5.0 | -3% |
| Burglary | 60 | 2.9 | 3.6 | -25% |
| Other crime | 35 | 1.7 | 2.1 | -22% |
| Drugs | 24 | 1.2 | 3.3 | -45% |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Rawtenstall; the highest is Accrington (149.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Haslingden (73.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Rawtenstall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haslingden | 1,234 | 73.7 | -5% |
| Bacup | 1,705 | 114.5 | +47% |
| Accrington | 5,483 | 149.9 | +93% |
| Whitworth | 624 | 98.7 | +27% |
| Oswaldtwistle | 1,109 | 121.6 | +56% |
| Burnley | 12,274 | 146.3 | +88% |
| Padiham | 1,527 | 137.7 | +77% |
| Clayton-le-Moors | 1,139 | 113.7 | +46% |
Of the 4 areas within Rawtenstall, Longholme had the highest crime rate (122.5 per 1,000) and Goodshaw & Cribden the lowest (43.7).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longholme | Neighbourhood | 8,838 | 1,083 | 122.5 |
| Hareholme & Waterfoot | Neighbourhood | 6,181 | 692 | 112.0 |
| Whitewell & Stacksteads | Neighbourhood | 7,046 | 561 | 79.6 |
| Goodshaw & Cribden | Neighbourhood | 6,630 | 290 | 43.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 20% of the crime recorded in Rawtenstall over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (58).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 58 |
| On or near Parking Area | 47 |
| On or near Dark Lane | 33 |
| On or near Duke Street | 31 |
| On or near Heightside Avenue | 29 |
| On or near Kirk View | 28 |
| On or near Coronation Grove | 27 |
| On or near James Street | 23 |
| On or near Springfield Drive | 23 |
| On or near Fairfield Avenue | 21 |
Of the 1,254 crimes in Rawtenstall with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 359 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 551 | 43.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 341 | 27.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 108 | 8.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 81 | 6.5% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 48 | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 44 | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 30 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 22 | 1.8% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 2 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Rawtenstall has an estimated population of 20,724 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%), less private renting (15%, against 20%) and fewer households without a car (18%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Rawtenstall average decile 5.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Rawtenstall | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Rawtenstall a safe place to live?
Rawtenstall recorded 77.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 654th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Rawtenstall?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 649 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (359).
Is crime in Rawtenstall going up or down?
Recorded crime in Rawtenstall was down 17% on the year before: 1,613 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,935 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Rawtenstall?
About 20,724 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Rawtenstall?
Rawtenstall 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.