Crime in Rayleigh: statistics, rates and trends
1,822 crimes were recorded in Rayleigh in the 12 months to August 2026, 54.6 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 Rayleigh at a glance
- Crime trends in Rayleigh
- Types of crime in Rayleigh
- Rayleigh compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Rayleigh
- Streets with the most crime in Rayleigh
- What happened after crimes were reported in Rayleigh
- Demographics of Rayleigh
- Questions about crime in Rayleigh
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (787), anti-social behaviour (230) and vehicle crime (131) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,065th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Rayleigh | Rochford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,822 | 4,605 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 54.6 | 51.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | +7% | -1% |
| Population | 33,368 | 89,815 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Rayleigh peaked in the year to August 2019 (2,275 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,661). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 1%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,822 | 54.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,661 | 49.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,780 | 53.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,956 | 58.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,083 | 62.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,019 | 60.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,019 | 60.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,275 | 68.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,844 | 55.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 163 |
| July 2026 | 166 |
| June 2026 | 169 |
| May 2026 | 169 |
| April 2026 | 179 |
| March 2026 | 174 |
| February 2026 | 128 |
| January 2026 | 96 |
| December 2025 | 126 |
| November 2025 | 156 |
| October 2025 | 154 |
| September 2025 | 142 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (61% below) and anti-social behaviour (55% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs rose from 49 to 91 and anti-social behaviour rose from 147 to 230, while shoplifting fell from 133 to 110.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 787 | 23.6 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 230 | 6.9 | 15.4 | +56% |
| Vehicle crime | 131 | 3.9 | 5.0 | +31% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 127 | 3.8 | 6.7 | +20% |
| Shoplifting | 110 | 3.3 | 8.5 | -17% |
| Public order | 106 | 3.2 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Other theft | 99 | 3.0 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Drugs | 91 | 2.7 | 3.3 | +86% |
| Burglary | 64 | 1.9 | 3.6 | -12% |
| Other crime | 40 | 1.2 | 2.1 | +3% |
| Possession of weapons | 15 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 12 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Rayleigh; the highest is Rochford (85.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Ashingdon (24.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Rayleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hullbridge | 253 | 46.5 | -15% |
| Thundersley and South Benfleet | 2,391 | 49.0 | -10% |
| Hockley and Hawkwell | 512 | 32.1 | -41% |
| Wickford | 1,897 | 67.7 | +24% |
| South Woodham Ferrers | 804 | 50.7 | -7% |
| Ashingdon | 160 | 24.9 | -54% |
| Rochford | 1,226 | 85.7 | +57% |
| Runwell | 796 | 81.7 | +50% |
Of the 5 areas within Rayleigh, Wheatley had the highest crime rate (110.9 per 1,000) and Trinity the lowest (29.8), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheatley | Neighbourhood | 6,049 | 671 | 110.9 |
| Downhall and Rawreth | Neighbourhood | 7,638 | 426 | 55.8 |
| Sweyne Park and Grange | Neighbourhood | 6,900 | 324 | 47.0 |
| Lodge | Neighbourhood | 6,348 | 226 | 35.6 |
| Trinity | Neighbourhood | 7,893 | 235 | 29.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Rayleigh over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (93).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 93 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 77 |
| On or near Parking Area | 77 |
| On or near Nightclub | 62 |
| On or near Police Station | 60 |
| On or near Westfield Close | 46 |
| On or near Gowlett Mews | 39 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 34 |
| On or near High Street | 33 |
| On or near London Road | 33 |
Of the 1,592 crimes in Rayleigh with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 230 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 628 | 39.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 491 | 30.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 147 | 9.2% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 84 | 5.3% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 69 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 47 | 3.0% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 45 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 37 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 25 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 16 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Rayleigh has an estimated population of 33,368 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.5%, against 17.1%), less private renting (11%, against 20%) and fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Rayleigh average decile 8.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Rayleigh | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 81.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Rayleigh a safe place to live?
Rayleigh recorded 54.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,065th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Rayleigh?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 787 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (230).
Is crime in Rayleigh going up or down?
Recorded crime in Rayleigh was up 10% on the year before: 1,822 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,661 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Rayleigh?
About 33,368 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Rayleigh?
Rayleigh is policed by Essex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.