Crime in Rhondda: statistics, rates and trends
1,169 crimes were recorded in Rhondda in the 12 months to August 2026, 87.3 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (534), public order (168) and anti-social behaviour (130) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 510th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Rhondda | Rhondda Cynon Taf | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,169 | 20,779 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 87.3 | 85.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 13,398 | 242,844 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Rhondda peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,521 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (1,134). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,169 | 87.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,220 | 91.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,240 | 92.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,191 | 88.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,134 | 84.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,385 | 103.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,507 | 112.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,486 | 110.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,521 | 113.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 87 |
| July 2026 | 117 |
| June 2026 | 115 |
| May 2026 | 106 |
| April 2026 | 81 |
| March 2026 | 91 |
| February 2026 | 99 |
| January 2026 | 101 |
| December 2025 | 91 |
| November 2025 | 86 |
| October 2025 | 93 |
| September 2025 | 102 |
Compared with England and Wales, Rhondda recorded notably more public order (88% above the national rate) and other crime (45% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (74% below) and burglary (41% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 26 to 40, while burglary fell from 43 to 28 and shoplifting fell from 41 to 29.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 534 | 39.9 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Public order | 168 | 12.5 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 130 | 9.7 | 15.4 | -19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 95 | 7.1 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Other theft | 59 | 4.4 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Other crime | 41 | 3.1 | 2.1 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 40 | 3.0 | 5.0 | +54% |
| Shoplifting | 29 | 2.2 | 8.5 | -29% |
| Burglary | 28 | 2.1 | 3.6 | -35% |
| Drugs | 19 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Rhondda; the highest is Pontypridd (105.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Tonypandy and Treherbert (80.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Rhondda |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treorchy | 662 | 86.9 | 0% |
| Tonypandy | 1,386 | 80.5 | -8% |
| Treherbert | 466 | 80.5 | -8% |
| Porth | 1,273 | 98.7 | +13% |
| Mountain Ash | 1,058 | 88.4 | +1% |
| Tonyrefail | 889 | 89.5 | +3% |
| Aberdare | 3,670 | 95.8 | +10% |
| Pontypridd | 3,597 | 105.8 | +21% |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Rhondda over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (95).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 95 |
| On or near Nebo Estate | 42 |
| On or near B4512 | 38 |
| On or near Sandybank Road | 32 |
| On or near Church Road | 30 |
| On or near Forge Lane | 28 |
| On or near Bodringallt Terrace | 23 |
| On or near St David Street | 23 |
| On or near Harcombe Road | 22 |
| On or near Ffordd Seren | 19 |
Of the 1,039 crimes in Rhondda with a recorded outcome, 19% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 130 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 491 | 47.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 194 | 18.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 183 | 17.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 63 | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 35 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 23 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 22 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 16 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 10 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Rhondda has an estimated population of 13,398 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (27%, against 18%), less social housing (12%, against 17%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (23%, against 34%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Rhondda average decile 3.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Rhondda | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 26.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.5 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Rhondda a safe place to live?
Rhondda recorded 87.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 510th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Rhondda?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 534 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (168).
Is crime in Rhondda going up or down?
Recorded crime in Rhondda was down 4% on the year before: 1,169 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,220 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Rhondda?
About 13,398 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Rhondda?
Rhondda 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.