Crime in Ross-on-Wye: statistics, rates and trends
833 crimes were recorded in Ross-on-Wye in the 12 months to August 2026, 73.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ross-on-Wye at a glance
- Crime trends in Ross-on-Wye
- Types of crime in Ross-on-Wye
- Ross-on-Wye compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ross-on-Wye
- Streets with the most crime in Ross-on-Wye
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ross-on-Wye
- Demographics of Ross-on-Wye
- Questions about crime in Ross-on-Wye
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (290), shoplifting (148) and anti-social behaviour (121) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 723rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Ross-on-Wye | Herefordshire, County of | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 833 | 11,739 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 73.3 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 11,369 | 191,047 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ross-on-Wye peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,296 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (831). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 833 | 73.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 831 | 73.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 975 | 85.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,012 | 89.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,296 | 114.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,185 | 104.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,269 | 111.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,260 | 110.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,143 | 100.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 80 |
| July 2026 | 92 |
| June 2026 | 81 |
| May 2026 | 84 |
| April 2026 | 65 |
| March 2026 | 57 |
| February 2026 | 62 |
| January 2026 | 52 |
| December 2025 | 58 |
| November 2025 | 71 |
| October 2025 | 78 |
| September 2025 | 53 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ross-on-Wye recorded notably more shoplifting (54% above the national rate), and notably less burglary (50% below) and other theft (39% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 95 to 148 and criminal damage and arson rose from 68 to 82, while burglary fell from 38 to 20 and anti-social behaviour fell from 154 to 121.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 290 | 25.5 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 148 | 13.0 | 8.5 | +56% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 121 | 10.6 | 15.4 | -21% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 82 | 7.2 | 6.7 | +21% |
| Public order | 62 | 5.5 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Other theft | 45 | 4.0 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Burglary | 20 | 1.8 | 3.6 | -47% |
| Drugs | 18 | 1.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 18 | 1.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 15 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ross-on-Wye; the highest is Abergavenny (132.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Kempsey (53.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ross-on-Wye |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monmouth | 968 | 87.4 | +19% |
| Ledbury | 548 | 55.7 | -24% |
| Hereford | 5,673 | 93.3 | +27% |
| Great Malvern | 2,477 | 71.8 | -2% |
| Abergavenny | 1,920 | 132.2 | +80% |
| Chepstow | 1,293 | 102.9 | +40% |
| Thornbury | 964 | 66.5 | -9% |
| Kempsey | 297 | 53.5 | -27% |
Of the 3 areas within Ross-on-Wye, Ross East had the highest crime rate (108.5 per 1,000) and Ross West the lowest (52.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ross East | Neighbourhood | 3,575 | 388 | 108.5 |
| Ross North | Neighbourhood | 5,316 | 316 | 59.4 |
| Ross West | Neighbourhood | 2,478 | 129 | 52.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Ross-on-Wye over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (152).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 152 |
| On or near Parking Area | 55 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 37 |
| On or near Market Place | 34 |
| On or near Broad Street | 29 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 19 |
| On or near Woburn Close | 19 |
| On or near Corpus Christi Lane | 15 |
| On or near Old Market Close | 15 |
| On or near Starling Road | 15 |
Of the 712 crimes in Ross-on-Wye with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 121 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 256 | 36.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 173 | 24.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 140 | 19.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 45 | 6.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 36 | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 22 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 15 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 15 | 2.1% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Ross-on-Wye has an estimated population of 11,369 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (30%, against 19%), fewer students (4.0%, against 7.9%) and more retired residents (32%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ross-on-Wye average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Ross-on-Wye | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 31.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ross-on-Wye a safe place to live?
Ross-on-Wye recorded 73.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 723rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Ross-on-Wye?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 290 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (148).
Is crime in Ross-on-Wye going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ross-on-Wye was almost unchanged on the year before: 833 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 831 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ross-on-Wye?
About 11,369 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ross-on-Wye?
Ross-on-Wye is policed by West Mercia.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.