Crime in Royston (North Hertfordshire): statistics, rates and trends
854 crimes were recorded in Royston (North Hertfordshire) in the 12 months to August 2026, 53.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Royston (North Hertfordshire) at a glance
- Crime trends in Royston (North Hertfordshire)
- Types of crime in Royston (North Hertfordshire)
- Royston (North Hertfordshire) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Royston (North Hertfordshire)
- Streets with the most crime in Royston (North Hertfordshire)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Royston (North Hertfordshire)
- Demographics of Royston (North Hertfordshire)
- Questions about crime in Royston (North Hertfordshire)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (316), anti-social behaviour (196) and shoplifting (70) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,096th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Royston (North Hertfordshire) | North Hertfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 854 | 9,152 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 53.1 | 66.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 16,086 | 137,201 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Royston (North Hertfordshire) peaked in the year to August 2024 (964 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (778). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 5%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 854 | 53.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 903 | 56.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 964 | 59.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 778 | 48.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 805 | 50.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 795 | 49.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 881 | 54.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 919 | 57.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 816 | 50.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 99 |
| July 2026 | 83 |
| June 2026 | 76 |
| May 2026 | 79 |
| April 2026 | 68 |
| March 2026 | 78 |
| February 2026 | 64 |
| January 2026 | 47 |
| December 2025 | 53 |
| November 2025 | 58 |
| October 2025 | 77 |
| September 2025 | 72 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (72% below) and criminal damage and arson (58% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 43 to 70, while other theft fell from 74 to 49 and public order fell from 44 to 30.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 316 | 19.6 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 196 | 12.2 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Shoplifting | 70 | 4.4 | 8.5 | +63% |
| Other theft | 49 | 3.0 | 6.4 | -34% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 46 | 2.9 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Vehicle crime | 41 | 2.5 | 5.0 | -27% |
| Burglary | 40 | 2.5 | 3.6 | +14% |
| Public order | 30 | 1.9 | 6.7 | -32% |
| Drugs | 28 | 1.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 18 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Royston (North Hertfordshire); the highest is Letchworth (84.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Great Shelford and Stapleford (33.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Royston (North Hertfordshire) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buntingford | 563 | 67.3 | +27% |
| Baldock | 806 | 75.2 | +42% |
| Sawston | 312 | 41.6 | -22% |
| Great Shelford and Stapleford | 225 | 33.5 | -37% |
| Stotfold | 664 | 48.5 | -9% |
| Letchworth | 2,848 | 84.7 | +60% |
| Biggleswade | 1,573 | 67.4 | +27% |
| Arlesey | 368 | 57.8 | +9% |
Of the 3 areas within Royston (North Hertfordshire), Royston Palace had the highest crime rate (77.1 per 1,000) and Royston Meridian the lowest (31.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royston Palace | Neighbourhood | 5,918 | 456 | 77.1 |
| Royston Heath | Neighbourhood | 4,870 | 357 | 73.3 |
| Royston Meridian | Neighbourhood | 7,746 | 242 | 31.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Royston (North Hertfordshire) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “King Street” (36).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near King Street | 36 |
| On or near George Lane | 31 |
| On or near Supermarket | 28 |
| On or near Parking Area | 27 |
| On or near Fish Hill | 25 |
| On or near Browning Close | 24 |
| On or near Austin Corner | 18 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 18 |
| On or near Field Crescent | 15 |
| On or near Stuart Drive | 15 |
Of the 658 crimes in Royston (North Hertfordshire) with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 196 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 241 | 36.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 211 | 32.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 92 | 14.0% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 32 | 4.9% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 31 | 4.7% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 21 | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Royston (North Hertfordshire) has an estimated population of 16,086 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%) and less social housing (12%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Royston (North Hertfordshire) average decile 8.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Royston (North Hertfordshire) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Royston (North Hertfordshire) a safe place to live?
Royston (North Hertfordshire) recorded 53.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,096th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Royston (North Hertfordshire)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 316 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (196).
Is crime in Royston (North Hertfordshire) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Royston (North Hertfordshire) was down 5% on the year before: 854 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 903 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Royston (North Hertfordshire)?
About 16,086 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Royston (North Hertfordshire)?
Royston (North Hertfordshire) is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.