Crime in Rushden: statistics, rates and trends
3,325 crimes were recorded in Rushden in the 12 months to August 2026, 113.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,006), anti-social behaviour (729) and shoplifting (489) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 237th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Rushden | North Northamptonshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,325 | 32,796 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 113.2 | 87.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 29,385 | 373,871 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Rushden of any year here (3,325 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,325 | 113.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,148 | 107.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,321 | 113.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,305 | 112.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,171 | 107.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,158 | 107.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,118 | 106.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,082 | 104.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,950 | 100.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 282 |
| July 2026 | 284 |
| June 2026 | 275 |
| May 2026 | 279 |
| April 2026 | 266 |
| March 2026 | 277 |
| February 2026 | 243 |
| January 2026 | 334 |
| December 2025 | 254 |
| November 2025 | 249 |
| October 2025 | 294 |
| September 2025 | 288 |
Compared with England and Wales, Rushden recorded notably more shoplifting (2.0 times the national rate), possession of weapons (86% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (61% above the national rate), and notably less public order (23% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 115 to 205 and robbery rose from 25 to 44, while other theft fell from 180 to 153.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,006 | 34.2 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 729 | 24.8 | 15.4 | +21% |
| Shoplifting | 489 | 16.6 | 8.5 | -7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 205 | 7.0 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Vehicle crime | 205 | 7.0 | 5.0 | +78% |
| Other theft | 153 | 5.2 | 6.4 | -15% |
| Public order | 151 | 5.1 | 6.7 | +1% |
| Burglary | 114 | 3.9 | 3.6 | +68% |
| Drugs | 94 | 3.2 | 3.3 | +11% |
| Other crime | 57 | 1.9 | 2.1 | +50% |
| Possession of weapons | 53 | 1.8 | 1.0 | +23% |
| Robbery | 44 | 1.5 | 1.4 | +76% |
| Bicycle theft | 14 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 11 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Rushden; the highest is Wellingborough (115.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Thrapston (45.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Rushden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Higham Ferrers | 765 | 81.3 | -28% |
| Irthlingborough | 703 | 73.7 | -35% |
| Finedon | 386 | 73.7 | -35% |
| Wellingborough | 6,521 | 115.8 | +2% |
| Raunds | 719 | 69.2 | -39% |
| Burton Latimer | 482 | 55.9 | -51% |
| Earls Barton | 329 | 51.4 | -55% |
| Thrapston | 346 | 45.3 | -60% |
Of the 3 areas within Rushden, Rushden Lakes had the highest crime rate (127.7 per 1,000) and Rushden South the lowest (81.0).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushden Lakes | Neighbourhood | 12,591 | 1,608 | 127.7 |
| Pemberton | Neighbourhood | 10,280 | 1,090 | 106.0 |
| Rushden South | Neighbourhood | 8,530 | 691 | 81.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Rushden over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (431).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 431 |
| On or near Bridge Court | 126 |
| On or near Church Street | 125 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 88 |
| On or near Parking Area | 67 |
| On or near Skinner'S Hill | 58 |
| On or near Fitzwilliam Street | 48 |
| On or near Kings Road | 48 |
| On or near High Street South | 43 |
| On or near Coronation Avenue | 41 |
Of the 2,596 crimes in Rushden with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 729 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 897 | 34.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 875 | 33.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 294 | 11.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 134 | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 114 | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 108 | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 70 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 55 | 2.1% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 21 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 20 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Rushden has an estimated population of 29,385 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (23%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Rushden average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Rushden | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Rushden a safe place to live?
Rushden recorded 113.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 237th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Rushden?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,006 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (729).
Is crime in Rushden going up or down?
Recorded crime in Rushden was up 6% on the year before: 3,325 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,148 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Rushden?
About 29,385 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Rushden?
Rushden is policed by Northamptonshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.