Crime in Salisbury: statistics, rates and trends
4,724 crimes were recorded in Salisbury in the 12 months to August 2026, 100.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Salisbury at a glance
- Crime trends in Salisbury
- Types of crime in Salisbury
- Salisbury compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Salisbury
- Streets with the most crime in Salisbury
- What happened after crimes were reported in Salisbury
- Demographics of Salisbury
- Questions about crime in Salisbury
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,590), anti-social behaviour (993) and shoplifting (451) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 348th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Salisbury | Wiltshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,724 | 31,724 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 100.0 | 60.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 47,234 | 523,700 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Salisbury peaked in the year to August 2019 (5,282 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (4,485). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 8%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,724 | 100.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,680 | 99.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,709 | 99.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,753 | 100.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,029 | 106.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,485 | 95.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,898 | 103.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 5,282 | 111.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 5,109 | 108.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 431 |
| July 2026 | 454 |
| June 2026 | 401 |
| May 2026 | 396 |
| April 2026 | 392 |
| March 2026 | 389 |
| February 2026 | 402 |
| January 2026 | 338 |
| December 2025 | 371 |
| November 2025 | 376 |
| October 2025 | 403 |
| September 2025 | 371 |
Compared with England and Wales, Salisbury recorded notably more bicycle theft (74% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (37% above the national rate) and public order (31% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (65% below) and drugs (40% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 117 to 168 and drugs rose from 78 to 93.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,590 | 33.7 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 993 | 21.0 | 15.4 | -5% |
| Shoplifting | 451 | 9.5 | 8.5 | +8% |
| Public order | 413 | 8.7 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 391 | 8.3 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Other theft | 261 | 5.5 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 168 | 3.6 | 5.0 | +44% |
| Burglary | 130 | 2.8 | 3.6 | +2% |
| Drugs | 93 | 2.0 | 3.3 | +19% |
| Other crime | 90 | 1.9 | 2.1 | -5% |
| Bicycle theft | 68 | 1.4 | 0.8 | -14% |
| Possession of weapons | 31 | 0.7 | 1.0 | -3% |
| Theft from the person | 28 | 0.6 | 1.7 | -7% |
| Robbery | 17 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amesbury | 981 | 70.9 | -29% |
| Durrington | 242 | 43.9 | -56% |
| Fordingbridge | 408 | 75.2 | -25% |
| Tidworth | 569 | 52.0 | -48% |
| Verwood | 508 | 35.5 | -65% |
| Romsey | 1,081 | 55.6 | -44% |
| Ringwood | 920 | 71.3 | -29% |
| Totton | 1,810 | 69.3 | -31% |
Of the 9 areas within Salisbury, Salisbury St Edmund's had the highest crime rate (275.6 per 1,000) and Laverstock the lowest (35.9), 8 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salisbury St Edmund's | Neighbourhood | 5,152 | 1,420 | 275.6 |
| Salisbury St Paul's | Neighbourhood | 5,692 | 670 | 117.7 |
| Salisbury Harnham East | Neighbourhood | 5,951 | 551 | 92.6 |
| Salisbury Milford | Neighbourhood | 5,491 | 480 | 87.4 |
| Salisbury Bemerton Heath | Neighbourhood | 5,428 | 449 | 82.7 |
| Salisbury Fisherton & Bemerton Village | Neighbourhood | 6,192 | 439 | 70.9 |
| Salisbury St Francis & Stratford | Neighbourhood | 5,920 | 394 | 66.6 |
| Salisbury Harnham West | Neighbourhood | 3,204 | 184 | 57.4 |
| Laverstock | Neighbourhood | 5,843 | 210 | 35.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Salisbury over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (296).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 296 |
| On or near Queen Street | 202 |
| On or near Minster Street | 149 |
| On or near Parking Area | 120 |
| On or near Chipper Lane | 116 |
| On or near Hospital | 109 |
| On or near Nightclub | 108 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 93 |
| On or near St Thomas Square | 89 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 84 |
Of the 3,731 crimes in Salisbury with a recorded outcome, 32% 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 993 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,194 | 32.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,078 | 28.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 657 | 17.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 229 | 6.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 178 | 4.8% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 162 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 75 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 66 | 1.8% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 52 | 1.4% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 27 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Salisbury has an estimated population of 47,234 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.9%, against 7.9%) and an older population (23%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Salisbury average decile 6.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Salisbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Salisbury a safe place to live?
Salisbury recorded 100.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 348th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Salisbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,590 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (993).
Is crime in Salisbury going up or down?
Recorded crime in Salisbury was almost unchanged on the year before: 4,724 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,680 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Salisbury?
About 47,234 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Salisbury?
Salisbury is policed by Wiltshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.