Crime in Sawbridgeworth: statistics, rates and trends
628 crimes were recorded in Sawbridgeworth in the 12 months to August 2026, 53.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Sawbridgeworth at a glance
- Crime trends in Sawbridgeworth
- Types of crime in Sawbridgeworth
- Sawbridgeworth compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Sawbridgeworth
- Streets with the most crime in Sawbridgeworth
- What happened after crimes were reported in Sawbridgeworth
- Demographics of Sawbridgeworth
- Questions about crime in Sawbridgeworth
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (251), anti-social behaviour (123) and vehicle crime (61) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,084th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Sawbridgeworth | East Hertfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 628 | 10,712 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 53.6 | 68.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -14% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 11,717 | 156,875 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Sawbridgeworth peaked in the year to August 2019 (733 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (575). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 5%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 628 | 53.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 727 | 62.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 671 | 57.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 604 | 51.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 575 | 49.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 641 | 54.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 632 | 53.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 733 | 62.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 661 | 56.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 79 |
| July 2026 | 54 |
| June 2026 | 54 |
| May 2026 | 58 |
| April 2026 | 58 |
| March 2026 | 45 |
| February 2026 | 31 |
| January 2026 | 34 |
| December 2025 | 65 |
| November 2025 | 50 |
| October 2025 | 33 |
| September 2025 | 67 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and criminal damage and arson (60% below) and other theft (54% below) were well below it. On the year before, public order rose from 25 to 37 and burglary rose from 23 to 29, while criminal damage and arson fell from 58 to 32 and anti-social behaviour fell from 196 to 123.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 251 | 21.4 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 123 | 10.5 | 15.4 | -37% |
| Vehicle crime | 61 | 5.2 | 5.0 | -10% |
| Public order | 37 | 3.2 | 6.7 | +48% |
| Other theft | 35 | 3.0 | 6.4 | -10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 32 | 2.7 | 6.7 | -45% |
| Burglary | 29 | 2.5 | 3.6 | +26% |
| Other crime | 22 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 13 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 11 | 0.9 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Sawbridgeworth.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Sawbridgeworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harlow | 10,574 | 110.3 | +106% |
| Bishop's Stortford | 3,555 | 80.1 | +49% |
| Stansted Mountfitchet | 693 | 65.7 | +23% |
| Takeley and Little Canfield | 1,695 | 281.7 | +426% |
| Ware | 1,363 | 67.8 | +26% |
| Epping | 923 | 90.3 | +68% |
| Hoddesdon | 3,513 | 87.5 | +63% |
| Hertford | 2,537 | 81.9 | +53% |
Of the 2 areas within Sawbridgeworth, Rural East had the highest crime rate (66.9 per 1,000) and Sawbridgeworth the lowest (58.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural East | Neighbourhood | 9,630 | 644 | 66.9 |
| Sawbridgeworth | Neighbourhood | 9,575 | 556 | 58.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Sawbridgeworth over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “School Lane” (41).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near School Lane | 41 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 40 |
| On or near Parking Area | 35 |
| On or near Nursery Fields | 28 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 26 |
| On or near Cambridge Road | 24 |
| On or near West Road | 22 |
| On or near Crofters | 16 |
| On or near Cutforth Road | 16 |
| On or near The Mews | 16 |
Of the 505 crimes in Sawbridgeworth with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 123 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 189 | 37.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 170 | 33.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 71 | 14.1% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 28 | 5.5% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 22 | 4.4% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 8 | 1.6% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
Sawbridgeworth has an estimated population of 11,717 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (10%, against 23%), less social housing (7.6%, against 17.1%) and fewer students (5.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Sawbridgeworth average decile 8.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Sawbridgeworth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 10.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 74.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Sawbridgeworth a safe place to live?
Sawbridgeworth recorded 53.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,084th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Sawbridgeworth?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 251 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (123).
Is crime in Sawbridgeworth going up or down?
Recorded crime in Sawbridgeworth was down 14% on the year before: 628 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 727 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Sawbridgeworth?
About 11,717 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Sawbridgeworth?
Sawbridgeworth 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.