Crime in Skelmanthorpe: statistics, rates and trends
272 crimes were recorded in Skelmanthorpe in the 12 months to August 2026, 49.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Skelmanthorpe at a glance
- Crime trends in Skelmanthorpe
- Types of crime in Skelmanthorpe
- Skelmanthorpe compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Skelmanthorpe
- Streets with the most crime in Skelmanthorpe
- What happened after crimes were reported in Skelmanthorpe
- Demographics of Skelmanthorpe
- Questions about crime in Skelmanthorpe
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (117), anti-social behaviour (41) and public order (35) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,154th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Skelmanthorpe | Kirklees | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 272 | 43,862 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 49.7 | 97.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 5,468 | 447,847 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Skelmanthorpe peaked in the year to August 2024 (326 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (236). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 272 | 49.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 308 | 56.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 326 | 59.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 319 | 58.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 267 | 48.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 266 | 48.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 289 | 52.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 260 | 47.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 236 | 43.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 29 |
| July 2026 | 22 |
| June 2026 | 17 |
| May 2026 | 20 |
| April 2026 | 15 |
| March 2026 | 21 |
| February 2026 | 25 |
| January 2026 | 21 |
| December 2025 | 13 |
| November 2025 | 22 |
| October 2025 | 42 |
| September 2025 | 25 |
Compared with England and Wales, Skelmanthorpe recorded notably more burglary (34% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (51% below) and violence and sexual offences (37% below). On the year before, public order rose from 28 to 35.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 117 | 21.4 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 41 | 7.5 | 15.4 | +2% |
| Public order | 35 | 6.4 | 6.7 | +25% |
| Burglary | 26 | 4.8 | 3.6 | +8% |
| Other crime | 17 | 3.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Other theft | 11 | 2.0 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 9 | 1.6 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 9 | 1.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 3 | 0.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 2 | 0.4 | 8.5 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Skelmanthorpe; the highest is Horbury (84.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Penistone (48.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Skelmanthorpe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton West and Scissett | 329 | 64.9 | +30% |
| Lepton | 395 | 78.5 | +58% |
| Penistone | 438 | 48.5 | -3% |
| Honley | 690 | 48.6 | -2% |
| Darton | 989 | 59.2 | +19% |
| Barugh Green and Redbrook | 486 | 71.4 | +44% |
| Horbury | 783 | 84.5 | +70% |
| Dodworth | 420 | 70.2 | +41% |
Denby Dale is the one area listed within Skelmanthorpe, with 48.6 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denby Dale | Neighbourhood | 17,106 | 832 | 48.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Skelmanthorpe over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Langley Lane” (15).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Langley Lane | 15 |
| On or near Huddersfield Road | 14 |
| On or near Round Hill Close | 13 |
| On or near Parking Area | 12 |
| On or near Heritage Court | 11 |
| On or near Laburnum Grove | 11 |
| On or near New Street | 11 |
| On or near Poplar Rise | 11 |
| On or near Pickles Lane | 9 |
| On or near Moorland View | 8 |
Of the 231 crimes in Skelmanthorpe with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 41 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 97 | 42.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 67 | 29.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 29 | 12.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 14 | 6.1% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 6 | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
Skelmanthorpe has an estimated population of 5,468 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (8.2%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%) and fewer students (4.7%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Skelmanthorpe average decile 7.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Skelmanthorpe | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Skelmanthorpe a safe place to live?
Skelmanthorpe recorded 49.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,154th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were burglary.
What is the most common crime in Skelmanthorpe?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 117 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (41).
Is crime in Skelmanthorpe going up or down?
Recorded crime in Skelmanthorpe was down 12% on the year before: 272 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 308 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Skelmanthorpe?
About 5,468 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Skelmanthorpe?
Skelmanthorpe is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.