Crime in South Elmsall: statistics, rates and trends
1,302 crimes were recorded in South Elmsall in the 12 months to August 2026, 110.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 26% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in South Elmsall at a glance
- Crime trends in South Elmsall
- Types of crime in South Elmsall
- South Elmsall compared with nearby towns
- Areas within South Elmsall
- Streets with the most crime in South Elmsall
- What happened after crimes were reported in South Elmsall
- Demographics of South Elmsall
- Questions about crime in South Elmsall
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (586), criminal damage and arson (113) and anti-social behaviour (103) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 256th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | South Elmsall | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,302 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 110.4 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -26% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 11,790 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in South Elmsall of any year here (1,302 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,302 | 110.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,769 | 150.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,055 | 174.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,955 | 165.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,731 | 146.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,568 | 133.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,623 | 137.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,581 | 134.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,697 | 143.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 104 |
| July 2026 | 117 |
| June 2026 | 117 |
| May 2026 | 114 |
| April 2026 | 114 |
| March 2026 | 131 |
| February 2026 | 79 |
| January 2026 | 73 |
| December 2025 | 76 |
| November 2025 | 96 |
| October 2025 | 144 |
| September 2025 | 137 |
Compared with England and Wales, South Elmsall recorded notably more other crime (85% above the national rate), violence and sexual offences (45% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (42% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (43% below) and drugs (43% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour fell from 233 to 103 and drugs fell from 37 to 22.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 586 | 49.7 | 34.2 | -14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 113 | 9.6 | 6.7 | -32% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 103 | 8.7 | 15.4 | -56% |
| Shoplifting | 99 | 8.4 | 8.5 | -40% |
| Public order | 96 | 8.1 | 6.7 | -27% |
| Other theft | 86 | 7.3 | 6.4 | -22% |
| Vehicle crime | 63 | 5.3 | 5.0 | -28% |
| Burglary | 53 | 4.5 | 3.6 | -17% |
| Other crime | 46 | 3.9 | 2.1 | -21% |
| Drugs | 22 | 1.9 | 3.3 | -41% |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than South Elmsall; the highest is Hemsworth (136.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Ackworth Moor Top (58.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South Elmsall |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Kirkby | 1,156 | 127.8 | +16% |
| Upton (Wakefield) | 527 | 81.3 | -26% |
| Hemsworth | 1,355 | 136.4 | +23% |
| Thurnscoe | 1,105 | 109.5 | -1% |
| Grimethorpe | 717 | 115.2 | +4% |
| Ackworth Moor Top | 389 | 58.4 | -47% |
| Adwick le Street | 2,509 | 128.3 | +16% |
| Goldthorpe | 1,021 | 132.8 | +20% |
South Elmsall and South Kirkby is the one area listed within South Elmsall, with 115.7 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Elmsall and South Kirkby | Neighbourhood | 19,436 | 2,248 | 115.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in South Elmsall over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (77).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 77 |
| On or near Cambridge Street | 54 |
| On or near Supermarket | 50 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 40 |
| On or near Low Gate | 36 |
| On or near Hutton Drive | 34 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 32 |
| On or near Wesley Street | 30 |
| On or near Witmore Street | 30 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 27 |
Of the 1,199 crimes in South Elmsall with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 103 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 483 | 40.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 365 | 30.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 139 | 11.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 59 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 48 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 34 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 24 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 19 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 15 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
South Elmsall has an estimated population of 11,790 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (31%, against 18%), more social housing (25%, against 17%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (18%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up South Elmsall average decile 3.1 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | South Elmsall | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 18.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 31.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 29.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 25.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 37.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is South Elmsall a safe place to live?
South Elmsall recorded 110.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 256th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in South Elmsall?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 586 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (113).
Is crime in South Elmsall going up or down?
Recorded crime in South Elmsall was down 26% on the year before: 1,302 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,769 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of South Elmsall?
About 11,790 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers South Elmsall?
South Elmsall 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.