Crime in South Hayling: statistics, rates and trends
1,130 crimes were recorded in South Hayling in the 12 months to August 2026, 69.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in South Hayling at a glance
- Crime trends in South Hayling
- Types of crime in South Hayling
- South Hayling compared with nearby towns
- Areas within South Hayling
- Streets with the most crime in South Hayling
- What happened after crimes were reported in South Hayling
- Demographics of South Hayling
- Questions about crime in South Hayling
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (533), anti-social behaviour (131) and public order (90) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 783rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | South Hayling | Havant | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,130 | 11,156 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 69.7 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 16,215 | 126,985 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in South Hayling peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,373 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,098). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 3%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,130 | 69.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,131 | 69.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,184 | 73.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,196 | 73.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,373 | 84.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,256 | 77.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,278 | 78.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,139 | 70.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,098 | 67.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 122 |
| July 2026 | 129 |
| June 2026 | 118 |
| May 2026 | 132 |
| April 2026 | 88 |
| March 2026 | 82 |
| February 2026 | 55 |
| January 2026 | 75 |
| December 2025 | 98 |
| November 2025 | 79 |
| October 2025 | 78 |
| September 2025 | 74 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (73% below) and drugs (60% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 72 to 86 and anti-social behaviour rose from 112 to 131, while vehicle crime fell from 37 to 22.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 533 | 32.9 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 131 | 8.1 | 15.4 | +17% |
| Public order | 90 | 5.6 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 86 | 5.3 | 6.7 | -10% |
| Other theft | 86 | 5.3 | 6.4 | +19% |
| Shoplifting | 68 | 4.2 | 8.5 | 0% |
| Burglary | 37 | 2.3 | 3.6 | +6% |
| Other crime | 28 | 1.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 22 | 1.4 | 5.0 | -41% |
| Drugs | 21 | 1.3 | 3.3 | +5% |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than South Hayling; the highest is Portsmouth (119.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Denmead (36.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South Hayling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emsworth | 674 | 54.2 | -22% |
| Portsmouth | 27,549 | 119.9 | +72% |
| Havant | 5,786 | 116.9 | +68% |
| East Wittering | 346 | 49.3 | -29% |
| Waterlooville | 2,661 | 75.1 | +8% |
| Gosport | 5,937 | 85.8 | +23% |
| Horndean | 1,687 | 50.0 | -28% |
| Denmead | 192 | 36.7 | -47% |
Of the 2 areas within South Hayling, Hayling West had the highest crime rate (71.6 per 1,000) and Hayling East the lowest (65.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayling West | Neighbourhood | 8,424 | 603 | 71.6 |
| Hayling East | Neighbourhood | 9,031 | 589 | 65.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 41% of the crime recorded in South Hayling over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (176).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 176 |
| On or near Supermarket | 71 |
| On or near Northney Road | 40 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 32 |
| On or near North Shore Road | 28 |
| On or near Station Road | 27 |
| On or near St Johns Close | 26 |
| On or near Winsor Close | 23 |
| On or near Magdala Road | 21 |
| On or near Manor Road | 21 |
Of the 999 crimes in South Hayling with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 131 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 426 | 42.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 291 | 29.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 136 | 13.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 42 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 29 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 24 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 16 | 1.6% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 9 | 0.9% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
South Hayling has an estimated population of 16,215 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (39%, against 19%), more retired residents (41%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up South Hayling average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | South Hayling | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 11.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 38.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 44.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 41.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is South Hayling a safe place to live?
South Hayling recorded 69.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 783rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in South Hayling?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 533 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (131).
Is crime in South Hayling going up or down?
Recorded crime in South Hayling was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,130 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,131 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of South Hayling?
About 16,215 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 39% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers South Hayling?
South Hayling is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.