Crime in Southport: statistics, rates and trends
7,588 crimes were recorded in Southport in the 12 months to August 2026, 80.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Southport at a glance
- Crime trends in Southport
- Types of crime in Southport
- Southport compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Southport
- Streets with the most crime in Southport
- What happened after crimes were reported in Southport
- Demographics of Southport
- Questions about crime in Southport
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,234), public order (805) and anti-social behaviour (755) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 612th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Southport | Sefton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 7,588 | 24,393 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 80.0 | 85.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 94,908 | 286,281 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Southport of any year here (7,588 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 7,588 | 80.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 7,965 | 83.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 8,051 | 84.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 8,831 | 93.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 9,868 | 104.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 9,157 | 96.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 8,252 | 86.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 8,529 | 89.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 8,726 | 91.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 631 |
| July 2026 | 769 |
| June 2026 | 650 |
| May 2026 | 656 |
| April 2026 | 681 |
| March 2026 | 608 |
| February 2026 | 565 |
| January 2026 | 531 |
| December 2025 | 636 |
| November 2025 | 601 |
| October 2025 | 629 |
| September 2025 | 631 |
Compared with England and Wales, Southport recorded notably more drugs (58% above the national rate) and public order (27% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (79% below) and vehicle crime (61% below). On the year before, burglary fell from 221 to 138 and bicycle theft fell from 67 to 52.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,234 | 34.1 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Public order | 805 | 8.5 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 755 | 8.0 | 15.4 | +13% |
| Shoplifting | 712 | 7.5 | 8.5 | -7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 493 | 5.2 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Drugs | 492 | 5.2 | 3.3 | -16% |
| Other theft | 428 | 4.5 | 6.4 | +12% |
| Vehicle crime | 182 | 1.9 | 5.0 | +4% |
| Other crime | 140 | 1.5 | 2.1 | -19% |
| Burglary | 138 | 1.5 | 3.6 | -38% |
| Robbery | 66 | 0.7 | 1.4 | +2% |
| Possession of weapons | 58 | 0.6 | 1.0 | -11% |
| Bicycle theft | 52 | 0.5 | 0.8 | -22% |
| Theft from the person | 33 | 0.3 | 1.7 | -6% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Southport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banks | 218 | 42.6 | -47% |
| Formby | 1,144 | 50.3 | -37% |
| Burscough | 744 | 72.5 | -9% |
| Ormskirk | 1,518 | 49.8 | -38% |
| Tarleton and Hesketh Bank | 330 | 35.1 | -56% |
| Lytham St Anne's | 3,302 | 75.4 | -6% |
| Lydiate | 299 | 35.9 | -55% |
| Warton (Fylde) | 344 | 59.4 | -26% |
Of the 7 areas within Southport, Duke's had the highest crime rate (207.9 per 1,000) and Meols the lowest (38.3), 5 times apart.
The 10 locations below account for 23% of the crime recorded in Southport over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (306).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 306 |
| On or near Supermarket | 283 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 242 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 196 |
| On or near Glebe Place | 159 |
| On or near Southport | 131 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 123 |
| On or near Hospital | 122 |
| On or near West Street | 108 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 88 |
Of the 6,833 crimes in Southport with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 755 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,835 | 41.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,836 | 26.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 722 | 10.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 567 | 8.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 259 | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 196 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 184 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 113 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 54 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 38 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 26 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Southport has an estimated population of 94,908 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.6%, against 17.1%), an older population (27%, against 19%) and more retired residents (29%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Southport average decile 5.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Southport | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 23.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 6.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Southport a safe place to live?
Southport recorded 80.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 612th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and public order.
What is the most common crime in Southport?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,234 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (805).
Is crime in Southport going up or down?
Recorded crime in Southport was down 5% on the year before: 7,588 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 7,965 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Southport?
About 94,908 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Southport?
Southport is policed by Merseyside.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.