Crime in Southwater: statistics, rates and trends
437 crimes were recorded in Southwater in the 12 months to August 2026, 37.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Southwater at a glance
- Crime trends in Southwater
- Types of crime in Southwater
- Southwater compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Southwater
- Streets with the most crime in Southwater
- What happened after crimes were reported in Southwater
- Demographics of Southwater
- Questions about crime in Southwater
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (148), anti-social behaviour (115) and criminal damage and arson (44) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,323rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Southwater | Horsham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 437 | 8,635 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 37.2 | 57.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 11,749 | 151,521 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Southwater peaked in the year to August 2021 (708 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (368). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 437 | 37.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 388 | 33.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 369 | 31.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 379 | 32.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 572 | 48.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 708 | 60.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 491 | 41.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 389 | 33.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 368 | 31.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 38 |
| July 2026 | 54 |
| June 2026 | 33 |
| May 2026 | 33 |
| April 2026 | 31 |
| March 2026 | 39 |
| February 2026 | 41 |
| January 2026 | 29 |
| December 2025 | 29 |
| November 2025 | 36 |
| October 2025 | 41 |
| September 2025 | 33 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (68% below) and violence and sexual offences (63% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 58 to 115, while criminal damage and arson fell from 58 to 44.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 148 | 12.6 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 115 | 9.8 | 15.4 | +98% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 44 | 3.7 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Public order | 29 | 2.5 | 6.7 | +7% |
| Other theft | 24 | 2.0 | 6.4 | -8% |
| Shoplifting | 19 | 1.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 18 | 1.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 16 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 8 | 0.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 7 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Southwater.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Southwater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadbridge Heath | 366 | 56.6 | +52% |
| Horsham | 3,924 | 78.1 | +110% |
| Billingshurst | 540 | 52.0 | +40% |
| Henfield | 326 | 55.2 | +48% |
| Storrington | 312 | 47.0 | +26% |
| Crawley (Crawley) | 15,916 | 126.4 | +240% |
| Cranleigh | 578 | 43.9 | +18% |
| Burgess Hill | 2,507 | 73.0 | +96% |
Of the 2 areas within Southwater, Southwater South & Shipley had the highest crime rate (50.2 per 1,000) and Southwater North the lowest (27.6).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwater South & Shipley | Neighbourhood | 8,192 | 411 | 50.2 |
| Southwater North | Neighbourhood | 6,670 | 184 | 27.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Southwater over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Park/Open Space” (28).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Park/Open Space | 28 |
| On or near Parking Area | 25 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 25 |
| On or near Kensett Avenue | 24 |
| On or near Fairbank Road | 20 |
| On or near Roman Lane | 16 |
| On or near The Avenue | 15 |
| On or near Bakers Close | 12 |
| On or near Supermarket | 12 |
| On or near Mapledown Close | 11 |
Of the 322 crimes in Southwater with a recorded outcome, 44% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 115 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 143 | 44.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 112 | 34.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 37 | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 3.7% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 6 | 1.9% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 0.9% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 0.6% | 2.5% |
Southwater has an estimated population of 11,749 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (7.6%, against 23.3%), less social housing (8.7%, against 17.1%) and less private renting (11%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Southwater average decile 9.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Southwater | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 7.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 80.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Southwater a safe place to live?
Southwater recorded 37.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,323rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Southwater?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 148 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (115).
Is crime in Southwater going up or down?
Recorded crime in Southwater was up 13% on the year before: 437 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 388 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Southwater?
About 11,749 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Southwater?
Southwater is policed by Sussex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.