Crime in Stafford: statistics, rates and trends
8,015 crimes were recorded in Stafford in the 12 months to August 2026, 104.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 20% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Stafford at a glance
- Crime trends in Stafford
- Types of crime in Stafford
- Stafford compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Stafford
- Streets with the most crime in Stafford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Stafford
- Demographics of Stafford
- Questions about crime in Stafford
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,289), anti-social behaviour (1,285) and public order (698) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 303rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Stafford | Stafford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 8,015 | 11,641 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 104.5 | 82.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +20% | +14% | -1% |
| Population | 76,710 | 141,556 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Stafford of any year here (8,015 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 8,015 | 104.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 6,701 | 87.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 7,090 | 92.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 7,245 | 94.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 7,374 | 96.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 5,886 | 76.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 6,335 | 82.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 6,692 | 87.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 7,272 | 94.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 802 |
| July 2026 | 811 |
| June 2026 | 806 |
| May 2026 | 703 |
| April 2026 | 715 |
| March 2026 | 706 |
| February 2026 | 554 |
| January 2026 | 575 |
| December 2025 | 650 |
| November 2025 | 535 |
| October 2025 | 612 |
| September 2025 | 546 |
Compared with England and Wales, Stafford recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.8 times the national rate), public order (37% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (25% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (51% below) and robbery (33% below). On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 72 to 177 and robbery rose from 45 to 70.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,289 | 42.9 | 34.2 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,285 | 16.8 | 15.4 | +35% |
| Public order | 698 | 9.1 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 550 | 7.2 | 6.7 | +14% |
| Shoplifting | 507 | 6.6 | 8.5 | -7% |
| Other theft | 462 | 6.0 | 6.4 | +21% |
| Drugs | 270 | 3.5 | 3.3 | +16% |
| Burglary | 228 | 3.0 | 3.6 | +40% |
| Other crime | 192 | 2.5 | 2.1 | +38% |
| Vehicle crime | 185 | 2.4 | 5.0 | +28% |
| Bicycle theft | 177 | 2.3 | 0.8 | +146% |
| Possession of weapons | 89 | 1.2 | 1.0 | +33% |
| Robbery | 70 | 0.9 | 1.4 | +56% |
| Theft from the person | 13 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Stafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penkridge | 793 | 80.3 | -23% |
| Stone (Stafford) | 1,282 | 70.5 | -33% |
| Rugeley | 2,368 | 87.3 | -16% |
| Cannock | 5,179 | 82.1 | -21% |
| Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay | 896 | 54.9 | -47% |
| Featherstone (South Staffordshire) | 369 | 57.6 | -45% |
| Norton Canes | 707 | 75.2 | -28% |
| Handsacre and Armitage | 241 | 46.0 | -56% |
Of the 14 areas within Stafford, Forebridge had the highest crime rate (518.4 per 1,000) and Baswich the lowest (26.8), 19 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forebridge | Neighbourhood | 4,545 | 2,356 | 518.4 |
| Common | Neighbourhood | 3,201 | 519 | 162.1 |
| Doxey & Castletown | Neighbourhood | 3,771 | 421 | 111.6 |
| Coton | Neighbourhood | 9,262 | 1,025 | 110.7 |
| Penkside | Neighbourhood | 4,441 | 479 | 107.9 |
| Manor | Neighbourhood | 7,612 | 774 | 101.7 |
| Highfields & Western Downs | Neighbourhood | 8,198 | 723 | 88.2 |
| Seighford & Church Eaton | Neighbourhood | 7,937 | 493 | 62.1 |
| Rowley | Neighbourhood | 2,510 | 155 | 61.8 |
| Holmcroft | Neighbourhood | 8,343 | 474 | 56.8 |
| Littleworth | Neighbourhood | 4,894 | 242 | 49.4 |
| Milford | Neighbourhood | 2,612 | 98 | 37.5 |
| Weeping Cross & Wildwood | Neighbourhood | 5,072 | 152 | 30.0 |
| Baswich | Neighbourhood | 7,284 | 195 | 26.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 24% of the crime recorded in Stafford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (539).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 539 |
| On or near Supermarket | 385 |
| On or near St Martin'S Place | 178 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 173 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 162 |
| On or near Hospital | 150 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 126 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 94 |
| On or near Waterfront Way | 77 |
| On or near Wogan Street | 76 |
Of the 6,730 crimes in Stafford with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,285 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,792 | 41.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,626 | 24.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 901 | 13.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 358 | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 357 | 5.3% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 273 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 219 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 98 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 40 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 31 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 17 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 16 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Stafford has an estimated population of 76,710 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Stafford average decile 6.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Stafford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 1.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Stafford a safe place to live?
Stafford recorded 104.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 303rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and public order.
What is the most common crime in Stafford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,289 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,285).
Is crime in Stafford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Stafford was up 20% on the year before: 8,015 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 6,701 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Stafford?
About 76,710 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Stafford?
Stafford is policed by Staffordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.