Crime in Stanley (County Durham): statistics, rates and trends
3,177 crimes were recorded in Stanley (County Durham) in the 12 months to August 2026, 160.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Stanley (County Durham) at a glance
- Crime trends in Stanley (County Durham)
- Types of crime in Stanley (County Durham)
- Stanley (County Durham) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Stanley (County Durham)
- Streets with the most crime in Stanley (County Durham)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Stanley (County Durham)
- Demographics of Stanley (County Durham)
- Questions about crime in Stanley (County Durham)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,111), anti-social behaviour (572) and shoplifting (402) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 39th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Stanley (County Durham) | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,177 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 160.9 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 19,742 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Stanley (County Durham) peaked in the year to August 2023 (3,498 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (2,849). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it was almost unchanged, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,177 | 160.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,026 | 153.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,100 | 157.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,498 | 177.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,449 | 174.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,849 | 144.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,247 | 164.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,310 | 167.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,146 | 159.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 278 |
| July 2026 | 353 |
| June 2026 | 283 |
| May 2026 | 326 |
| April 2026 | 263 |
| March 2026 | 274 |
| February 2026 | 212 |
| January 2026 | 191 |
| December 2025 | 227 |
| November 2025 | 287 |
| October 2025 | 262 |
| September 2025 | 221 |
Compared with England and Wales, Stanley (County Durham) recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (2.9 times the national rate), shoplifting (2.4 times the national rate) and other crime (2.0 times the national rate), and notably less drugs (32% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 91 to 120 and criminal damage and arson rose from 318 to 389, while other theft fell from 145 to 116.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,111 | 56.3 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 572 | 29.0 | 15.4 | -3% |
| Shoplifting | 402 | 20.4 | 8.5 | +19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 389 | 19.7 | 6.7 | +22% |
| Public order | 194 | 9.8 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Vehicle crime | 120 | 6.1 | 5.0 | +32% |
| Other theft | 116 | 5.9 | 6.4 | -20% |
| Burglary | 87 | 4.4 | 3.6 | +14% |
| Other crime | 84 | 4.3 | 2.1 | -1% |
| Drugs | 44 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Possession of weapons | 27 | 1.4 | 1.0 | +4% |
| Robbery | 19 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 10 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Stanley (County Durham) has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest towns.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Stanley (County Durham) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annfield Plain | 1,083 | 133.0 | -17% |
| Pelton and Ouston | 586 | 95.9 | -40% |
| Sacriston | 600 | 113.4 | -30% |
| Chester-le-Street | 2,713 | 112.2 | -30% |
| Rowlands Gill | 357 | 63.9 | -60% |
| Birtley | 1,151 | 77.7 | -52% |
| Whickham | 1,404 | 90.5 | -44% |
| Consett | 2,831 | 100.1 | -38% |
Of the 2 areas within Stanley (County Durham), Stanley had the highest crime rate (182.0 per 1,000) and Craghead & South Moor the lowest (132.6).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley | Neighbourhood | 10,287 | 1,872 | 182.0 |
| Craghead & South Moor | Neighbourhood | 12,892 | 1,709 | 132.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 34% of the crime recorded in Stanley (County Durham) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Stanley Bus Station” (254).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Stanley Bus Station | 254 |
| On or near A693 | 192 |
| On or near Parking Area | 149 |
| On or near Supermarket | 124 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 74 |
| On or near Front Street | 66 |
| On or near John Street | 56 |
| On or near Ritson Street | 55 |
| On or near Woodland View | 55 |
| On or near Beamish Street | 50 |
Of the 2,605 crimes in Stanley (County Durham) with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 572 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,026 | 39.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 860 | 33.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 274 | 10.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 167 | 6.4% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 76 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 52 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 35 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 28 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 27 | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 23 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 21 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 16 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
Stanley (County Durham) has an estimated population of 19,742 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (25%, against 17%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (19%, against 34%) and more residents with no qualifications (26%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Stanley (County Durham) average decile 2.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Stanley (County Durham) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 19.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 25.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 30.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 25.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 33.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Stanley (County Durham) a safe place to live?
Stanley (County Durham) recorded 160.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 39th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Stanley (County Durham)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,111 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (572).
Is crime in Stanley (County Durham) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Stanley (County Durham) was up 5% on the year before: 3,177 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,026 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Stanley (County Durham)?
About 19,742 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Stanley (County Durham)?
Stanley (County Durham) is policed by Durham.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.