Crime in Stoke-on-Trent: statistics, rates and trends
37,543 crimes were recorded in Stoke-on-Trent in the 12 months to August 2026, 139.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Stoke-on-Trent at a glance
- Crime trends in Stoke-on-Trent
- Types of crime in Stoke-on-Trent
- Stoke-on-Trent compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Stoke-on-Trent
- Streets with the most crime in Stoke-on-Trent
- What happened after crimes were reported in Stoke-on-Trent
- Demographics of Stoke-on-Trent
- Questions about crime in Stoke-on-Trent
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (13,816), anti-social behaviour (6,801) and public order (3,145) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 88th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Stoke-on-Trent | Stoke-on-Trent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 37,543 | 37,774 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 139.7 | 139.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 268,745 | 270,425 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Stoke-on-Trent peaked in the year to August 2018 (40,516 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (32,330). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 37,543 | 139.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 34,746 | 129.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 35,933 | 133.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 37,719 | 140.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 38,458 | 143.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 32,330 | 120.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 34,316 | 127.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 38,467 | 143.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 40,516 | 150.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 3,333 |
| July 2026 | 3,594 |
| June 2026 | 3,535 |
| May 2026 | 3,210 |
| April 2026 | 3,139 |
| March 2026 | 3,131 |
| February 2026 | 2,948 |
| January 2026 | 2,900 |
| December 2025 | 3,040 |
| November 2025 | 2,713 |
| October 2025 | 3,007 |
| September 2025 | 2,993 |
Compared with England and Wales, Stoke-on-Trent recorded notably more possession of weapons (79% above the national rate), public order (76% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (65% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (77% below). On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 240 to 299 and robbery rose from 441 to 534.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 13,816 | 51.4 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 6,801 | 25.3 | 15.4 | +15% |
| Public order | 3,145 | 11.7 | 6.7 | +7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 2,991 | 11.1 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Shoplifting | 2,424 | 9.0 | 8.5 | -4% |
| Other theft | 2,217 | 8.2 | 6.4 | +15% |
| Burglary | 1,488 | 5.5 | 3.6 | +13% |
| Vehicle crime | 1,381 | 5.1 | 5.0 | +1% |
| Drugs | 1,082 | 4.0 | 3.3 | +12% |
| Other crime | 794 | 3.0 | 2.1 | +7% |
| Robbery | 534 | 2.0 | 1.4 | +21% |
| Possession of weapons | 466 | 1.7 | 1.0 | -3% |
| Bicycle theft | 299 | 1.1 | 0.8 | +25% |
| Theft from the person | 105 | 0.4 | 1.7 | -1% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Stoke-on-Trent has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest towns.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Stoke-on-Trent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Werrington | 398 | 62.2 | -56% |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 8,182 | 103.1 | -26% |
| Blythe Bridge and Forsbrook | 524 | 75.9 | -46% |
| Kidsgrove | 1,422 | 91.3 | -35% |
| Biddulph | 1,291 | 78.5 | -44% |
| Cheadle (Staffordshire Moorlands) | 1,043 | 83.8 | -40% |
| Stone (Stafford) | 1,282 | 70.5 | -50% |
| Alsager | 928 | 57.4 | -59% |
Of the 35 areas within Stoke-on-Trent, Hartshill Park & Stoke had the highest crime rate (308.7 per 1,000) and Lightwood North & Normacot the lowest (55.5), 6 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartshill Park & Stoke | Neighbourhood | 5,841 | 1,803 | 308.7 |
| Hanley Park, Joiner's Square & Shelton | Neighbourhood | 16,452 | 4,890 | 297.2 |
| Longton & Meir Hay South | Neighbourhood | 6,320 | 1,703 | 269.5 |
| Etruria & Hanley | Neighbourhood | 6,829 | 1,682 | 246.3 |
| Fenton West & Mount Pleasant | Neighbourhood | 6,513 | 1,311 | 201.3 |
| Penkhull & Springfields | Neighbourhood | 4,814 | 948 | 196.9 |
| Fenton East | Neighbourhood | 5,702 | 1,065 | 186.8 |
| Burslem | Neighbourhood | 4,435 | 818 | 184.4 |
| Tunstall | Neighbourhood | 8,065 | 1,391 | 172.5 |
| Bentilee, Ubberley & Townsend | Neighbourhood | 13,125 | 1,994 | 151.9 |
| Moorcroft & Sneyd Green | Neighbourhood | 13,917 | 2,057 | 147.8 |
| Ford Green & Smallthorne | Neighbourhood | 5,646 | 828 | 146.7 |
| Birches Head & Northwood | Neighbourhood | 12,340 | 1,787 | 144.8 |
| Burslem Park | Neighbourhood | 4,970 | 715 | 143.9 |
| Little Chell & Stanfield | Neighbourhood | 6,621 | 902 | 136.2 |
| Meir South | Neighbourhood | 6,514 | 854 | 131.1 |
| Dresden & Florence | Neighbourhood | 5,725 | 726 | 126.8 |
| Meir Park | Neighbourhood | 3,850 | 486 | 126.2 |
| Abbey Hulton | Neighbourhood | 6,828 | 843 | 123.5 |
| Blurton | Neighbourhood | 8,136 | 1,004 | 123.4 |
| Sandford Hill | Neighbourhood | 5,574 | 648 | 116.3 |
| Goldenhill & Sandyford | Neighbourhood | 5,883 | 657 | 111.7 |
| Meir North | Neighbourhood | 7,271 | 780 | 107.3 |
| Trent Vale & Oak Hill | Neighbourhood | 6,549 | 679 | 103.7 |
| Bucknall & Eaton Park | Neighbourhood | 5,501 | 554 | 100.7 |
| Boothen | Neighbourhood | 4,520 | 449 | 99.3 |
| Hollybush | Neighbourhood | 4,719 | 415 | 87.9 |
| Great Chell & Packmoor | Neighbourhood | 9,781 | 857 | 87.6 |
| Bradeley & Chell Heath | Neighbourhood | 7,424 | 621 | 83.6 |
| Meir Hay North, Parkhall & Weston Coyney | Neighbourhood | 12,537 | 973 | 77.6 |
| Basford & Hartshill | Neighbourhood | 7,109 | 536 | 75.4 |
| Fulford | Neighbourhood | 5,964 | 430 | 72.1 |
| Baddeley, Milton & Norton | Neighbourhood | 18,096 | 1,295 | 71.6 |
| Hanford, Newstead & Trentham | Neighbourhood | 15,680 | 1,107 | 70.6 |
| Lightwood North & Normacot | Neighbourhood | 7,138 | 396 | 55.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 15% of the crime recorded in Stoke-on-Trent over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (1,683).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 1,683 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 987 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 871 |
| On or near Parking Area | 821 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 255 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 220 |
| On or near Hospital | 209 |
| On or near Huntbach Street | 192 |
| On or near Railway Passage | 165 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 152 |
Of the 30,742 crimes in Stoke-on-Trent with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 6,801 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 11,990 | 39.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 9,379 | 30.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 3,695 | 12.0% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,451 | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 1,320 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 1,169 | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 957 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 577 | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 104 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 45 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 45 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Stoke-on-Trent has an estimated population of 268,745 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (26%, against 18%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%) and more social housing (22%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Stoke-on-Trent average decile 3.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Stoke-on-Trent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 25.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 57.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 30.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Stoke-on-Trent a safe place to live?
Stoke-on-Trent recorded 139.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 88th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and public order.
What is the most common crime in Stoke-on-Trent?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 13,816 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (6,801).
Is crime in Stoke-on-Trent going up or down?
Recorded crime in Stoke-on-Trent was up 8% on the year before: 37,543 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 34,746 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Stoke-on-Trent?
About 268,745 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Stoke-on-Trent?
Stoke-on-Trent 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.