Crime in Stowmarket: statistics, rates and trends
1,412 crimes were recorded in Stowmarket in the 12 months to August 2026, 64.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Stowmarket at a glance
- Crime trends in Stowmarket
- Types of crime in Stowmarket
- Stowmarket compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Stowmarket
- Streets with the most crime in Stowmarket
- What happened after crimes were reported in Stowmarket
- Demographics of Stowmarket
- Questions about crime in Stowmarket
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (707), shoplifting (132) and criminal damage and arson (112) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 873rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Stowmarket | Mid Suffolk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,412 | 4,558 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 64.3 | 41.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 21,949 | 110,775 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Stowmarket peaked in the year to August 2018 (2,006 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,318). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 30%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,412 | 64.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,318 | 60.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,379 | 62.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,541 | 70.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,733 | 79.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,458 | 66.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,759 | 80.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,817 | 82.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,006 | 91.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 151 |
| July 2026 | 149 |
| June 2026 | 130 |
| May 2026 | 123 |
| April 2026 | 102 |
| March 2026 | 114 |
| February 2026 | 95 |
| January 2026 | 99 |
| December 2025 | 108 |
| November 2025 | 96 |
| October 2025 | 129 |
| September 2025 | 116 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (76% below) and anti-social behaviour (75% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs rose from 55 to 71 and violence and sexual offences rose from 595 to 707, while burglary fell from 35 to 22 and other theft fell from 81 to 68.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 707 | 32.2 | 34.2 | +19% |
| Shoplifting | 132 | 6.0 | 8.5 | +7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 112 | 5.1 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Public order | 107 | 4.9 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 84 | 3.8 | 15.4 | -5% |
| Drugs | 71 | 3.2 | 3.3 | +29% |
| Other theft | 68 | 3.1 | 6.4 | -16% |
| Other crime | 45 | 2.1 | 2.1 | +2% |
| Vehicle crime | 26 | 1.2 | 5.0 | -7% |
| Burglary | 22 | 1.0 | 3.6 | -37% |
| Bicycle theft | 11 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Stowmarket; the highest is Ipswich (95.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Kesgrave (24.2).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Stowmarket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hadleigh | 460 | 49.9 | -22% |
| Ipswich | 14,484 | 95.9 | +49% |
| Bury St Edmunds | 3,471 | 78.5 | +22% |
| Kesgrave | 386 | 24.2 | -62% |
| Diss | 778 | 78.5 | +22% |
| Woodbridge | 400 | 41.8 | -35% |
| Sudbury | 1,860 | 76.9 | +20% |
| Lawford | 202 | 39.4 | -39% |
Of the 4 areas within Stowmarket, Combs Ford had the highest crime rate (105.0 per 1,000) and Stow Thorney the lowest (40.4).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combs Ford | Neighbourhood | 6,355 | 667 | 105.0 |
| St Peter's | Neighbourhood | 1,561 | 108 | 69.2 |
| Chilton | Neighbourhood | 7,199 | 361 | 50.1 |
| Stow Thorney | Neighbourhood | 6,834 | 276 | 40.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Stowmarket over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (62).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 62 |
| On or near Crowe Street | 55 |
| On or near Parking Area | 47 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 46 |
| On or near Hill Rise | 39 |
| On or near Police Station | 34 |
| On or near Fox Court | 33 |
| On or near Ipswich Street | 30 |
| On or near Verneuil Avenue | 29 |
| On or near Kettlelea Court | 24 |
Of the 1,328 crimes in Stowmarket with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 84 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 508 | 38.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 282 | 21.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 197 | 14.8% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 86 | 6.5% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 76 | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 62 | 4.7% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 43 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 35 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 14 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Stowmarket has an estimated population of 21,949 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.8%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (26%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Stowmarket average decile 6.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Stowmarket | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 6.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Stowmarket a safe place to live?
Stowmarket recorded 64.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 873rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Stowmarket?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 707 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (132).
Is crime in Stowmarket going up or down?
Recorded crime in Stowmarket was up 7% on the year before: 1,412 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,318 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Stowmarket?
About 21,949 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Stowmarket?
Stowmarket is policed by Suffolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.