Crime in Taunton: statistics, rates and trends
8,305 crimes were recorded in Taunton in the 12 months to August 2026, 128.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 4% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,322), anti-social behaviour (1,243) and shoplifting (1,098) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 134th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Taunton | Somerset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 8,305 | 53,421 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 128.0 | 90.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 64,868 | 588,328 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Taunton peaked in the year to August 2022 (8,691 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (7,166). 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 | 8,305 | 128.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 7,963 | 122.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 7,898 | 121.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 7,571 | 116.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 8,691 | 134.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 7,166 | 110.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 7,928 | 122.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 8,199 | 126.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 8,336 | 128.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 722 |
| July 2026 | 785 |
| June 2026 | 633 |
| May 2026 | 730 |
| April 2026 | 736 |
| March 2026 | 668 |
| February 2026 | 618 |
| January 2026 | 630 |
| December 2025 | 685 |
| November 2025 | 649 |
| October 2025 | 763 |
| September 2025 | 686 |
Compared with England and Wales, Taunton recorded notably more shoplifting (2.0 times the national rate), bicycle theft (92% above the national rate) and public order (69% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (68% below) and vehicle crime (39% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 123 to 197 and bicycle theft rose from 66 to 103, while other theft fell from 509 to 429.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,322 | 51.2 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,243 | 19.2 | 15.4 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 1,098 | 16.9 | 8.5 | +34% |
| Public order | 729 | 11.2 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 540 | 8.3 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Other theft | 429 | 6.6 | 6.4 | -16% |
| Burglary | 239 | 3.7 | 3.6 | +34% |
| Vehicle crime | 197 | 3.0 | 5.0 | +60% |
| Other crime | 141 | 2.2 | 2.1 | +4% |
| Robbery | 136 | 2.1 | 1.4 | +51% |
| Bicycle theft | 103 | 1.6 | 0.8 | +56% |
| Drugs | 68 | 1.0 | 3.3 | +13% |
| Possession of weapons | 46 | 0.7 | 1.0 | +12% |
| Theft from the person | 14 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Taunton; the highest is Bridgwater (173.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Honiton (56.2).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Taunton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monkton Heathfield | 695 | 108.5 | -15% |
| Wellington (Somerset West and Taunton) | 1,278 | 87.8 | -31% |
| North Petherton | 502 | 95.8 | -25% |
| Bridgwater | 9,040 | 173.7 | +36% |
| Ilminster | 396 | 64.1 | -50% |
| Chard | 1,779 | 121.7 | -5% |
| Honiton | 685 | 56.2 | -56% |
| Burnham-on-Sea | 1,565 | 92.4 | -28% |
Of the 6 areas within Taunton, Taunton East had the highest crime rate (284.2 per 1,000) and Comeytrowe & Trull the lowest (52.0), 5 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taunton East | Neighbourhood | 13,098 | 3,722 | 284.2 |
| Bishop's Hull & Taunton West | Neighbourhood | 10,072 | 1,192 | 118.3 |
| Rowbarton & Staplegrove | Neighbourhood | 10,743 | 1,056 | 98.3 |
| Taunton North | Neighbourhood | 11,927 | 1,037 | 86.9 |
| Taunton South | Neighbourhood | 10,687 | 828 | 77.5 |
| Comeytrowe & Trull | Neighbourhood | 12,241 | 637 | 52.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 27% of the crime recorded in Taunton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (475).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 475 |
| On or near Supermarket | 374 |
| On or near Parking Area | 266 |
| On or near Hospital | 241 |
| On or near Paul Street | 230 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 199 |
| On or near North Street | 139 |
| On or near East Reach | 118 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 117 |
| On or near Deane Gate Avenue | 109 |
Of the 7,062 crimes in Taunton with a recorded outcome, 30% 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 1,243 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,972 | 42.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 2,141 | 30.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 609 | 8.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 442 | 6.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 375 | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 132 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 127 | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 98 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 67 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 44 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 37 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 18 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Taunton has an estimated population of 64,868 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Taunton average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Taunton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Taunton a safe place to live?
Taunton recorded 128.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 134th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Taunton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,322 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,243).
Is crime in Taunton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Taunton was up 4% on the year before: 8,305 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 7,963 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Taunton?
About 64,868 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Taunton?
Taunton is policed by Avon and Somerset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.