Crime in Tenterden: statistics, rates and trends
530 crimes were recorded in Tenterden in the 12 months to August 2026, 70.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Tenterden at a glance
- Crime trends in Tenterden
- Types of crime in Tenterden
- Tenterden compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Tenterden
- Streets with the most crime in Tenterden
- What happened after crimes were reported in Tenterden
- Demographics of Tenterden
- Questions about crime in Tenterden
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (195), anti-social behaviour (117) and criminal damage and arson (67) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 761st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Tenterden | Ashford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 530 | 10,895 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 70.7 | 77.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 7,498 | 140,936 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Tenterden peaked in the year to August 2018 (630 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (457). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 530 | 70.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 552 | 73.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 540 | 72.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 457 | 60.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 486 | 64.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 611 | 81.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 574 | 76.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 565 | 75.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 630 | 84.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 63 |
| July 2026 | 36 |
| June 2026 | 45 |
| May 2026 | 44 |
| April 2026 | 35 |
| March 2026 | 37 |
| February 2026 | 31 |
| January 2026 | 47 |
| December 2025 | 44 |
| November 2025 | 57 |
| October 2025 | 51 |
| September 2025 | 40 |
Compared with England and Wales, Tenterden recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (32% above the national rate), and notably less public order (60% below) and shoplifting (50% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 82 to 117 and other theft rose from 30 to 36, while shoplifting fell from 60 to 32 and public order fell from 30 to 20.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 195 | 26.0 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 117 | 15.6 | 15.4 | +43% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 67 | 8.9 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Other theft | 36 | 4.8 | 6.4 | +20% |
| Shoplifting | 32 | 4.3 | 8.5 | -47% |
| Public order | 20 | 2.7 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Other crime | 17 | 2.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 14 | 1.9 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Tenterden; the highest is Ashford (Ashford) (95.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Bearsted (34.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Tenterden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawkhurst | 285 | 54.8 | -22% |
| Staplehurst | 468 | 61.3 | -13% |
| Ashford (Ashford) | 7,962 | 95.7 | +35% |
| Lenham and Harrietsham | 459 | 83.5 | +18% |
| Coxheath | 619 | 58.6 | -17% |
| Littlestone-on-Sea | 209 | 36.9 | -48% |
| Bearsted | 289 | 34.5 | -51% |
| Paddock Wood | 838 | 89.4 | +27% |
Of the 3 areas within Tenterden, Tenterden South had the highest crime rate (93.8 per 1,000) and Tenterden St Michael's the lowest (49.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenterden South | Neighbourhood | 2,837 | 266 | 93.8 |
| Tenterden North | Neighbourhood | 2,215 | 144 | 65.0 |
| Tenterden St Michael's | Neighbourhood | 2,446 | 120 | 49.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Tenterden over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (43).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 43 |
| On or near Priory Way | 31 |
| On or near Parking Area | 29 |
| On or near William Judge Close | 20 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 19 |
| On or near Tilden Gill Road | 18 |
| On or near Caxton Close | 17 |
| On or near Jarvis Place | 16 |
| On or near Marshalls Land | 15 |
| On or near Supermarket | 15 |
Of the 413 crimes in Tenterden with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 117 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 177 | 42.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 142 | 34.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 36 | 8.7% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 20 | 4.8% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 14 | 3.4% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 1.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Tenterden has an estimated population of 7,498 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (36%, against 19%), more retired residents (38%, against 22%) and fewer students (4.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Tenterden average decile 6.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Tenterden | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 35.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 38.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Tenterden a safe place to live?
Tenterden recorded 70.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 761st 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.
What is the most common crime in Tenterden?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 195 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (117).
Is crime in Tenterden going up or down?
Recorded crime in Tenterden was down 4% on the year before: 530 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 552 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Tenterden?
About 7,498 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 36% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Tenterden?
Tenterden is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.