Crime in Upton (Dorset): statistics, rates and trends
366 crimes were recorded in Upton (Dorset) in the 12 months to August 2026, 41.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Upton (Dorset) at a glance
- Crime trends in Upton (Dorset)
- Types of crime in Upton (Dorset)
- Upton (Dorset) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Upton (Dorset)
- Streets with the most crime in Upton (Dorset)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Upton (Dorset)
- Demographics of Upton (Dorset)
- Questions about crime in Upton (Dorset)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (130), anti-social behaviour (79) and vehicle crime (38) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,266th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Upton (Dorset) | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 366 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 41.8 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 8,761 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Upton (Dorset) of any year here (366 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 41%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 366 | 41.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 374 | 42.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 511 | 58.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 563 | 64.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 526 | 60.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 535 | 61.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 543 | 62.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 552 | 63.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 622 | 71.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 34 |
| July 2026 | 23 |
| June 2026 | 25 |
| May 2026 | 39 |
| April 2026 | 36 |
| March 2026 | 30 |
| February 2026 | 37 |
| January 2026 | 26 |
| December 2025 | 33 |
| November 2025 | 32 |
| October 2025 | 35 |
| September 2025 | 16 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (57% below) and criminal damage and arson (51% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 20 to 29, while violence and sexual offences fell from 183 to 130.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 130 | 14.8 | 34.2 | -29% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 79 | 9.0 | 15.4 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 38 | 4.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 29 | 3.3 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Other theft | 29 | 3.3 | 6.4 | +45% |
| Burglary | 26 | 3.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Public order | 12 | 1.4 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 0.8 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 3 | 0.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Upton (Dorset); the highest is Bournemouth (108.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Merley (27.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Upton (Dorset) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corfe Mullen | 393 | 36.8 | -12% |
| Poole | 10,739 | 74.0 | +77% |
| Merley | 167 | 27.4 | -34% |
| Bearwood | 302 | 59.5 | +43% |
| Wareham | 354 | 59.6 | +43% |
| Wimborne Minster | 972 | 60.8 | +46% |
| Ferndown | 545 | 39.6 | -5% |
| Bournemouth | 21,896 | 108.0 | +159% |
Lytchett Matravers & Upton is the one area listed within Upton (Dorset), with 38.3 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lytchett Matravers & Upton | Neighbourhood | 12,921 | 495 | 38.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Upton (Dorset) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Post Green Road” (17).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Post Green Road | 17 |
| On or near Osprey Close | 15 |
| On or near The Crossways | 15 |
| On or near Heights Approach | 13 |
| On or near Parking Area | 12 |
| On or near Robin Close | 11 |
| On or near Kestrel Close | 10 |
| On or near Cherry Blossom Drive | 9 |
| On or near Palmerston Close | 9 |
| On or near Martingale Close | 8 |
Of the 287 crimes in Upton (Dorset) with a recorded outcome, 38% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 79 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 115 | 40.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 110 | 38.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 18 | 6.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 2.4% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 2.1% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 1.0% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.3% | 2.5% |
Upton (Dorset) has an estimated population of 8,761 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (10%, against 23%), less social housing (8.2%, against 17.1%) and fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Upton (Dorset) average decile 6.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Upton (Dorset) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 10.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Upton (Dorset) a safe place to live?
Upton (Dorset) recorded 41.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,266th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Upton (Dorset)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 130 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (79).
Is crime in Upton (Dorset) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Upton (Dorset) was down 2% on the year before: 366 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 374 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Upton (Dorset)?
About 8,761 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Upton (Dorset)?
Upton (Dorset) is policed by Dorset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.