Crime in Upton (Wakefield): statistics, rates and trends
527 crimes were recorded in Upton (Wakefield) in the 12 months to August 2026, 81.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Upton (Wakefield) at a glance
- Crime trends in Upton (Wakefield)
- Types of crime in Upton (Wakefield)
- Upton (Wakefield) compared with nearby towns
- Streets with the most crime in Upton (Wakefield)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Upton (Wakefield)
- Demographics of Upton (Wakefield)
- Questions about crime in Upton (Wakefield)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (240), anti-social behaviour (64) and criminal damage and arson (44) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 590th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Upton (Wakefield) | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 527 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 81.3 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 6,486 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Upton (Wakefield) of any year here (527 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 24%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 527 | 81.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 596 | 91.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 696 | 107.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 747 | 115.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 679 | 104.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 630 | 97.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 709 | 109.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 718 | 110.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 698 | 107.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 37 |
| July 2026 | 55 |
| June 2026 | 56 |
| May 2026 | 38 |
| April 2026 | 44 |
| March 2026 | 61 |
| February 2026 | 36 |
| January 2026 | 45 |
| December 2025 | 39 |
| November 2025 | 37 |
| October 2025 | 37 |
| September 2025 | 42 |
Compared with England and Wales, Upton (Wakefield) recorded notably more other crime (90% above the national rate), and notably less public order (42% below) and anti-social behaviour (36% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 27 to 35 and other crime rose from 22 to 26, while public order fell from 41 to 25 and anti-social behaviour fell from 93 to 64.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 240 | 37.0 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 64 | 9.9 | 15.4 | -31% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 44 | 6.8 | 6.7 | -27% |
| Other theft | 37 | 5.7 | 6.4 | +16% |
| Vehicle crime | 35 | 5.4 | 5.0 | +30% |
| Other crime | 26 | 4.0 | 2.1 | +18% |
| Public order | 25 | 3.9 | 6.7 | -39% |
| Burglary | 15 | 2.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 15 | 2.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 12 | 1.9 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 1.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Upton (Wakefield); the highest is Askern (137.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Ackworth Moor Top (58.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Upton (Wakefield) |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Elmsall | 1,302 | 110.4 | +36% |
| South Kirkby | 1,156 | 127.8 | +57% |
| Hemsworth | 1,355 | 136.4 | +68% |
| Ackworth Moor Top | 389 | 58.4 | -28% |
| Adwick le Street | 2,509 | 128.3 | +58% |
| Grimethorpe | 717 | 115.2 | +42% |
| Thurnscoe | 1,105 | 109.5 | +35% |
| Askern | 802 | 137.7 | +69% |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in Upton (Wakefield) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Dorman Avenue” (26).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Dorman Avenue | 26 |
| On or near Pennine View | 22 |
| On or near Mclaren Avenue | 21 |
| On or near Parking Area | 21 |
| On or near Bell Street | 18 |
| On or near Jans Close | 18 |
| On or near Clayton Avenue | 17 |
| On or near Supermarket | 16 |
| On or near Woodlands Way | 16 |
| On or near First Avenue | 15 |
Of the 463 crimes in Upton (Wakefield) with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 64 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 199 | 43.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 124 | 26.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 57 | 12.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 40 | 8.6% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 15 | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 6 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Upton (Wakefield) has an estimated population of 6,486 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (27%, against 18%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (20%, against 34%) and fewer students (4.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Upton (Wakefield) average decile 3.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Upton (Wakefield) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 19.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 26.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Upton (Wakefield) a safe place to live?
Upton (Wakefield) recorded 81.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 590th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime.
What is the most common crime in Upton (Wakefield)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 240 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (64).
Is crime in Upton (Wakefield) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Upton (Wakefield) was down 12% on the year before: 527 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 596 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Upton (Wakefield)?
About 6,486 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Upton (Wakefield)?
Upton (Wakefield) is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.