Crime in Washington: statistics, rates and trends
4,434 crimes were recorded in Washington in the 12 months to August 2026, 84.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Washington at a glance
- Crime trends in Washington
- Types of crime in Washington
- Washington compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Washington
- Streets with the most crime in Washington
- What happened after crimes were reported in Washington
- Demographics of Washington
- Questions about crime in Washington
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,318), anti-social behaviour (794) and shoplifting (617) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 538th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Washington | Sunderland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,434 | 28,197 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 84.5 | 97.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -13% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 52,466 | 288,606 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Washington of any year here (4,434 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 28%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,434 | 84.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 5,079 | 96.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 6,061 | 115.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 6,213 | 118.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,677 | 108.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 5,593 | 106.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 6,200 | 118.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 6,352 | 121.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 6,138 | 117.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 347 |
| July 2026 | 423 |
| June 2026 | 359 |
| May 2026 | 399 |
| April 2026 | 378 |
| March 2026 | 326 |
| February 2026 | 245 |
| January 2026 | 152 |
| December 2025 | 428 |
| November 2025 | 423 |
| October 2025 | 448 |
| September 2025 | 506 |
Compared with England and Wales, Washington recorded notably more other crime (80% above the national rate), shoplifting (39% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (31% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (71% below) and possession of weapons (41% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 159 to 200 and shoplifting rose from 495 to 617, while drugs fell from 82 to 50 and vehicle crime fell from 243 to 160.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,318 | 25.1 | 34.2 | -22% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 794 | 15.1 | 15.4 | -4% |
| Shoplifting | 617 | 11.8 | 8.5 | +25% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 465 | 8.9 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Public order | 265 | 5.1 | 6.7 | -31% |
| Burglary | 234 | 4.5 | 3.6 | -26% |
| Other theft | 221 | 4.2 | 6.4 | -26% |
| Other crime | 200 | 3.8 | 2.1 | +26% |
| Vehicle crime | 160 | 3.0 | 5.0 | -34% |
| Robbery | 51 | 1.0 | 1.4 | +19% |
| Drugs | 50 | 1.0 | 3.3 | -39% |
| Possession of weapons | 30 | 0.6 | 1.0 | -14% |
| Theft from the person | 16 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 13 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Washington; the highest is Chester-le-Street (112.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Shiney Row and Penshaw (60.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birtley | 1,151 | 77.7 | -8% |
| Shiney Row and Penshaw | 1,094 | 60.1 | -29% |
| Pelton and Ouston | 586 | 95.9 | +13% |
| Chester-le-Street | 2,713 | 112.2 | +33% |
| Gateshead | 12,182 | 105.0 | +24% |
| Fence Houses | 366 | 60.2 | -29% |
| Boldon Colliery | 578 | 98.4 | +16% |
| Houghton-le-Spring | 1,135 | 97.8 | +16% |
Of the 5 areas within Washington, Washington North had the highest crime rate (125.5 per 1,000) and Washington East the lowest (54.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington North | Neighbourhood | 10,944 | 1,373 | 125.5 |
| Washington Central | Neighbourhood | 10,691 | 1,120 | 104.8 |
| Washington South | Neighbourhood | 9,535 | 640 | 67.1 |
| Washington West | Neighbourhood | 11,589 | 736 | 63.5 |
| Washington East | Neighbourhood | 12,999 | 714 | 54.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Washington over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (312).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 312 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 219 |
| On or near Supermarket | 116 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 100 |
| On or near Marlborough Road | 96 |
| On or near Victoria Road | 85 |
| On or near Craggs Road | 84 |
| On or near Wensleydale Avenue | 84 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 74 |
| On or near Washington Galleries Bus Station | 73 |
Of the 3,640 crimes in Washington with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 794 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,529 | 42.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,003 | 27.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 971 | 26.7% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 70 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 28 | 0.8% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 18 | 0.5% | 34.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 0.1% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.0% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Washington has an estimated population of 52,466 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (27%, against 17%), less private renting (12%, against 20%) and fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Washington average decile 4.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Washington | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 60.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 26.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 24.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Washington a safe place to live?
Washington recorded 84.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 538th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Washington?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,318 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (794).
Is crime in Washington going up or down?
Recorded crime in Washington was down 13% on the year before: 4,434 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 5,079 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Washington?
About 52,466 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Washington?
Washington is policed by Northumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.