Crime in Whitehaven: statistics, rates and trends
2,317 crimes were recorded in Whitehaven in the 12 months to August 2026, 97.7 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Whitehaven at a glance
- Crime trends in Whitehaven
- Types of crime in Whitehaven
- Whitehaven compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Whitehaven
- Streets with the most crime in Whitehaven
- What happened after crimes were reported in Whitehaven
- Demographics of Whitehaven
- Questions about crime in Whitehaven
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,194), public order (249) and criminal damage and arson (222) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 383rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Whitehaven | Cumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,317 | 23,055 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 97.7 | 82.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 23,706 | 280,495 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Whitehaven of any year here (2,317 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,317 | 97.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,403 | 101.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,420 | 102.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,506 | 105.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,563 | 108.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,321 | 97.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,724 | 114.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,913 | 122.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,983 | 125.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 197 |
| July 2026 | 190 |
| June 2026 | 193 |
| May 2026 | 179 |
| April 2026 | 228 |
| March 2026 | 165 |
| February 2026 | 205 |
| January 2026 | 191 |
| December 2025 | 205 |
| November 2025 | 195 |
| October 2025 | 199 |
| September 2025 | 170 |
Compared with England and Wales, Whitehaven recorded notably more public order (58% above the national rate), other crime (50% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (47% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (75% below) and anti-social behaviour (58% below). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 22 to 29, while anti-social behaviour fell from 257 to 154 and drugs fell from 109 to 89.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,194 | 50.4 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Public order | 249 | 10.5 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 222 | 9.4 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 154 | 6.5 | 15.4 | -40% |
| Other theft | 124 | 5.2 | 6.4 | +10% |
| Drugs | 89 | 3.8 | 3.3 | -18% |
| Shoplifting | 88 | 3.7 | 8.5 | -8% |
| Other crime | 75 | 3.2 | 2.1 | +9% |
| Burglary | 45 | 1.9 | 3.6 | +10% |
| Vehicle crime | 30 | 1.3 | 5.0 | -3% |
| Possession of weapons | 29 | 1.2 | 1.0 | +32% |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Whitehaven; the highest is Workington (135.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Seaton (Allerdale) (35.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Whitehaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workington | 3,081 | 135.5 | +39% |
| Seaton (Allerdale) | 186 | 35.5 | -64% |
| Cockermouth | 408 | 47.6 | -51% |
| Maryport | 863 | 104.4 | +7% |
| Wigton | 421 | 67.9 | -31% |
| Millom | 279 | 49.9 | -49% |
| Windermere | 373 | 65.9 | -33% |
| Dalton-in-Furness | 560 | 76.5 | -22% |
Of the 4 areas within Whitehaven, Kells and Sandwith had the highest crime rate (173.3 per 1,000) and Bransty the lowest (29.3), 6 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kells and Sandwith | Neighbourhood | 7,532 | 1,305 | 173.3 |
| Hillcrest and Hensingham | Neighbourhood | 6,016 | 447 | 74.3 |
| Mirehouse | Neighbourhood | 5,373 | 349 | 65.0 |
| Bransty | Neighbourhood | 4,673 | 137 | 29.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Whitehaven over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Nightclub” (112).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Nightclub | 112 |
| On or near Duke Street | 82 |
| On or near Cambridge Road | 78 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 68 |
| On or near Gregg'S Lane | 54 |
| On or near Peter Street | 46 |
| On or near Parking Area | 45 |
| On or near George Street | 43 |
| On or near James Street | 42 |
| On or near Scotch Street | 40 |
Of the 2,163 crimes in Whitehaven with a recorded outcome, 15% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 154 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 986 | 45.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 319 | 14.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 269 | 12.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 187 | 8.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 100 | 4.6% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 98 | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 96 | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 46 | 2.1% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 23 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Whitehaven has an estimated population of 23,706 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (10%, against 20%), fewer students (4.3%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Whitehaven average decile 4.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Whitehaven | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 20.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Whitehaven a safe place to live?
Whitehaven recorded 97.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 383rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Whitehaven?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,194 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (249).
Is crime in Whitehaven going up or down?
Recorded crime in Whitehaven was down 4% on the year before: 2,317 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,403 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Whitehaven?
About 23,706 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Whitehaven?
Whitehaven is policed by Cumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.