Crime in Wigton: statistics, rates and trends
421 crimes were recorded in Wigton in the 12 months to August 2026, 67.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (243), criminal damage and arson (53) and public order (36) made up 79% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 809th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Wigton | Cumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 421 | 23,055 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 67.9 | 82.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 6,200 | 280,495 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wigton peaked in the year to August 2019 (619 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (374). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 6%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 421 | 67.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 374 | 60.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 392 | 63.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 453 | 73.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 540 | 87.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 542 | 87.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 438 | 70.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 619 | 99.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 449 | 72.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 37 |
| July 2026 | 32 |
| June 2026 | 42 |
| May 2026 | 40 |
| April 2026 | 34 |
| March 2026 | 23 |
| February 2026 | 40 |
| January 2026 | 42 |
| December 2025 | 47 |
| November 2025 | 34 |
| October 2025 | 19 |
| September 2025 | 31 |
Compared with England and Wales, Wigton recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (27% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (77% below). On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 35 to 53 and violence and sexual offences rose from 190 to 243, while anti-social behaviour fell from 32 to 22.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 243 | 39.2 | 34.2 | +28% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 53 | 8.5 | 6.7 | +51% |
| Public order | 36 | 5.8 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 22 | 3.5 | 15.4 | -31% |
| Shoplifting | 19 | 3.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 13 | 2.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 8 | 1.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 8 | 1.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other theft | 8 | 1.3 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 4 | 0.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Wigton; the highest is Workington (135.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Seaton (Allerdale) (35.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wigton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlisle | 9,447 | 119.0 | +75% |
| Cockermouth | 408 | 47.6 | -30% |
| Maryport | 863 | 104.4 | +54% |
| Seaton (Allerdale) | 186 | 35.5 | -48% |
| Penrith | 1,583 | 87.4 | +29% |
| Workington | 3,081 | 135.5 | +100% |
| Whitehaven | 2,317 | 97.7 | +44% |
| Windermere | 373 | 65.9 | -3% |
Wigton is the one area listed within Wigton, with 61.5 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wigton | Neighbourhood | 8,032 | 494 | 61.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Wigton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (34).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 34 |
| On or near Wampool Place | 17 |
| On or near Howrigg Bank | 16 |
| On or near Burnside | 15 |
| On or near Market Place | 14 |
| On or near Orchard Road | 13 |
| On or near Half Moon Lane | 12 |
| On or near Kirkland Avenue | 12 |
| On or near Scholars Green | 12 |
| On or near Wheatsheaf Lane | 12 |
Of the 399 crimes in Wigton with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 22 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 158 | 39.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 84 | 21.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 69 | 17.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 19 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 17 | 4.3% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 15 | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 11 | 2.8% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 10 | 2.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 0.5% | 2.5% |
Wigton has an estimated population of 6,200 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.3%, against 7.9%), an older population (26%, against 19%) and more residents with no qualifications (24%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wigton average decile 4.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Wigton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 24.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Wigton a safe place to live?
Wigton recorded 67.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 809th 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 Wigton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 243 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (53).
Is crime in Wigton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wigton was up 13% on the year before: 421 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 374 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wigton?
About 6,200 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wigton?
Wigton 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.