Crime in Wilmslow: statistics, rates and trends
1,266 crimes were recorded in Wilmslow in the 12 months to August 2026, 47.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wilmslow at a glance
- Crime trends in Wilmslow
- Types of crime in Wilmslow
- Wilmslow compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Wilmslow
- Streets with the most crime in Wilmslow
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wilmslow
- Demographics of Wilmslow
- Questions about crime in Wilmslow
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (529), public order (134) and anti-social behaviour (123) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,188th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Wilmslow | Cheshire East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,266 | 28,139 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 47.9 | 66.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 26,429 | 421,298 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wilmslow peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,092 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,249). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 38%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,266 | 47.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,249 | 47.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,342 | 50.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,408 | 53.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,488 | 56.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,956 | 74.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,092 | 79.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,054 | 77.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,057 | 77.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 104 |
| July 2026 | 130 |
| June 2026 | 87 |
| May 2026 | 110 |
| April 2026 | 116 |
| March 2026 | 97 |
| February 2026 | 79 |
| January 2026 | 82 |
| December 2025 | 122 |
| November 2025 | 120 |
| October 2025 | 110 |
| September 2025 | 109 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (77% below) and anti-social behaviour (70% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs rose from 53 to 75 and anti-social behaviour rose from 96 to 123, while vehicle crime fell from 45 to 30 and other theft fell from 100 to 74.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 529 | 20.0 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Public order | 134 | 5.1 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 123 | 4.7 | 15.4 | +28% |
| Shoplifting | 96 | 3.6 | 8.5 | +22% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 89 | 3.4 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Drugs | 75 | 2.8 | 3.3 | +42% |
| Other theft | 74 | 2.8 | 6.4 | -26% |
| Burglary | 56 | 2.1 | 3.6 | -20% |
| Other crime | 36 | 1.4 | 2.1 | +12% |
| Vehicle crime | 30 | 1.1 | 5.0 | -33% |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Wilmslow; the highest is Macclesfield (86.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Holmes Chapel (29.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wilmslow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poynton | 484 | 35.9 | -25% |
| Bollington | 307 | 38.4 | -20% |
| Knutsford | 652 | 47.5 | -1% |
| Macclesfield | 4,754 | 86.1 | +80% |
| New Mills | 428 | 52.4 | +9% |
| Holmes Chapel | 203 | 29.3 | -39% |
| Lymm | 580 | 44.7 | -7% |
| Congleton | 2,345 | 70.6 | +47% |
Of the 4 areas within Wilmslow, Wilmslow Lacey Green had the highest crime rate (70.4 per 1,000) and Wilmslow Dean Row the lowest (24.0).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmslow Lacey Green | Neighbourhood | 5,172 | 364 | 70.4 |
| Wilmslow West and Chorley | Neighbourhood | 10,960 | 633 | 57.8 |
| Wilmslow East | Neighbourhood | 3,389 | 82 | 24.2 |
| Wilmslow Dean Row | Neighbourhood | 6,584 | 158 | 24.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in Wilmslow over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Green Lane” (87).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Green Lane | 87 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 37 |
| On or near Supermarket | 30 |
| On or near Warham Street | 29 |
| On or near Church Street | 27 |
| On or near Broadway | 25 |
| On or near Car Mill Mews | 23 |
| On or near Parking Area | 21 |
| On or near Grove Way | 20 |
| On or near Barlow Road | 19 |
Of the 1,143 crimes in Wilmslow with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 123 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 449 | 39.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 304 | 26.6% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 89 | 7.8% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 89 | 7.8% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 70 | 6.1% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 68 | 5.9% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 34 | 3.0% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 28 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Wilmslow has an estimated population of 26,429 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (51%, against 34%), fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (9.9%, against 18.2%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wilmslow average decile 8.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Wilmslow | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 51.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 9.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 74.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Wilmslow a safe place to live?
Wilmslow recorded 47.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,188th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Wilmslow?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 529 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (134).
Is crime in Wilmslow going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wilmslow was up 1% on the year before: 1,266 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,249 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wilmslow?
About 26,429 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wilmslow?
Wilmslow is policed by Cheshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.