Crime in Winchester: statistics, rates and trends
4,246 crimes were recorded in Winchester in the 12 months to August 2026, 81.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Winchester at a glance
- Crime trends in Winchester
- Types of crime in Winchester
- Winchester compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Winchester
- Streets with the most crime in Winchester
- What happened after crimes were reported in Winchester
- Demographics of Winchester
- Questions about crime in Winchester
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,600), shoplifting (567) and anti-social behaviour (387) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 594th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Winchester | Winchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,246 | 8,388 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 81.0 | 61.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 52,422 | 135,632 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Winchester of any year here (4,246 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 2%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,246 | 81.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,272 | 81.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,399 | 83.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,205 | 99.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,305 | 101.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,427 | 84.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,755 | 90.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,556 | 86.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,325 | 82.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 338 |
| July 2026 | 395 |
| June 2026 | 388 |
| May 2026 | 401 |
| April 2026 | 370 |
| March 2026 | 358 |
| February 2026 | 345 |
| January 2026 | 298 |
| December 2025 | 314 |
| November 2025 | 323 |
| October 2025 | 394 |
| September 2025 | 322 |
Compared with England and Wales, Winchester recorded notably more drugs (80% above the national rate) and shoplifting (28% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (75% below) and vehicle crime (70% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 21 to 28 and shoplifting rose from 449 to 567, while vehicle crime fell from 120 to 78 and possession of weapons fell from 55 to 36.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,600 | 30.5 | 34.2 | -10% |
| Shoplifting | 567 | 10.8 | 8.5 | +26% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 387 | 7.4 | 15.4 | +19% |
| Public order | 373 | 7.1 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Other theft | 316 | 6.0 | 6.4 | +12% |
| Drugs | 309 | 5.9 | 3.3 | +13% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 251 | 4.8 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Other crime | 133 | 2.5 | 2.1 | -6% |
| Burglary | 117 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -21% |
| Vehicle crime | 78 | 1.5 | 5.0 | -35% |
| Possession of weapons | 36 | 0.7 | 1.0 | -35% |
| Bicycle theft | 29 | 0.6 | 0.8 | -26% |
| Robbery | 28 | 0.5 | 1.4 | +33% |
| Theft from the person | 22 | 0.4 | 1.7 | -33% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kings Worthy | 200 | 38.0 | -53% |
| Chandler's Ford | 1,067 | 35.2 | -57% |
| Eastleigh | 3,767 | 79.3 | -2% |
| North Baddesley | 285 | 40.6 | -50% |
| Romsey | 1,081 | 55.6 | -31% |
| West End (Eastleigh) | 797 | 75.7 | -7% |
| Rownhams and Nursling | 358 | 62.1 | -23% |
| Hedge End | 1,356 | 57.9 | -29% |
Of the 6 areas within Winchester, St Michael had the highest crime rate (175.7 per 1,000) and Badger Farm and Oliver's Battery the lowest (34.2), 5 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Michael | Neighbourhood | 10,064 | 1,768 | 175.7 |
| St Paul | Neighbourhood | 11,500 | 834 | 72.5 |
| St Bartholomew | Neighbourhood | 7,785 | 518 | 66.5 |
| St Luke | Neighbourhood | 6,788 | 451 | 66.4 |
| St Barnabas | Neighbourhood | 8,990 | 342 | 38.0 |
| Badger Farm and Oliver's Battery | Neighbourhood | 8,447 | 289 | 34.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Winchester over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (251).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 251 |
| On or near Silver Hill | 192 |
| On or near West Hill Drive | 189 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 164 |
| On or near Parking Area | 143 |
| On or near St George'S Street | 138 |
| On or near Market Street | 118 |
| On or near Hospital | 111 |
| On or near Supermarket | 110 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 82 |
Of the 3,859 crimes in Winchester with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 387 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,277 | 33.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,070 | 27.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 368 | 9.5% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 355 | 9.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 342 | 8.9% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 153 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 110 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 75 | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 52 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 30 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 26 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Winchester has an estimated population of 52,422 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (17.9%, against 7.9%), fewer residents with no qualifications (10%, against 18%) and more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (47%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Winchester average decile 7.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Winchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 17.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 46.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 10.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Winchester a safe place to live?
Winchester recorded 81.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 594th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Winchester?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,600 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (567).
Is crime in Winchester going up or down?
Recorded crime in Winchester was almost unchanged on the year before: 4,246 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,272 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Winchester?
About 52,422 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Winchester?
Winchester is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.