Crime in Windermere: statistics, rates and trends
373 crimes were recorded in Windermere in the 12 months to August 2026, 65.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Windermere at a glance
- Crime trends in Windermere
- Types of crime in Windermere
- Windermere compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Windermere
- Streets with the most crime in Windermere
- What happened after crimes were reported in Windermere
- Demographics of Windermere
- Questions about crime in Windermere
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (173), criminal damage and arson (55) and other theft (30) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 848th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Windermere | Westmorland and Furness | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 373 | 16,568 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 65.9 | 72.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -11% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 5,664 | 230,185 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Windermere peaked in the year to August 2019 (443 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (325). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 373 | 65.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 417 | 73.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 325 | 57.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 329 | 58.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 396 | 69.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 437 | 77.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 417 | 73.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 443 | 78.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 328 | 57.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 30 |
| July 2026 | 31 |
| June 2026 | 31 |
| May 2026 | 31 |
| April 2026 | 35 |
| March 2026 | 31 |
| February 2026 | 34 |
| January 2026 | 40 |
| December 2025 | 19 |
| November 2025 | 29 |
| October 2025 | 32 |
| September 2025 | 30 |
Compared with England and Wales, Windermere recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (44% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (72% below) and shoplifting (56% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 24 to 30 and criminal damage and arson rose from 46 to 55, while shoplifting fell from 36 to 21 and public order fell from 37 to 28.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 173 | 30.5 | 34.2 | -14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 55 | 9.7 | 6.7 | +20% |
| Other theft | 30 | 5.3 | 6.4 | +25% |
| Public order | 28 | 4.9 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 24 | 4.2 | 15.4 | +14% |
| Shoplifting | 21 | 3.7 | 8.5 | -42% |
| Drugs | 20 | 3.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 7 | 1.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 0.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 3 | 0.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Windermere; the highest is Morecambe (140.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Bolton-le-Sands (37.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Windermere |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kendal | 2,425 | 80.1 | +22% |
| Ulverston | 756 | 72.2 | +10% |
| Carnforth | 396 | 71.8 | +9% |
| Millom | 279 | 49.9 | -24% |
| Dalton-in-Furness | 560 | 76.5 | +16% |
| Bolton-le-Sands | 266 | 37.0 | -44% |
| Penrith | 1,583 | 87.4 | +33% |
| Morecambe | 4,511 | 140.9 | +114% |
Windermere and Ambleside is the one area listed within Windermere, with 74.6 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windermere and Ambleside | Neighbourhood | 9,931 | 741 | 74.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Windermere over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (19).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 19 |
| On or near Woodland Close | 17 |
| On or near Cross Street | 16 |
| On or near Queen'S Drive | 16 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 16 |
| On or near Phoenix Way | 12 |
| On or near High Street | 11 |
| On or near Ellerthwaite Square | 10 |
| On or near Supermarket | 10 |
| On or near Tuchwud | 10 |
Of the 349 crimes in Windermere with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 24 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 124 | 35.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 101 | 28.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 51 | 14.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 25 | 7.2% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 12 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 11 | 3.2% | 0.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
Windermere has an estimated population of 5,664 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (28%, against 19%), fewer students (4.8%, against 7.9%) and more retired residents (30%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Windermere average decile 7.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Windermere | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Windermere a safe place to live?
Windermere recorded 65.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 848th 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 Windermere?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 173 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (55).
Is crime in Windermere going up or down?
Recorded crime in Windermere was down 11% on the year before: 373 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 417 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Windermere?
About 5,664 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 28% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Windermere?
Windermere 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.