Crime in Workington: statistics, rates and trends
3,081 crimes were recorded in Workington in the 12 months to August 2026, 135.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Workington at a glance
- Crime trends in Workington
- Types of crime in Workington
- Workington compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Workington
- Streets with the most crime in Workington
- What happened after crimes were reported in Workington
- Demographics of Workington
- Questions about crime in Workington
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,382), public order (320) and criminal damage and arson (314) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 105th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Workington | Cumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,081 | 23,055 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 135.5 | 82.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 22,733 | 280,495 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Workington peaked in the year to August 2022 (4,103 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (2,978). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 18%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,081 | 135.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,153 | 138.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,978 | 131.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,650 | 160.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,103 | 180.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,621 | 159.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,914 | 172.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,927 | 172.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,777 | 166.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 304 |
| July 2026 | 268 |
| June 2026 | 278 |
| May 2026 | 260 |
| April 2026 | 232 |
| March 2026 | 248 |
| February 2026 | 219 |
| January 2026 | 268 |
| December 2025 | 261 |
| November 2025 | 218 |
| October 2025 | 285 |
| September 2025 | 240 |
Compared with England and Wales, Workington recorded notably more public order (2.1 times the national rate), criminal damage and arson (2.0 times the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (78% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (46% below) and vehicle crime (38% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 53 to 70, while possession of weapons fell from 51 to 20 and drugs fell from 152 to 122.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,382 | 60.8 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Public order | 320 | 14.1 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 314 | 13.8 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 305 | 13.4 | 8.5 | -7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 189 | 8.3 | 15.4 | -4% |
| Other theft | 156 | 6.9 | 6.4 | +1% |
| Drugs | 122 | 5.4 | 3.3 | -20% |
| Burglary | 101 | 4.4 | 3.6 | -13% |
| Other crime | 75 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 70 | 3.1 | 5.0 | +32% |
| Possession of weapons | 20 | 0.9 | 1.0 | -61% |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 9 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Workington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seaton (Allerdale) | 186 | 35.5 | -74% |
| Maryport | 863 | 104.4 | -23% |
| Whitehaven | 2,317 | 97.7 | -28% |
| Cockermouth | 408 | 47.6 | -65% |
| Wigton | 421 | 67.9 | -50% |
| Carlisle | 9,447 | 119.0 | -12% |
| Millom | 279 | 49.9 | -63% |
| Windermere | 373 | 65.9 | -51% |
Of the 4 areas within Workington, St Michael's had the highest crime rate (164.9 per 1,000) and Harrington the lowest (71.7).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Michael's | Neighbourhood | 4,724 | 779 | 164.9 |
| St John's and Great Clifton | Neighbourhood | 7,801 | 943 | 120.9 |
| Moss Bay and Moorclose | Neighbourhood | 6,755 | 692 | 102.4 |
| Harrington | Neighbourhood | 7,361 | 528 | 71.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Workington over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (300).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 300 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 139 |
| On or near Parking Area | 133 |
| On or near Hall Brow | 119 |
| On or near A597 | 45 |
| On or near Murray Road | 44 |
| On or near Derwent Street | 41 |
| On or near New Bridge Road | 41 |
| On or near Derwent Drive | 40 |
| On or near Firth View Walk | 40 |
Of the 2,892 crimes in Workington with a recorded outcome, 21% 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 189 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,150 | 39.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 603 | 20.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 328 | 11.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 256 | 8.9% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 153 | 5.3% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 129 | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 109 | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 53 | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 42 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 33 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 26 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Workington has an estimated population of 22,733 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (29%, against 17%), fewer students (3.9%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (20%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Workington average decile 3.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Workington | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 20.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 24.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 29.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 57.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 28.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 44.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Workington a safe place to live?
Workington recorded 135.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 105th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Workington?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,382 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (320).
Is crime in Workington going up or down?
Recorded crime in Workington was down 2% on the year before: 3,081 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,153 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Workington?
About 22,733 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Workington?
Workington 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.