Crime by Postcode
BH16Postcode district

BH16 crime rate and crime map

Recorded crime in BH16 is 1.1 times the Dorset average and 0.6 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 14%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.

Upton, Dorset. 16,182 residents in 10 neighbourhoods.

Safety
7/10Low crime
Living
5.3/10Fair
5-year change
−14%fewer crimes
vs the council
1.1×the Dorset average
Open on the map

Safety and Living

Safety

Crime severity: 1.1× the Dorset average (0.6× the England and Wales average)

Crime only, by how serious it is. Compared with every postcode district. Higher is safer.

Living

Based on schools, transport, health, supermarkets, weighted by importance. Crime is not part of it. Higher is better.

Neighbourhoods by Safety

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 042C: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 042D: Safety 4 out of 10, above average crimeDorset 027B: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crimeDorset 027C: Safety 10 out of 10, very low crimeDorset 028A: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeDorset 028B: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeDorset 028C: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeDorset 028D: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeDorset 028E: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crimeDorset 033A: Safety 7 out of 10, low crime
1 = least safe, 10 = safest. Grey: no score. Select a neighbourhood to open it on the map.

Crime over 5 years

Down 14% in 5 years Recorded crimes in BH16, anti-social behaviour left out.

Sep 2021 – Aug 2022: 765 crimesSep 2021 – Aug 2022765Sep 2022 – Aug 2023: 878 crimesSep 2022 – Aug 2023878Sep 2023 – Aug 2024: 927 crimesSep 2023 – Aug 2024927Sep 2024 – Aug 2025: 653 crimesSep 2024 – Aug 2025653Sep 2025 – Aug 2026: 660 crimesSep 2025 – Aug 2026660

What is recorded

Crime severity: 1.1× the Dorset average (0.6× the England and Wales average). 49 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.

  • Violence and sexual offences: 68% of the harm here
  • Burglary: 17% of the harm here
  • Other theft: 4% of the harm here

"Violence and sexual offences" is 68% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.

Anti-social behaviour: 22 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.

Shops, transport, schools and health

Distances are straight-line, not walking routes. Scores use fixed distance bands, so they do not depend on other districts. Higher is better.

Supermarkets

Limited accessScore 4 out of 10
  • Typical distance to a large supermarket: 4.2 km.
  • Makro Poole (Makro), 5.7 km from the district centre
  • Tesco Poole Fleets Corner Extra (Tesco), 6.3 km from the district centre
  • Asda Poole Superstore (Asda), 7.1 km from the district centre

Transport

Fair accessScore 6 out of 10
  • Typical number of bus stops within 400 m: 4.
  • Nearest railway station: Hamworthy Rail Station, 3.4 km from the district centre
  • Nearest tram or metro stop: Norden - Park and Ride (Swanage Railway), 10.6 km from the district centre

Schools

Fair schools nearbyScore 5 out of 10

Primary schools within 2 km

  • Upton Infant School: Good (ungraded inspection, 2023), 230 m away
  • Upton Junior School: Good (graded inspection, 2023), 250 m away
  • Bayside Academy: Needs attention (report card, 2026), 380 m away
  • Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School: Good (graded inspection, 2022), 480 m away
  • Lytchett Matravers Primary School: Good (graded inspection, 2023), 800 m away

Secondary schools within 2 km

  • Lytchett Minster School: Good (ungraded inspection, 2023), 540 m away

    Health

    Fair accessScore 6 out of 10
    • Nearest GP surgery: THE ADAM PRACTICE, 4.5 km from the district centre, CQC rating: Outstanding, rated 2019
    • Nearest hospital with A&E: Poole General Hospital, 8.4 km from the district centre

    Crime by type

    Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.

    TypePer 1,000 a year
    Robbery0.2
    Burglary3.5
    Violence and sexual offences22.0
    Drugs0.8
    Possession of weapons0.3
    Other crime0.7
    Other theft4.2
    Theft from the person0.2
    Vehicle crime3.4
    Criminal damage and arson7.9
    Public order3.0
    Bicycle theft0.6
    Shoplifting2.1

    Trend over the years

    Crime severity per resident (sentence-days of the crimes recorded each year). Hatched bars are years with fewer than twelve months of data for most residents.

    20168.220178.820189.5201910.420209.820219.020229.8202310.5202410.820258.820268.8

    Last 12 months: 8.8 against a 10-year average of 9.6, 8% lower.

    Questions about crime in BH16

    Is BH16 a safe place to live?
    BH16 scores 7 out of 10 for safety (low crime), compared with every postcode district in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.1 times the Dorset average.
    Is crime going up or down in BH16?
    Down 14% over 5 years, from 765 recorded crimes a year to 660.
    What is the most common crime in BH16?
    The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 22 per 1,000 residents a year.
    How does crime in BH16 compare with Dorset?
    Crime severity in BH16 is 1.1 times the Dorset average.

    Nearest town

    Council: Dorset