Crime by Postcode
PO38Postcode district

PO38 crime rate and crime map

Recorded crime in PO38 is 0.8 times the Isle of Wight average and 0.8 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 27%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.

Ventnor, Isle of Wight. 12,264 residents in 9 neighbourhoods.

Safety
6/10Average crime
Living
4.2/10Weak
5-year change
−27%fewer crimes
vs the council
0.8×the Isle of Wight average
Open on the map

Safety and Living

Safety

Crime severity: 0.8× the Isle of Wight average (0.8× 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

Isle of Wight 017A: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeIsle of Wight 017B: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crimeIsle of Wight 017C: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeIsle of Wight 018A: Safety 2 out of 10, high crimeIsle of Wight 018B: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeIsle of Wight 018C: Safety 6 out of 10, average crimeIsle of Wight 018D: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeIsle of Wight 017D: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeIsle of Wight 018E: 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 27% in 5 years Recorded crimes in PO38, anti-social behaviour left out.

Sep 2021 – Aug 2022: 858 crimesSep 2021 – Aug 2022858Sep 2022 – Aug 2023: 680 crimesSep 2022 – Aug 2023680Sep 2023 – Aug 2024: 721 crimesSep 2023 – Aug 2024721Sep 2024 – Aug 2025: 683 crimesSep 2024 – Aug 2025683Sep 2025 – Aug 2026: 624 crimesSep 2025 – Aug 2026624

What is recorded

Crime severity: 0.8× the Isle of Wight average (0.8× the England and Wales average). 58 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.

  • Violence and sexual offences: 74% of the harm here
  • Burglary: 11% of the harm here
  • Other theft: 4% of the harm here

"Violence and sexual offences" is 74% 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: 11 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 3 out of 10
  • Typical distance to a large supermarket: 6.6 km.
  • Lidl Shanklin Esplanade Shanklin (Lidl), 7.3 km from the district centre
  • Morrisons Shanklin Esplanade Shanklin (Morrisons), 8.1 km from the district centre
  • Asda Newport Isle of Wight Superstore (Asda), 10.9 km from the district centre

Transport

Limited accessScore 4 out of 10
  • Typical number of bus stops within 400 m: 4.
  • Nearest railway station: Shanklin Rail Station, 7.5 km from the district centre
  • Nearest tram or metro stop: Havenstreet (Isle of Wight Steam Railway), 11.5 km from the district centre

Schools

Fair schools nearbyScore 5 out of 10

Primary schools within 2 km

  • Godshill Primary School: Good (graded inspection, 2023), 300 m away
  • St Francis Catholic and Church of England Primary Academy: Good (graded inspection, 2021), 350 m away
  • Niton Primary School: Good (ungraded inspection, 2023), 1.4 km away

Secondary schools within 2 km

  • The Island Free School: Good (ungraded inspection, 2023), 220 m away

    Health

    Limited accessScore 4 out of 10
    • Nearest GP surgery: VENTNOR MEDICAL PRACTICE, 4.3 km from the district centre, CQC rating: Good, rated 2016
    • Nearest hospital with A&E: Gosport War Memorial Minor Injuries Unit, 23.3 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
    Burglary2.7
    Violence and sexual offences28.6
    Drugs1.4
    Possession of weapons0.7
    Other crime1.4
    Other theft4.6
    Theft from the person0.2
    Vehicle crime1.3
    Criminal damage and arson7.3
    Public order6.9
    Bicycle theft0.2
    Shoplifting2.9

    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.

    20167.8201710.7201810.0201911.2202011.4202113.0202213.7202312.1202411.8202511.2202610.8

    Last 12 months: 10.8 against a 10-year average of 11.5, 6% lower.

    Questions about crime in PO38

    Is PO38 a safe place to live?
    PO38 scores 6 out of 10 for safety (average crime), compared with every postcode district in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 0.8 times the Isle of Wight average.
    Is crime going up or down in PO38?
    Down 27% over 5 years, from 858 recorded crimes a year to 624.
    What is the most common crime in PO38?
    The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 29 per 1,000 residents a year.
    How does crime in PO38 compare with Isle of Wight?
    Crime severity in PO38 is 0.8 times the Isle of Wight average.

    Towns

    Council: Isle of Wight