Crime in Blackburn
Recorded crime in Blackburn is 1.1 times the Blackburn with Darwen average and 1.3 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 8%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Blackburn: about 44,863 residents in 36 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 3/10Above average crime
- Living
- 8.0/10Good
- 5-year change
- −8%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.1×the Blackburn with Darwen average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Blackburn.
Crime over 5 years
Down 8% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Blackburn, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.1× the Blackburn with Darwen average (1.3× the England and Wales average). 105 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 65% of the harm here
- Burglary: 13% of the harm here
- Robbery: 6% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 65% 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: 46 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 1.2 |
| Burglary | 5.3 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 43.0 |
| Drugs | 3.0 |
| Possession of weapons | 1.0 |
| Other crime | 2.2 |
| Other theft | 9.5 |
| Theft from the person | 1.2 |
| Vehicle crime | 6.4 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 10.2 |
| Public order | 9.3 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.5 |
| Shoplifting | 12.5 |
Postcode districts in Blackburn
Nearby towns
Council: Blackburn with Darwen
Questions about crime in Blackburn
- Is Blackburn a safe place to live?
- Blackburn scores 3 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.1 times the Blackburn with Darwen average.
- Is crime going up or down in Blackburn?
- Down 8% over 5 years, from 4,934 recorded crimes a year to 4,558.
- What is the most common crime in Blackburn?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 43 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Blackburn compare with Blackburn with Darwen?
- Crime severity in Blackburn is 1.1 times the Blackburn with Darwen average.