Crime by Postcode
CherwellCouncil area

Crime in Cherwell

Recorded crime in Cherwell is 0.7 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 15%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.

170,426 residents in 102 neighbourhoods.

Safety
5/10Average crime
Living
6.2/10Fair
5-year change
−15%fewer crimes

Crime over 5 years

Down 15% in 5 years Recorded crimes in Cherwell, anti-social behaviour left out.

Sep 2021 – Aug 2022: 12,922 crimesSep 2021 – Aug 202212,922Sep 2022 – Aug 2023: 12,497 crimesSep 2022 – Aug 202312,497Sep 2023 – Aug 2024: 11,536 crimesSep 2023 – Aug 202411,536Sep 2024 – Aug 2025: 11,293 crimesSep 2024 – Aug 202511,293Sep 2025 – Aug 2026: 11,002 crimesSep 2025 – Aug 202611,002

What is recorded

Crime severity: 0.7× the England and Wales average. 63 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.

  • Violence and sexual offences: 66% of the harm here
  • Burglary: 12% of the harm here
  • Other theft: 6% of the harm here

"Violence and sexual offences" is 66% 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: 8.4 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.

TypePer 1,000 a year
Robbery0.4
Burglary2.9
Violence and sexual offences25.0
Drugs2.0
Possession of weapons0.5
Other crime1.6
Other theft6.3
Theft from the person0.9
Vehicle crime3.8
Criminal damage and arson6.0
Public order5.1
Bicycle theft0.9
Shoplifting7.5

Towns and cities in Cherwell

Postcode districts in Cherwell

Questions about crime in Cherwell

Is Cherwell a safe place to live?
Cherwell scores 5 out of 10 for safety (average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Is crime going up or down in Cherwell?
Down 15% over 5 years, from 12,922 recorded crimes a year to 11,002.
What is the most common crime in Cherwell?
The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 25 per 1,000 residents a year.