Crime in County Durham
Recorded crime in County Durham is 1.1 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 9%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
538,011 residents in 330 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 3/10Above average crime
- Living
- 5.9/10Fair
- 5-year change
- +9%more crimes
Crime over 5 years
Up 9% in 5 years Recorded crimes in County Durham, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.1× the England and Wales average. 91 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 69% of the harm here
- Burglary: 15% of the harm here
- Other theft: 4% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 69% 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: 25 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 | 0.3 |
| Burglary | 5.3 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 38.9 |
| Drugs | 2.0 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.6 |
| Other crime | 2.8 |
| Other theft | 6.5 |
| Theft from the person | 0.4 |
| Vehicle crime | 4.0 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 14.2 |
| Public order | 7.9 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.5 |
| Shoplifting | 8.2 |
Towns and cities in County Durham
Postcode districts in County Durham
Questions about crime in County Durham
- Is County Durham a safe place to live?
- County Durham scores 3 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Is crime going up or down in County Durham?
- Up 9% over 5 years, from 48,355 recorded crimes a year to 52,858.
- What is the most common crime in County Durham?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 39 per 1,000 residents a year.