Crime by Postcode

KempstonTown

Crime in Kempston

Recorded crime in Kempston is 0.9 times the Bedford average and 0.9 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 12%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.

Within 1.5 km of the centre of Kempston: about 23,360 residents in 21 neighbourhoods.

Safety
5/10Average crime
Living
6.3/10Fair
5-year change
+12%more crimes
vs the council
0.9×the Bedford average
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Neighbourhoods by Safety

Bedford 016B: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeBedford 018B: Safety 1 out of 10, high crimeBedford 017A: Safety 3 out of 10, above average crimeBedford 018C: Safety 4 out of 10, above average crimeBedford 018A: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeBedford 018G: Safety 4 out of 10, above average crimeBedford 008I: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeBedford 002F: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crimeBedford 016A: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeBedford 018F: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeBedford 018E: Safety 6 out of 10, average crimeBedford 017D: Safety 6 out of 10, average crimeBedford 016D: Safety 2 out of 10, high crimeBedford 018H: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeBedford 016C: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeBedford 017C: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeBedford 017B: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeBedford 008H: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crimeBedford 022B: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeBedford 008G: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeBedford 015D: Safety 4 out of 10, above average crime
1 = least safe, 10 = safest. Grey: no score. Select a neighbourhood to open it on the map.

Within 1.5 km of the centre of Kempston.

Crime over 5 years

Up 12% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Kempston, anti-social behaviour left out.

Sep 2021 – Aug 2022: 1,679 crimesSep 2021 – Aug 20221,679Sep 2022 – Aug 2023: 1,489 crimesSep 2022 – Aug 20231,489Sep 2023 – Aug 2024: 1,755 crimesSep 2023 – Aug 20241,755Sep 2024 – Aug 2025: 2,004 crimesSep 2024 – Aug 20252,004Sep 2025 – Aug 2026: 1,874 crimesSep 2025 – Aug 20261,874

What is recorded

Crime severity: 0.9× the Bedford average (0.9× the England and Wales average). 74 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.

  • Violence and sexual offences: 62% of the harm here
  • Burglary: 15% of the harm here
  • Drugs: 6% of the harm here

"Violence and sexual offences" is 62% 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: 18 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
Robbery0.6
Burglary4.2
Violence and sexual offences27.0
Drugs3.4
Possession of weapons0.6
Other crime1.5
Other theft4.6
Theft from the person0.4
Vehicle crime7.1
Criminal damage and arson7.6
Public order6.7
Bicycle theft1.1
Shoplifting9.0

Postcode districts in Kempston

Nearby towns

Council: Bedford

Questions about crime in Kempston

Is Kempston a safe place to live?
Kempston scores 5 out of 10 for safety (average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 0.9 times the Bedford average.
Is crime going up or down in Kempston?
Up 12% over 5 years, from 1,679 recorded crimes a year to 1,874.
What is the most common crime in Kempston?
The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 27 per 1,000 residents a year.
How does crime in Kempston compare with Bedford?
Crime severity in Kempston is 0.9 times the Bedford average.