Crime in Rochester
Recorded crime in Rochester is 1.6 times the Medway average and 2.0 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.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Rochester: about 24,015 residents in 25 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 1/10High crime
- Living
- 8.5/10Excellent
- 5-year change
- −27%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.6×the Medway average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Rochester.
Crime over 5 years
Down 27% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Rochester, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.6× the Medway average (2.0× the England and Wales average). 166 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 68% of the harm here
- Burglary: 9% of the harm here
- Robbery: 7% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 68% 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: 37 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 | 2.3 |
| Burglary | 5.9 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 70.8 |
| Drugs | 4.5 |
| Possession of weapons | 1.6 |
| Other crime | 4.1 |
| Other theft | 14.4 |
| Theft from the person | 1.7 |
| Vehicle crime | 9.2 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 15.8 |
| Public order | 14.6 |
| Bicycle theft | 1.4 |
| Shoplifting | 19.6 |
Postcode districts in Rochester
Nearby towns
Council: Medway
Questions about crime in Rochester
- Is Rochester a safe place to live?
- Rochester scores 1 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.6 times the Medway average.
- Is crime going up or down in Rochester?
- Down 27% over 5 years, from 4,377 recorded crimes a year to 3,180.
- What is the most common crime in Rochester?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 71 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Rochester compare with Medway?
- Crime severity in Rochester is 1.6 times the Medway average.