Total Crime Rate
54.1 per 1,000
All offences · May 2025 - Apr 2026Violent Crime Rate
23.4 per 1,000
May 2025 - Apr 2026Dorset has the 9th lowest crime rate of 27 districts in South West region and the 42nd lowest crime rate district of 318 districts in England and Wales. Within the region (South West), it has the 9th lowest crime rate of 27 districts.
The overall crime rate in Dorset in the last 12 months was 54.1 per 1,000 residents and was 35.0% lower than the South West region average (83.1 per 1,000 residents). In the last 12 months, Dorset’s most reported crimes were Violence and sexual offences with 7,692 offences recorded. The least common crime was Theft from the person with 66 cases , down -1.5% compared to 2025. The fastest-growing crime category was Burglary ( 6.5% YoY). The sharpest decline was Bicycle theft ( -19.3% YoY).
Violent crimes totalled 8,953 (≈ 23.4 per 1,000 residents). Year-over-year these were falling ( -3.6% ). Over the last decade, overall crime has falling ( -69.3% comparing early vs recent averages) .
Last 12 months · All offences per 1,000 residents
District average: 54.1 per 1,000
| Ward | Per 1,000 | vs. District | Label vs UK wards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melcombe Regis | 374.9 | 320.8 (593%) | Very high 10/10 |
| 2 | Westham | 78.8 | 24.7 (46%) | High 7/10 |
| 3 | Dorchester Poundbury | 77.5 | 23.5 (43%) | High 7/10 |
| 4 | Wimborne Minster | 76.4 | 22.3 (41%) | High 7/10 |
| 5 | Shaftesbury Town | 71.9 | 17.8 (33%) | Typical 6/10 |
| 6 | Portland | 69.4 | 15.3 (28%) | Typical 6/10 |
| 7 | Dorchester West | 66.4 | 12.3 (23%) | Typical 6/10 |
| 8 | Sherborne East | 65.5 | 11.4 (21%) | Typical 6/10 |
| 9 | Bridport | 64.6 | 10.6 (20%) | Typical 6/10 |
| 10 | Dorchester East | 63.2 | 9.2 (17%) | Typical 6/10 |
| 11 | Chickerell | 62.1 | 8.0 (15%) | Typical 5/10 |
| 12 | Sturminster Newton | 60.8 | 6.7 (12%) | Typical 5/10 |
| 13 | Radipole | 60.6 | 6.5 (12%) | Typical 5/10 |
| 14 | Littlemoor & Preston | 60.3 | 6.3 (12%) | Typical 5/10 |
| 15 | Winterborne North | 57.7 | 3.6 (7%) | Typical 5/10 |
| 16 | West Purbeck | 56.4 | 2.3 (4%) | Typical 5/10 |
| 17 | Wareham | 55.2 | 1.1 (2%) | Typical 5/10 |
| 18 | Blandford | 52.1 | -2.0 (-4%) | Low 4/10 |
| 19 | Rodwell & Wyke | 50.7 | -3.4 (-6%) | Low 4/10 |
| 20 | Ferndown North | 49.9 | -4.2 (-8%) | Low 4/10 |
| 21 | Lyme & Charmouth | 47.5 | -6.5 (-12%) | Low 4/10 |
| 22 | St Leonards & St Ives | 45.7 | -8.4 (-16%) | Low 4/10 |
| 23 | Sherborne West | 45.3 | -8.8 (-16%) | Low 3/10 |
| 24 | Swanage | 44.3 | -9.8 (-18%) | Low 3/10 |
| 25 | South East Purbeck | 42.0 | -12.1 (-22%) | Low 3/10 |
| 26 | Beacon | 41.6 | -12.5 (-23%) | Low 3/10 |
| 27 | Sherborne Rural | 41.4 | -12.7 (-23%) | Low 3/10 |
| 28 | Lytchett Matravers & Upton | 39.6 | -14.5 (-27%) | Low 3/10 |
| 29 | Ferndown South | 39.5 | -14.6 (-27%) | Low 3/10 |
| 30 | Blackmore Vale | 38.1 | -16.0 (-30%) | Low 3/10 |
| 31 | Colehill & Wimborne Minster East | 37.7 | -16.4 (-30%) | Low 3/10 |
| 32 | Gillingham | 36.8 | -17.3 (-32%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 33 | Beaminster | 36.1 | -17.9 (-33%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 34 | Crossways | 36.0 | -18.0 (-33%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 35 | Stour & Allen Vale | 35.7 | -18.4 (-34%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 36 | West Parley | 34.1 | -20.0 (-37%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 37 | Verwood | 33.5 | -20.6 (-38%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 38 | West Moors & Three Legged Cross | 33.5 | -20.6 (-38%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 39 | Cranborne & Alderholt | 32.8 | -21.3 (-39%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 40 | Corfe Mullen | 32.4 | -21.7 (-40%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 41 | Chesil Bank | 32.1 | -21.9 (-41%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 42 | Stalbridge & Marnhull | 31.8 | -22.3 (-41%) | Very low 2/10 |
| 43 | Puddletown & Lower Winterborne | 28.8 | -25.2 (-47%) | Very low 1/10 |
| 44 | Upwey & Broadwey | 27.1 | -27.0 (-50%) | Very low 1/10 |
| 45 | Marshwood Vale | 25.5 | -28.6 (-53%) | Very low 1/10 |
| 46 | Chalk Valleys | 25.3 | -28.8 (-53%) | Very low 1/10 |
| 47 | Eggardon | 24.6 | -29.5 (-55%) | Very low 1/10 |
| 48 | Winterborne & Broadmayne | 23.7 | -30.3 (-56%) | Very low 1/10 |
| 49 | Cranborne Chase | 23.4 | -30.6 (-57%) | Very low 1/10 |
| 50 | Yetminster | 23.1 | -30.9 (-57%) | Very low 1/10 |
| 51 | Charminster St Mary's | 22.0 | -32.0 (-59%) | Very low 1/10 |
| 52 | Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants | 20.7 | -33.3 (-62%) | Very low 1/10 |
StreetScan crime figures are based on official UK open data:
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.