Yorkshire Towns Among Most Dangerous Places to Live in England and Wales

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Middlesbrough has been revealed as one of the most crime-hit towns in the country, ranking third nationally in terms of crime rates, according to the latest data from police forces across England and Wales. With several other Yorkshire towns also making the top 20 list, concerns about public safety in key parts of the region are growing.

The data, compiled from reports by 43 police forces across England and Wales, shows that Middlesbrough, in North Yorkshire, remains the most dangerous place outside London when measured by crime rate per 1,000 people. Despite a 5 percent fall in total crimes from the previous year, Middlesbrough recorded over 23,000 offences in the year ending March 2025, equivalent to 158 crimes for every 1,000 residents. That means roughly one in six people living in the town were victims of crime during that period.

Other Yorkshire locations that fare poorly in the rankings include Bradford, Leeds, Doncaster, and Hull, all of which were placed in the top 20 most dangerous areas. The figures suggest that crime continues to present a major issue for communities in northern towns, despite repeated promises of greater police presence and community safety reforms.

While Westminster in central London continues to top the overall list with a staggering 423 crimes per 1,000 people, its high figure is largely influenced by the sheer number of daily visitors and tourists, many of whom fall victim to petty theft and other non-violent offences. Similarly, Camden reported 195 crimes per 1,000 residents, another area where transient populations distort the statistics.

Blackpool in Lancashire ranked second, tied with affluent Kensington and Chelsea, both registering 154 crimes per 1,000 people. Manchester followed closely behind at 152, with Hartlepool at 142.

Despite the troubling numbers in some towns, overall crime in England and Wales has slightly declined. A total of 5.3 million non-fraud related offences were recorded in the 12 months leading up to March 2025, a 2 percent drop from the previous year.

The decline was most notable in areas policed by Avon and Somerset Constabulary and Devon and Cornwall Police, which both saw a 12 percent reduction in non-fraud crimes. However, not all regions experienced improvements. Gloucestershire Constabulary recorded a sharp 12 percent rise in non-fraud related crimes, with areas such as the Derbyshire Dales (20 percent increase), Cheltenham (18 percent), Forest of Dean (18 percent), Cotswolds (16 percent), and Stroud (16 percent) all seeing a marked uptick in reported offences.

Separate analysis from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Crime Survey for England and Wales, which measures reported and unreported crimes through face-to-face interviews with adults aged 16 and over, found that crime overall rose in the last year to an estimated 9.4 million incidents. This increase from 8.8 million the year prior is largely due to a 31 percent jump in fraud, accounting for 4.2 million incidents, the highest level since the survey began tracking fraud in 2016–2017.

Despite the rise, the overall number of incidents is still down 16 percent from the 11.2 million recorded in 2016–2017. The ONS report highlighted that traditional crimes such as theft, violence, and criminal damage have steadily decreased since the 1990s, even as newer challenges such as online fraud and cybercrime gain ground.

As crime patterns evolve, many residents in hard-hit communities continue to feel unsafe. Calls for more robust policing and a tougher stance on criminal behaviour are growing louder, particularly in areas like Middlesbrough where persistent issues remain.