A town in Yorkshire known for its industrial heritage has surpassed a popular seaside destination as the most unsafe place to reside. Data analyzed by the Mirror indicates that Middlesbrough in North Yorkshire has the highest crime rate in England and Wales, excluding central London and the City of Westminster. Previously, Blackpool in Lancashire held this undesirable distinction in 2025, but has since seen an improvement in its crime rate.
Recent statistics from the Home Office highlight an increase in various serious offenses across England and Wales, such as sexual crimes (up by 4%), stalking and harassment (up by 4%), robbery (up by 10%), drug-related crimes (up by 12%), and possession of weapons offenses (up by 8%). Despite these concerning trends, the overall pattern of decreasing crime over the last decade has persisted. In the year ending March 2026, over five million non-fraud offenses were reported, marking a 1% decline compared to the previous year.
Although major cities like Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester witness a high volume of offenses, crime rates adjusted for population size offer a more equitable basis for comparing crime levels across regions of varying sizes. The latest crime data, covering the 12 months up to March 2026, reveals Middlesbrough as the most crime-affected area in England and Wales, excluding central London and the City of Westminster, overtaking Blackpool.
Middlesbrough has experienced a slight 1% rise in crime over the past year, recording 23,419 offenses equating to a crime rate of 150 crimes per 1,000 residents. Despite a decrease in crime, Blackpool still ranks as the second most crime-prone location with 146 offenses per 1,000 residents. Following closely are Manchester (143), Hartlepool (134), and Bristol (131).
On the other end of the spectrum, Broadland in Norfolk remains the safest place to live in mainland England and Wales, boasting the lowest crime rate of 35 crimes per 1,000 residents. To explore the crime rates in your area, refer to our interactive map tool.
