Dorset Police

Is North Dorset Rural Safe?

Crime statistics for North Dorset Rural. Based on official UK Police data, updated March 2026.

Last 24 months: April 2024 – March 2026 2,792 crimes
8 / 100 High Crime

Safety Score !

2,792 Crimes (last 24 months)
45.7% Resolution Rate (last 24m) !
↓15.3% vs Previous 12 Months

Crime Zone Map

Neighbourhood boundaries coloured by safety score. Click adjacent zones to explore.

Very Safe (85+) Safe (65–84) Average (45–64) Below Avg (25–44) High Crime (0–24)

Crime by Category

Last 24 months — 2,792 total crimes recorded in North Dorset Rural

Violent Crime
1,143 40.9%
Anti-Social Behaviour
467 16.7%
Criminal Damage & Arson
270 9.7%
Other Theft
210 7.5%
Public Order
174 6.2%
Burglary
160 5.7%
Vehicle Crime
142 5.1%
Shoplifting
88 3.2%
Other Crime
72 2.6%
Drugs
25 0.9%
Possession of Weapons
19 0.7%
Bicycle Theft
9 0.3%
Robbery
7 0.3%
Theft from Person
6 0.2%

Monthly Crime Trend

Month-by-month crime totals for North Dorset Rural — last 24 months

View North Dorset Rural on Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Is North Dorset Rural safe?

North Dorset Rural has a CrimeRadar safety score of 8/100, rated High Crime. A total of 1,280 crimes were recorded in the last 12 months, a decrease of 15.3% year-on-year — a positive trend for the area. Crime levels in North Dorset Rural are above the UK average. Check the crime category breakdown below for more detail.

How many crimes were recorded in North Dorset Rural in the last 12 months?

1,280 crimes were recorded in North Dorset Rural in the last 12 months, spanning all reported crime categories from violent crime to vehicle crime and anti-social behaviour. This represents a decrease of 15.3% compared to the previous 12-month period (1,512 crimes). The most common category was Violent Crime, with 1,143 incidents.

What is the most common crime in North Dorset Rural?

The most common crime in North Dorset Rural is Violent Crime, with 1,143 incidents recorded in the last 12 months — accounting for 89.3% of all reported crimes in the area. You can view a full breakdown of all crime categories, including anti-social behaviour, vehicle crime, and burglary, in the Crime by Category section on this page.

Is crime in North Dorset Rural increasing or decreasing?

Crime in North Dorset Rural is decreasing. The year-on-year trend shows a fall of 15.3% — from 1,512 crimes in the previous 12 months to 1,280 in the most recent period. This downward trend is a positive sign for residents and prospective homebuyers.

What is the safety score for North Dorset Rural?

North Dorset Rural has a safety score of 8 out of 100 (High Crime). CrimeRadar safety scores are calculated from crime volume, year-on-year trend, and crime resolution rate. A score of 85+ is Very Safe, 65–84 is Safe, 45–64 is Average, 25–44 is Below Average, and below 25 is High Crime.

How does North Dorset Rural compare to the Dorset Police average?

North Dorset Rural has a safety score of 8/100, while the Dorset Police force area average is 14/100. North Dorset Rural is below the force average for safety. Use the Compare tool to see a detailed side-by-side breakdown.

What is the crime resolution rate in North Dorset Rural?

45.7% of crimes recorded in North Dorset Rural resulted in a formal outcome in the last 12 months. Formal outcomes include charges brought, cautions issued, fixed penalty notices, or other official resolutions recorded by Dorset Police. The national average outcome rate in England and Wales is typically 5–15% across most crime types. A higher rate suggests more effective local enforcement.

How much violent crime is there in North Dorset Rural?

1,143 violent crimes were recorded in North Dorset Rural in the last 12 months — representing 89.3% of all reported crimes. Anti-social behaviour accounted for a further 467 incidents. Violent crime encompasses assault, robbery, and related offences as classified by the UK Home Office. Data is sourced from official police reports submitted to data.police.uk.

When was the crime data for North Dorset Rural last updated?

The crime data for North Dorset Rural was last updated in March 2026. CrimeRadar sources all crime data directly from the official UK Police Data API, operated by the Home Office and published at data.police.uk under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Data is refreshed monthly and covers the most recent 36-month period. New monthly data is typically published with a 2-month lag.

How can I compare North Dorset Rural with other areas?

You can compare North Dorset Rural with any other UK neighbourhood or city using the CrimeRadar Compare tool. It shows side-by-side safety scores, crime volumes by category, year-on-year trends, and crime resolution rates. The Compare tool covers all 44 police force areas across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with more than 4,000 built neighbourhoods available.

Data source: All crime data is sourced from the UK Police Data, operated by the Home Office, and is published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Last updated: March 2026.