Is Harpenden and Rural Safe?

Harpenden and Rural has a CrimeRadar safety score of 16/100, rated High Crime. A total of 1,784 crimes were recorded in the last 12 months, a decrease of 27.7% year-on-year — a positive trend for the area. Crime levels in Harpenden and Rural are above the UK average. Check the crime category breakdown below for more detail.

1,784 crimes were recorded in Harpenden and 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 27.7% compared to the previous 12-month period (2,469 crimes). The most common category was Violent Crime, with 522 incidents.

The most common crime in Harpenden and Rural is Violent Crime, with 522 incidents recorded in the last 12 months — accounting for 29.3% 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.

Crime in Harpenden and Rural is decreasing. The year-on-year trend shows a fall of 27.7% — from 2,469 crimes in the previous 12 months to 1,784 in the most recent period. This downward trend is a positive sign for residents and prospective homebuyers.

Harpenden and Rural has a safety score of 16 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.

Harpenden and Rural has a safety score of 16/100, while the Hertfordshire Constabulary force area average is 9/100. Harpenden and Rural is safer than the force average. Use the Compare tool to see a detailed side-by-side breakdown.

55.6% of crimes recorded in Harpenden and 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 Hertfordshire Constabulary. 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.

522 violent crimes were recorded in Harpenden and Rural in the last 12 months — representing 29.3% of all reported crimes. Anti-social behaviour accounted for a further 351 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.

The crime data for Harpenden and Rural was last updated in May 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.

You can compare Harpenden and 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.