Northumbria Police

Is Houghton Safe?

Crime statistics for Houghton. Based on official UK Police data, updated May 2026.

Last 36 months: June 2023 – May 2026 12,852 crimes
12 / 100 High Crime

Safety Score !

12,852 Crimes (last 36 months)
76.2% Resolution Rate (last 36m) !
↓36.5% 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 36 months — 12,852 total crimes recorded in Houghton

Violent Crime
4,179 32.5%
Anti-Social Behaviour
2,334 18.2%
Criminal Damage & Arson
1,484 11.5%
Shoplifting
820 6.4%
Public Order
809 6.3%
Burglary
764 5.9%
Vehicle Crime
745 5.8%
Other Theft
690 5.4%
Other Crime
439 3.4%
Drugs
329 2.6%
Possession of Weapons
114 0.9%
Robbery
82 0.6%
Bicycle Theft
33 0.3%
Theft from Person
30 0.2%

Monthly Crime Trend

Month-by-month crime totals for Houghton — last 36 months

View Houghton on Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houghton safe?

Houghton has a CrimeRadar safety score of 12/100, rated High Crime. A total of 3,020 crimes were recorded in the last 12 months, a decrease of 36.5% year-on-year — a positive trend for the area. Crime levels in Houghton are above the UK average. Check the crime category breakdown below for more detail.

How many crimes were recorded in Houghton in the last 12 months?

3,020 crimes were recorded in Houghton 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 36.5% compared to the previous 12-month period (4,756 crimes). The most common category was Violent Crime, with 4,179 incidents.

What is the most common crime in Houghton?

The most common crime in Houghton is Violent Crime, with 4,179 incidents recorded in the last 12 months — accounting for 138.4% 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 Houghton increasing or decreasing?

Crime in Houghton is decreasing. The year-on-year trend shows a fall of 36.5% — from 4,756 crimes in the previous 12 months to 3,020 in the most recent period. This downward trend is a positive sign for residents and prospective homebuyers.

What is the safety score for Houghton?

Houghton has a safety score of 12 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 Houghton compare to the Northumbria Police average?

Houghton has a safety score of 12/100, while the Northumbria Police force area average is 11/100. Houghton is safer than the force average. Use the Compare tool to see a detailed side-by-side breakdown.

What is the crime resolution rate in Houghton?

76.2% of crimes recorded in Houghton 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 Northumbria 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 Houghton?

4,179 violent crimes were recorded in Houghton in the last 12 months — representing 138.4% of all reported crimes. Anti-social behaviour accounted for a further 2,334 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 Houghton last updated?

The crime data for Houghton 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.

How can I compare Houghton with other areas?

You can compare Houghton 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: May 2026.