Lancashire Crime: Top 10 Dangerous Areas

Located in the North West of England, Lancashire is a historic county featuring both urban centres and rural landscapes. With a population exceeding 1 million, recent surveys have highlighted Lancashire as a safe place to live, with 87% of locals considering it secure.

However, other reports have identified some towns within the county as among the most dangerous in the UK, citing high crime rates, drug issues, and significant deprivation, casting doubt on its reputation for safety. But what is the reality of crime in Lancashire?

1. Lancashire Crime Rate
2. Lancashire Crime Statistics
3. Nelson Lancashire Crime
4. Crime In Preston Lancashire
5. Blackpool Crime
6. Burnley Crime
7. Crime In Blackburn
8. Where Is The Safest Place To Live In Lancashire?
9. Is Lancashire A Safe Place To Live?
10. Where Is The Nicest Place To Live In Lancashire?

Lancashire Crime Rate

Statistics from Lancashire City Council show that crime in Lancashire is constantly changing. In some years it increases and then in others it decreases.

At the moment, crime in Lancashire has decreased. From 2021 to 2022, there were over 138,853 crimes recorded. While during 2022 to 2023, crime had decreased by 6.1% and there were only 130,378 crimes reported. Because of the constant change in crime raises the question of whether Lancashire is a safe area to live in.

Lancashire Crime Statistics

Lancashire City Council reported that in 2023, victim-based crimes were the city’s most common offender. These types of crimes made up 87% of all crimes reported in the area. Some examples of these crimes include violent crimes, theft crimes, and criminal damage or arson crimes.

Violent crimes made up more than 42% of all crimes in Lancashire. Theft incidents made up 29% of all crimes in the city. While criminal damage and arson crimes made up 12% of all crimes committed in the city.

To get a better understanding of how much crime Lancashire has, we’ve listed the Lancashire most popular areas with the highest crime rates.

Like many other places, Lancashire’s crime rate tends to be higher in more urban areas where there is a larger population. To investigate this further, we looked more specifically at the towns and cities within Lancashire and investigated the crime rates in these locations.

Nelson Lancashire Crime

Nelson is ranked one of the safest medium-sized towns within Lancashire. During 2023, Nelson had an overall crime rate of 81 crimes per 1,000 people. This was 0.41% higher than Lancashire’s own crime rate of 81 crimes. When compared to the whole of the UK, Nelson is ranked to be the UK’s 1,739th most dangerous area.

Many crimes affect Nelson’s safety. But its most common is violent and sexual offences crimes. Last year, violent crimes had an average crime rate of 39 and were reported over 1,172 times. The areas of Nelson where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Crime In Preston Lancashire

Preston is considered as the 3rd most dangerous major town in Lancashire. During 2023, Preston had an overall crime rate of 101 crimes per 1,000 people. This was 25% higher than Lancashire’s own crime rate. When compared to the whole of the UK, Preston is ranked to be the 1,024th most dangerous location.

Preston’s most common crime is violent and sexual offences. Last year, violent crimes were committed 5,972 times. This was 11% lower than the previous year. The areas of Preston where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Blackpool Crime

Blackpool is ranked as Lancashire’s most dangerous major town. In 2023, Blackpool had an overall crime rate of 151 crimes per 1,000 people. This was 87% higher than Lancashire’s own crime rate. When compared to the whole of the UK, Blackpool is ranked as the 266t most dangerous location.

Blackpool’s most common crime is violent and sexual offences. Last year, these types of crimes were committed over 10,388 times and had an average crime rate of 72. The areas of Blackpool where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

 Blackpool Crime Rate

The Blackpool crime rate is higher than many other cities in the UK. Blackpool crime rate is higher than other major cities such as Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds, and Sheffield.

Liverpool is 11% safer than Blackpool. Birmingham is 10% safer. Leeds is considered to be 0.45% safer. While Sheffield is 30% safer.

Burnley Crime

Burnley is voted the second most dangerous major town in Lancashire. In 2023, Burnley had an overall crime rate of 131 crimes per 1,000 people. This was 63% higher than Lancashire’s own crime rate. When compared to the whole of the UK, Burnley is ranked as the 447th most dangerous location.

Burnley’s most common crime is violent and sexual offences. During 2023, violent crimes were reported 3,637 times and an average crime rate of 57. The areas of Burnley where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

 Burnley Crime Rate

 The crime rate in Burnley has steadily increased over the years, meaning that the area is becoming more dangerous over time. When compared to the other major towns in the area, Burney is considered to be 19% safer than Blackpool. But it has a higher crime rate than other areas such as Blackburn (28% more dangerous) and Preston (18% more dangerous).

Crime In Blackburn

Blackburn is ranked to be Lancashire’s safest major town. In 2023, Blackburn had an overall crime rate of 92 crimes per 1,000 people. This was 14% higher than Lancashire’s own crime rate. When compared to all the cities, towns, and villages in the UK – Blackburn is the 1,289th most dangerous area.

Like all towns, Blackburn faces many crimes, but its worst is violent crimes. In 2023, violent crimes were committed over 4,884 times. This was 10% lower than the previous year when 5,417 violent crimes were committed. The areas of Blackburn where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

 The table above shows that in Blackburn there is a disparity in crime rates based on location, with the number of crimes in Central Blackburn being at least double that of the rest of the town. This may be due to the number of businesses, pubs and restaurants in the centre of town.

Where Is The Safest Place To Live In Lancashire?

When considering which area is the safest to live in, it is important to look at the lowest crime levels in the area. This is because it is in these areas where a person is least likely to be a victim of crime, and therefore, is more likely to feel safe and secure.

The areas of Lancashire where the least crimes are reported are listed below:

Is Lancashire A Safe Place To Live?

Despite some areas in Lancashire having a high crime, the town is generally safe. Many people who live in Lancashire believe that the area is quite safe and they are passionate about living there.

Where Is The Nicest Place To Live In Lancashire?

This is up to personal preference, whether you prefer an urban city location or a countryside village, Lancashire has it all. Local media outlet Lancashire Post listed Oswaldtwistle, Poulton-Le-Fylde, Leyland, and Great Harwood as some of the city’s nicest places to live.

But perhaps you may consider the nicest place to live as being the one with the lowest crime rate, in which case, according to our data, you should look to live in Longton, Burscough or Euxton. It is important to consider, however, that these areas are likely to have higher property prices due to their low crime rate. Additionally, if you are looking for a more urban home, you may need to expect a higher crime rate.

To keep up to date with all the latest North West news, head over to our news page where you can find articles such as “Is Liverpool Safer Than Manchester.“