Over the past few years, Yorkshire has hit the headlines as being one of the safest places to live and as having one of the highest crime rates in the country. This can be somewhat confusing. So how safe is Yorkshire and The Humber? Let’s take a look at the facts.
Is Yorkshire Safe To Live In?
This is not an easy question – Yorkshire is one of the largest areas in England. The area has busy cities and wide, open countryside and cannot be looked at as a whole as statistics vary differently depending on the location.
Safest Areas In Yorkshire
Examinerlive conducted a survey of Yorkshire’s 10 safest neighbourhoods. The safest Yorkshire neighbourhood on the list was the Leeming, Pickhill and Thornton – Hambleton area, which ranked 13th overall safest place in the country.
See below for the ten safest neighbourhoods in the Yorkshire region overall.
| Location | Total number of crimes | Crime Rate | Safety Rank | |
| 1 | Leeming, Pickhill and Thornton – Hambleton | 151 | 22.1 | 13 |
| 2 | Wigginton – York | 171 | 28.3 | 76 |
| 3 | Strensall – York | 214 | 30.8 | 127 |
| 4 | Linton, Tollerton and Raskelf – Hambleton | 215 | 31.4 | 152 |
| 5 | Wetherby West – Leeds | 212 | 31.8 |
165 |
| 6 | Menston and Burley Moor – Bradford | 195 | 32.5 | 185 |
| 7 | Dunnington, Elvington and Wheldrake – York | 210 | 32.6 | 187 |
| 8 | Garforth East – Leeds | 241 | 34.6 | 263 |
| 9 | Knaresborough North – Harrogate | 253 | 35.1 | 275 |
| 10 | Fulwood and Lodge More – Sheffield | 277 | 35.3 | 288 |
Most Dangerous Areas In Yorkshire
The areas in Yorkshire with the highest crime levels according to the number of crimes per 1000 residents are listed below.
| Place | All Crime | Violent Crime | Drugs | Burglary | Vandalism | Robbery | Vehicle |
Antisocial Behaviour |
|
| 1 | Sheffield | 174 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 4 | 12 | 88 |
| 2 | Kingston upon Hull | 164 | 18 | 5 | 20 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 38 |
| 3 | Doncaster | 159 | 12 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 66 |
| 4 | Rotherham | 155 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 75 |
| 5 | North East Lincolnshire | 151 | 14 | 3 | 20 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 37 |
Crime In Yorkshire
Yorkshire is often divided into regions, and this can make it easier to analyse crime levels. We have looked at crimes per region to give you a better idea of which areas of Yorkshire are better than others. Take a look at our breakdown below – all sections include figures from the Office of National Statistics.
Crime In North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire has one of the lowest crime areas in all of England and Wales, however, its crime levels do fluctuate year on year. In 2019, the area saw a 10% increase in crime, but this reduced by 9% the year after. For 2019, the Office of National Statistics reported that in North Yorkshire, there were just under 48,000 crimes over the 12-month period. When we analyse this data, it shows that the crime rate is 58.1 per 1000 people, which is lower than all other Yorkshire areas. Additionally, it is lower than the average crime figure for all of England and Wales, which sits at 89 crimes per 1000 people. For 2022 January to March, ONS Records a total of 11,249 instances of recorded crimes in this area.
Crime In West Yorkshire
By contrast, West Yorkshire is often described as one of the more dangerous places to live in the UK due to its crime levels. The region includes cities such as Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield, and it scores the highest of all areas when it comes to violent crimes against a person. However, the good news is that ONS statistics show that crime in the area is reducing, having reduced by 9% in the last year. For 2022 January to March, ONS Records a total of 74,424 instances of recorded crimes in this area.
Crime In South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire has the second-highest crime rate in the region after West Yorkshire, however, this is also reducing. Crime in the area has decreased by 3% since the year before – this is a lower reduction rate than the other areas meaning that progress is slower. The most common crimes for this area include violence against a person and theft. For 2022 January to March, ONS Records a total of 37,998 instances of recorded crimes in this area.
Crime In Humberside
Humberside has the second-lowest crime numbers in the Yorkshire region, with recent figures showing around 92,000 crimes over a year. These figures are 10% lower than the previous year, indicating that the area is improving. The most common crimes for this area include violence against a person and theft, just like in South Yorkshire. For 2022 January to March, ONS Records a total of 23,059 instances of recorded crimes in this area.
Crime In Huddersfield
Huddersfield is part of West Yorkshire and is one of the major cities in the region but how safe is Huddersfield? According to the West Yorkshire Police, the region had around 6741 violence, and sexual offences, 2785 anti-social behaviour, 1901 public order and 1385 criminal damage and arson reports over a 12 month period. The areas in Huddersfield with the highest crime rates included the town centre, Birkby, Lockwood and Thornton Lodge.
Conclusion
Every county has its safer parts and areas that are more dangerous, and Yorkshire is no exception. Understandably, businesses may want to protect themselves so that they or their staff are not the victims of crime. There are ways to reduce your likelihood of being targeted by criminals, and one such way is by hiring a security company. A security company can install CCTV cameras to monitor premises or provide security guards for a physical presence, deterring potential criminals. Security companies can also review your current security methods, making recommendations on how to secure your business.
Leeds is another popular area within Yorkshire, check our article to see how safe Leeds really is. Or head over to our news page so that you can keep up to date with all the latest Yorkshire news.
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