Cleveland, Durham, and Northumbria make up the three counties of the North East. Among them, Cleveland stands out as one of the most dangerous places to live in England and Wales, according to a study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
With this context, let’s delve into the worst places to live in the North East to better understand the situation.
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The Most Dangerous Cities in the Northeast of England
The Northeast is home to some of the most populated and lively cities within the UK. Unfortunately, this often attracts high crime rate as well. In 2023, the North East recorded a total of 293,004 crimes (excluding fraud), as reported by the ONS. The most common offences were violence against the person, accounting for 109,793 incidents, followed by theft, with 87,473 reported cases. Some of the most dangerous cities within the region are:
- Cleveland
- Newcastle
- Sunderland
- Durham
- Northumbria
Cleveland Crime
Cleveland has the highest crime rate in England and Wales, let alone the North East of England. At the end of 2023, its crime rate stood at a staggering 137 crimes per 1,000 people. According to Teesside Live, Cleveland battles against its high rate of sexual offences and its locals’ terrifying collection of weaponry. Not just limited to knives, samurai swords and hatchets were found among the weapons seized. An overall worrying figure to see, with the county being labelled as the ‘crime capital of England’.
Newcastle Crime
Second to Cleveland is the city of Newcastle, ranking as one of the worst places to live in the North East with a crime rate of 118 crimes per 1,000 people. Despite its popular nightlife, the city suffers from violence and sexual offences, accounting for 46 per 1,000 daytime population. Though fortunately, unlike Cleveland, it struggles least against possession of weapons offences, with only 389 cases recorded in 2023, according to CrimeRate.
Sunderland Crime
With a crime rate of 109 per 1,000 people, Sunderland finds itself as one of the roughest areas in the North East. There were roughly 11,500 cases of violent crimes in Sunderland, according to Plumplot. However, the figure appears to be gradually declining, with a 1.8% decrease compared to last year’s reported offences. The same cannot be said for theft in Sunderland, though. CrimeRate mentions how it has seen an increase of 13% from 2022’s figures, climbing from 156 to 177 crimes in just a year.
Durham Crime
As of late 2023, Durham no longer holds its spot among the top 25 most dangerous areas to live in England and Wales. It has seen a decline in most crimes, improving its previously sour reputation. There are, unfortunately, a few categories of crime which have considerably surged, as seen in an analysis by Plumplot. Its largest crime decreases have been public order crime (-29.9%), theft from the person crime (-25.2%), and other theft crime (-16.5%). Though the decreases instead seem to pour into increases, with possession of weapons crime (+16.5%), robbery crime (+21.4%), and shoplifting crime (+44.9%) seeing significant surges.
Northumbria Crime
Whilst Northumbria’s crime rate is the lowest on this list, it still holds a spot as one of the most dangerous cities in the Northeast. The county of Northumbria accounted for 146,886 of the North East region’s crimes (excluding fraud) in 2023. Much like the rest of the areas on this list, violence against the person contributes the most to Northumbria’s crime rate. Unfortunately, despite its fall following the pandemic, the county’s crime rate appears to be steadily climbing once more. When compared to last year, total crime has seen an increase of 6% according to Northumbria Police and Crime Data.
Our Services Within the North East
With unsteady crime rates in the North East region, it’s no wonder business owners are looking to protect their properties and assets. To combat this, we provide security guards that operate within the North East region, and across the UK. Our services can support a range of industries, such as construction, warehouse and retail businesses. If you find yourself in need of our security solutions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today, or visit our security company pages to see how we can provide further support.
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So, What Are the Worst Places to Live in the North East of England?
Cleveland continues to hold its position as the ‘crime capital of England’, followed somewhat closely by Newcastle and Sunderland. The majority of areas have seen a steady increase to their number of offences, with Durham being the exception.
If you are interested in staying up to date with the latest information on the North East, why not check out our news and insights page? There, you will find articles that cover topics like the Newcastle Crime Rate, or Why Is Crime So High In Sunderland?
Or, if you’re looking for the latest security tips and tricks, why not take a look at our official Region Security Guarding YouTube channel?
