Independent place research · East Midlands

Is Northampton a good place to live?

Shoe-making heritage town in the East Midlands. This report examines the “safe”, “rough” and quality-of-life questions using recorded evidence—not a hidden score or generic verdict.

Latest recorded incidents1027Raw count, not a safety score
4-month average1051Same approximate search area
Change across returned months-3%2026-05 to 2026-08
Most common categoryViolence & sexual offencesLargest share in 2026-08

01 · Recorded pattern

How the monthly count has moved

Counts are plotted consistently around the town centre. Changes can reflect footfall, reporting and policing as well as underlying incidents.

10552026-05
10482026-06
10742026-07
10272026-08

02 · Latest category mix

What was recorded in 2026-08

Categories come directly from Police.uk. Locations are anonymised and counts may include people who do not live locally.

Violence & sexual offences30229%
Anti-social behaviour28428%
Shoplifting909%
Public order727%
Other theft677%
Criminal damage & arson454%
Burglary353%
Vehicle crime333%
Drugs283%
Robbery273%
Possession of weapons172%
Bicycle theft141%
Theft from the person81%
Other crime50%

03 · Read the evidence responsibly

This cannot tell you whether Northampton is “good” or “bad”.

Town-centre counts tend to rise with shops, stations, nightlife and visitor numbers. They are not adjusted for population and do not describe every street or the experience of living there.

Visit at different times, inspect the exact postcode and check transport, housing condition, schools, healthcare and environmental risks before deciding.

Read the complete methodology →

04 · Questions people ask

Is Northampton safe—or rough?

These common search questions deserve a more careful answer than a yes/no label.

Is Northampton safe?

Police.uk recorded 1,027 incidents near the centre in 2026-08. This gives recent context but is not population-adjusted and cannot describe every neighbourhood or street.

Is Northampton rough?

“Rough” is subjective. Town-centre activity can inflate raw counts, while conditions vary within short distances. Check the exact postcode and visit in person before reaching a view.

Is Northampton a good place to live?

That depends on housing, budget, transport, schools, healthcare, environment and personal priorities as well as recorded crime. Use the postcode report to bring those checks together.

For comparable national context, see the recorded crime by area report.

Continue the research

Check the actual property or postcode.

Area averages are only context. The decision happens at street and property level.

Build a property report →Compare two postcodes →Plan moving costs →Compare schools in Northampton →Check GP practices →Check food hygiene →

Nearby context

Other places in East Midlands

These use the same approximate Police.uk method, making the limitations consistent even when raw town-centre counts differ.