Independent place research · East Midlands

Is Nottingham a good place to live?

Robin Hood city with caves, castle and two universities. This report examines the “safe”, “rough” and quality-of-life questions using recorded evidence—not a hidden score or generic verdict.

Latest recorded incidents1582Raw count, not a safety score
4-month average1706Same approximate search area
Change across returned months-5%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.

16672026-05
18082026-06
17682026-07
15822026-08

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 offences46329%
Anti-social behaviour25116%
Shoplifting23315%
Public order1198%
Other theft1037%
Drugs735%
Criminal damage & arson735%
Vehicle crime674%
Robbery604%
Burglary594%
Theft from the person332%
Other crime201%
Bicycle theft171%
Possession of weapons111%

03 · Read the evidence responsibly

This cannot tell you whether Nottingham 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 Nottingham safe—or rough?

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

Is Nottingham safe?

Police.uk recorded 1,582 incidents near the centre in 2026-08. This gives recent context but is not population-adjusted and cannot describe every neighbourhood or street.

Is Nottingham 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 Nottingham 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 Nottingham →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.