Swansea runs from a regenerated waterfront and busy city centre on Swansea Bay to the quiet villages of the Gower peninsula. The SA1 city centre sits in a very different crime environment from Mumbles and the Gower (SA3). Knowing where a postcode falls matters a great deal for Swansea University students, families, and anyone relocating to south Wales.
This breakdown uses recent data from the official UK Police API, covering the postcode districts that fall within the South Wales Police force area.
Swansea Crime at a Glance
South Wales Police covers Swansea alongside Cardiff and the surrounding valleys. Within Swansea, crime concentrates in the city centre, the Uplands student belt and parts of the inner west, while the Gower peninsula and the north-eastern fringe record consistently lower counts.
| Postcode | Area | Character | Risk level |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA1 | City centre / Wind Street / SA1 waterfront | Commercial core and night-time economy | Higher |
| SA2 | Uplands / Sketty / Singleton | University quarter, dense student housing | Higher |
| SA5 | Penderry / Townhill / Cwmbwrla | Inner residential, deprivation in parts | Medium |
| SA6 | Morriston / Clase | Northern residential, hospital area | Medium |
| SA4 | Gorseinon / Pontarddulais / Loughor | Western fringe, suburban and market towns | Lower |
| SA7 | Llansamlet / Birchgrove | North-eastern fringe, settled residential | Lower |
| SA3 | Mumbles / Bishopston / Gower | Coastal villages and the Gower peninsula | Lower |
Source: data.police.uk. Risk level is relative within the Swansea area.
The Safest Parts of Swansea
Mumbles, Bishopston and the Gower peninsula (SA3) routinely record the lowest crime counts in the area — predominantly owner-occupied housing, limited through-traffic, and a steady stream of weekend visitors rather than a heavy night-time economy. The villages further west toward Rhossili sit at the very bottom of the table.
Parts of Llansamlet and Birchgrove (SA7) on the north-eastern fringe sit in the lower band, along with the quieter streets of Gorseinon and Pontarddulais (SA4) on the western edge.
Crime Hotspots in Swansea
The SA1 city centre, covering the High Street, Wind Street, Castle Street and the SA1 waterfront, records the highest counts. Violence and sexual offences, public order and theft are all elevated, driven by the night-time economy on Wind Street, the rail-station footfall and event days at the Swansea.com Stadium.
SA2 covering Uplands, Sketty and Singleton sees elevated anti-social behaviour and burglary during term time, tied to the dense student population around Swansea University's Singleton campus and the bars along Brynymor Road. Penderry and Townhill (SA5) have historically recorded higher vehicle crime and ASB in the more deprived wards.
What Crime Types Dominate in Swansea?
Across the South Wales force area, violence and sexual offences consistently tops the category table. In SA1 the night-time economy lifts public order and theft from the person; in SA2 student-housing density lifts burglary and bike theft during term time; the Gower peninsula and the north-eastern suburbs see far lower counts across every category. The pattern broadly mirrors nearby Cardiff at the south Wales level.
How to Check Your Swansea Postcode
District-level data gives you the broad picture, but the difference between SA1 and SA3 is significant. See our national safest-areas rankings for wider context, or run a CrimeSafe report for 24 months of trend data, a ward-level breakdown, outcome rates, and a safety score for any Swansea postcode.