Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
RG21 · Hampshire
373
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
RG4 · Reading
52
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Reading has less crime — 52 vs 373 incidents in April 2026.
Basingstoke recorded substantially more crime than Reading in April 2026 — 373 incidents compared to 52, a 7.2x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Basingstoke sees higher rates of Criminal damage & arson (35), while Reading has more Other theft (7). Basingstoke sits above the national average for recorded crime while Reading is below — a significant gap for anyone weighing up the two.
Full reports cover 24 months of trends, ward breakdowns, outcome rates, and a detailed safety score — from £4.99.
Based on April 2026 Police data, Reading recorded fewer crimes than Basingstoke — 52 vs 373 incidents. That is 86% fewer crimes. Reading is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Basingstoke saw higher rates of Criminal damage & arson while Reading had more Other theft. Overall, Reading recorded fewer total crimes (52 vs 373).