Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
BH7 · Bournemouth
262
crimes in February 2026
Above national average
BH19 · Dorset
18
crimes in February 2026
Below national average
Swanage has less crime — 18 vs 262 incidents in February 2026.
Bournemouth recorded substantially more crime than Swanage in February 2026 — 262 incidents compared to 18, a 14.6x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Bournemouth sees higher rates of Vehicle crime (16), while Swanage has more Shoplifting (3). Bournemouth sits above the national average for recorded crime while Swanage 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 February 2026 Police data, Swanage recorded fewer crimes than Bournemouth — 18 vs 262 incidents. That is 93% fewer crimes. Swanage is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In February 2026, Bournemouth saw higher rates of Vehicle crime while Swanage had more Shoplifting. Overall, Swanage recorded fewer total crimes (18 vs 262).