Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
BH8 · Bournemouth
296
crimes in February 2026
Above national average
DT1 · Dorset
105
crimes in February 2026
Near national average
Dorchester has less crime — 105 vs 296 incidents in February 2026.
Bournemouth recorded substantially more crime than Dorchester in February 2026 — 296 incidents compared to 105, a 2.8x difference. Both areas share Violence & sexual offences as their most common crime type, though Bournemouth records significantly more (92 vs 34 incidents). Both areas sit near the national average, with modest differences in their overall safety profile.
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, Dorchester recorded fewer crimes than Bournemouth — 105 vs 296 incidents. That is 65% fewer crimes. Bournemouth is above the national average.
Both areas share Violence & sexual offences as their top crime category. In February 2026, Bournemouth recorded 92 incidents of this type vs 34 in Dorchester. Overall, Dorchester had fewer total crimes (105 vs 296).