Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
BH8 · Bournemouth
309
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
BH19 · Dorset
23
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Swanage has less crime — 23 vs 309 incidents in April 2026.
Bournemouth recorded substantially more crime than Swanage in April 2026 — 309 incidents compared to 23, a 13.4x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Bournemouth sees higher rates of Shoplifting (62), while Swanage has more Criminal damage & arson (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 April 2026 Police data, Swanage recorded fewer crimes than Bournemouth — 23 vs 309 incidents. That is 93% fewer crimes. Swanage is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Bournemouth saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Swanage had more Criminal damage & arson. Overall, Swanage recorded fewer total crimes (23 vs 309).