Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
CM7 · Essex
37
crimes in February 2026
Below national average
CM18 · Essex
286
crimes in February 2026
Above national average
Braintree has less crime — 37 vs 286 incidents in February 2026.
Harlow recorded substantially more crime than Braintree in February 2026 — 286 incidents compared to 37, a 7.7x difference. Both areas share Violence & sexual offences as their most common crime type, though Harlow records significantly more (117 vs 19 incidents). Braintree is below the national average while Harlow is above, making Braintree the safer choice on this measure.
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, Braintree recorded fewer crimes than Harlow — 37 vs 286 incidents. That is 87% fewer crimes. Braintree is also below the national average for crime.
Both areas share Violence & sexual offences as their top crime category. In February 2026, Braintree recorded 19 incidents of this type vs 117 in Harlow. Overall, Braintree had fewer total crimes (37 vs 286).