Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
CM1 · Essex
335
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
CM5 · Essex
23
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Ongar has less crime — 23 vs 335 incidents in April 2026.
Chelmsford recorded substantially more crime than Ongar in April 2026 — 335 incidents compared to 23, a 14.6x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Chelmsford sees higher rates of Shoplifting (42), while Ongar has more Criminal damage & arson (3). Chelmsford sits above the national average for recorded crime while Ongar 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, Ongar recorded fewer crimes than Chelmsford — 23 vs 335 incidents. That is 93% fewer crimes. Ongar is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Chelmsford saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Ongar had more Criminal damage & arson. Overall, Ongar recorded fewer total crimes (23 vs 335).