Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
DH2 · County Durham
161
crimes in April 2026
Near national average
DL3 · Darlington
455
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
Chester-le-Street has less crime — 161 vs 455 incidents in April 2026.
Darlington recorded substantially more crime than Chester-le-Street in April 2026 — 455 incidents compared to 161, a 2.8x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Chester-le-Street sees higher rates of Criminal damage & arson (29), while Darlington has more Shoplifting (68). 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 April 2026 Police data, Chester-le-Street recorded fewer crimes than Darlington — 161 vs 455 incidents. That is 65% fewer crimes. Darlington is above the national average.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Chester-le-Street saw higher rates of Criminal damage & arson while Darlington had more Shoplifting. Overall, Chester-le-Street recorded fewer total crimes (161 vs 455).