Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
CO15 · Essex
470
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
IP18 · Suffolk
17
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Southwold has less crime — 17 vs 470 incidents in April 2026.
Clacton-on-Sea recorded substantially more crime than Southwold in April 2026 — 470 incidents compared to 17, a 27.6x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Clacton-on-Sea sees higher rates of Anti-social behaviour (46) and Criminal damage & arson (36), while Southwold has more Other theft (5) and Public order (2). Clacton-on-Sea sits above the national average for recorded crime while Southwold 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, Southwold recorded fewer crimes than Clacton-on-Sea — 17 vs 470 incidents. That is 96% fewer crimes. Southwold is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Clacton-on-Sea saw higher rates of Anti-social behaviour and Criminal damage & arson while Southwold had more Other theft and Public order. Overall, Southwold recorded fewer total crimes (17 vs 470).