Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
CO2 · Essex
207
crimes in February 2026
Above national average
IP18 · Suffolk
20
crimes in February 2026
Below national average
Southwold has less crime — 20 vs 207 incidents in February 2026.
Colchester recorded substantially more crime than Southwold in February 2026 — 207 incidents compared to 20, a 10.3x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Colchester sees higher rates of Vehicle crime (24), while Southwold has more Anti-social behaviour (7). Colchester 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 February 2026 Police data, Southwold recorded fewer crimes than Colchester — 20 vs 207 incidents. That is 90% fewer crimes. Southwold is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In February 2026, Colchester saw higher rates of Vehicle crime while Southwold had more Anti-social behaviour. Overall, Southwold recorded fewer total crimes (20 vs 207).