Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
SS6 · Essex
100
crimes in February 2026
Below national average
SS2 · Southend-on-Sea
601
crimes in February 2026
Above national average
Rayleigh has less crime — 100 vs 601 incidents in February 2026.
Southend-on-Sea recorded substantially more crime than Rayleigh in February 2026 — 601 incidents compared to 100, a 6.0x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Rayleigh sees higher rates of Drugs (11), while Southend-on-Sea has more Anti-social behaviour (69). Rayleigh is below the national average while Southend-on-Sea is above, making Rayleigh 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, Rayleigh recorded fewer crimes than Southend-on-Sea — 100 vs 601 incidents. That is 83% fewer crimes. Rayleigh is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In February 2026, Rayleigh saw higher rates of Drugs while Southend-on-Sea had more Anti-social behaviour. Overall, Rayleigh recorded fewer total crimes (100 vs 601).