Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
SS6 · Essex
158
crimes in April 2026
Near national average
SS9 · Southend-on-Sea
148
crimes in April 2026
Near national average
Southend-on-Sea has less crime — 148 vs 158 incidents in April 2026.
Rayleigh and Southend-on-Sea recorded very similar overall crime levels in April 2026 — 158 and 148 incidents respectively. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Rayleigh sees higher rates of Shoplifting (17), while Southend-on-Sea has more Criminal damage & arson (14). 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, Southend-on-Sea recorded fewer crimes than Rayleigh — 148 vs 158 incidents. That is 6% fewer crimes.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Rayleigh saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Southend-on-Sea had more Criminal damage & arson. Overall, Southend-on-Sea recorded fewer total crimes (148 vs 158).