Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
SS0 · Southend-on-Sea
486
crimes in February 2026
Above national average
SS11 · Essex
87
crimes in February 2026
Below national average
Wickford has less crime — 87 vs 486 incidents in February 2026.
Southend-on-Sea recorded substantially more crime than Wickford in February 2026 — 486 incidents compared to 87, a 5.6x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Southend-on-Sea sees higher rates of Shoplifting (96), while Wickford has more Other theft (7). Southend-on-Sea sits above the national average for recorded crime while Wickford is below — a significant gap for anyone weighing up the two.
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Based on February 2026 Police data, Wickford recorded fewer crimes than Southend-on-Sea — 87 vs 486 incidents. That is 82% fewer crimes. Wickford is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In February 2026, Southend-on-Sea saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Wickford had more Other theft. Overall, Wickford recorded fewer total crimes (87 vs 486).