Crime in Ballymena
Recorded crime in Ballymena is 2.5 times the Mid and East Antrim average and 1.4 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 19%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences). Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Ballymena: about 15,860 residents in 48 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 2/10High crime
- Living
- 7.6/10Good
- 5-year change
- −19%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 2.5×the Mid and East Antrim average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Ballymena.
Crime over 5 years
Down 19% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Ballymena, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 2.5× the Mid and East Antrim average (1.4× the England and Wales average). 116 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 62% of the harm here
- Drugs: 12% of the harm here
- Burglary: 11% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 62% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 62 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.6 |
| Burglary | 5.1 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 44.2 |
| Drugs | 11.5 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 1.6 |
| Other crime | 2.5 |
| Other theft | 10.5 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 0.4 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 1.7 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 16.2 |
| Public order | 1.3 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.6 |
| Shoplifting | 19.9 |
Postcode districts in Ballymena
Nearby towns
Council: Mid and East Antrim
Questions about crime in Ballymena
- Is Ballymena a safe place to live?
- Ballymena scores 2 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 2.5 times the Mid and East Antrim average.
- Is crime going up or down in Ballymena?
- Down 19% over 5 years, from 2,026 recorded crimes a year to 1,647.
- What is the most common crime in Ballymena?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 44 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Ballymena compare with Mid and East Antrim?
- Crime severity in Ballymena is 2.5 times the Mid and East Antrim average.