Middlesbrough has been named the most dangerous place to live in England and Wales, according to the latest Home Office data. The town, famed for its industrial history, has overtaken Blackpool as the city with the highest crime rate outside of central London.
Crime rates and rankings
In the last year, Middlesbrough saw a crime rate of 150 per 1,000 residents. This comes after a 1% increase in crime, while Blackpool experienced a 4% drop, allowing Middlesbrough to take the top spot. Blackpool now holds the second-highest crime rate with 146 offences per 1,000 residents.
Manchester follows in third place with 143 crimes per 1,000 residents, with Hartlepool (134) and Bristol (131) rounding out the top five. The data ranks London separately from other areas.
Industrial history and context
Middlesbrough has a long history of industry and is famous for its iron production. By the mid-1870s, it produced one third of the United Kingdom's pig iron output and was known as 'Ironopolis'. In addition to iron, the town produced steel and had a thriving chemical industry.
London's separate ranking
Overall, London has a crime rate of 102 offences per 1,000 people, but these figures are skewed by areas with high tourist numbers, which attract opportunistic criminals. For example, Westminster, a popular tourist destination, has a crime rate of 355 crimes per 1,000 residents, significantly higher than anywhere else in the country, with a large portion of these crimes being theft-related.
