Balcairn

Hurunui District•Canterbury Region
Police data to:

Safety Score (12-month average)

71

–

Crime rate

21.5 per 1,000

Population 2,463

Total crimes (past 12 months)

53

Trend (last 3 months)

▼ 63.6%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#210 / 331

Bottom 37%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Police data to August 2026

Balcairn Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (54.7%), burglary (26.4%), and assault (18.9%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Balcairn is 21.5185 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 210 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Jan 2026, Mar 2026, May 2026.

Explore crime in nearby locations

Crime activity peaked in January, March, and May 2026.

Balcairn crime statistics: common questions

Is Balcairn safe?

Balcairn recorded 53 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 21.5 per 1,000 residents across about 2,463 residents. These are offences recorded by New Zealand Police, which reflect what was reported and recorded rather than all crime that occurred.

What is the crime rate in Balcairn?

The crime rate in Balcairn is 21.5 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 53 recorded offences across about 2,463 residents. A rate counts offences against a suburb's resident population, so town centres and commercial areas can show high rates because offences there involve people who do not live there.

What is the most common crime in Balcairn?

The most common offence category in Balcairn is theft, with 29 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 55% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (14).

Is crime going up or down in Balcairn?

Recorded offences in Balcairn have fallen 63.6% over the most recent three-month period compared with the previous three months. This is a three-month comparison, not a year-on-year one, and short windows move around a lot in small areas.

How does Balcairn compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?

Balcairn ranks 210 of 331 suburbs in Canterbury Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Balcairn only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Balcairn come from?

Figures for Balcairn, Hurunui District come from New Zealand Police recorded victimisation data, published through police.govt.nz, and are grouped to Stats NZ Statistical Area 2 (SA2) boundaries. They count offences recorded by Police, so they reflect reporting and recording practice as well as underlying offending.

Looking for a plain-English safety summary?

👉 See how safe Balcairn is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz