Clearwater

Christchurch CityCanterbury Region
Last updated:

Safety Score (12-month average)

5

Crime rate

313.6 per 1,000

Population 810

Total crimes (past 12 months)

254

Trend (last 3 months)

▼ 6.3%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#21 / 331

Top 6%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Updated August 2026

Clearwater Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Robbery, blackmail, and extortion
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (77.6%) and burglary (20.5%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Clearwater is 313.58 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 21 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has remained the same in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Oct 2025, Nov 2025, Mar 2026.

Crime activity peaked in October 2025, November 2025, and March 2026.

Clearwater crime statistics: common questions

Is Clearwater safe?

Clearwater recorded 254 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 313.6 per 1,000 residents across about 810 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 Clearwater?

The crime rate in Clearwater is 313.6 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 254 recorded offences across about 810 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 Clearwater?

The most common offence category in Clearwater is theft, with 197 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 78% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (52).

Is crime going up or down in Clearwater?

Recorded offences in Clearwater have fallen 6.3% 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 Clearwater compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?

Clearwater ranks 21 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 Clearwater only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Clearwater come from?

Figures for Clearwater, Christchurch City 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 Clearwater is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz