New Brighton
Safety Score (12-month average)
7
–
Crime rate
105.4 per 1,000
Population 3,141
Total crimes (past 12 months)
331
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 27.6%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#53 / 331
Top 16%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Police data to August 2026New Brighton Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (60.7%), burglary (23.6%), and assault (11.5%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in New Brighton is 105.381 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 53 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Oct 2025, Feb 2026, Mar 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in October 2025, February 2026, and March 2026.
New Brighton crime statistics: common questions
Is New Brighton safe?
New Brighton recorded 331 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 105.4 per 1,000 residents across about 3,141 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 New Brighton?
The crime rate in New Brighton is 105.4 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 331 recorded offences across about 3,141 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 New Brighton?
The most common offence category in New Brighton is theft, with 201 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 61% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (78).
Is crime going up or down in New Brighton?
Recorded offences in New Brighton have fallen 27.6% 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 New Brighton compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?
New Brighton ranks 53 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 New Brighton only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for New Brighton come from?
Figures for New Brighton, 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 New Brighton is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz