Opawa
Safety Score (12-month average)
37
–
Crime rate
56.4 per 1,000
Population 1,383
Total crimes (past 12 months)
78
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 31.8%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#89 / 331
Top 27%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Opawa Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (51.3%), burglary (38.5%), and assault (7.7%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Opawa is 56.3991 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 89 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Oct 2025, Nov 2025, Mar 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in October 2025, November 2025, and March 2026.
Opawa crime statistics: common questions
Is Opawa safe?
Opawa recorded 78 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 56.4 per 1,000 residents across about 1,383 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 Opawa?
The crime rate in Opawa is 56.4 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 78 recorded offences across about 1,383 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 Opawa?
The most common offence category in Opawa is theft, with 40 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 51% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (30).
Is crime going up or down in Opawa?
Recorded offences in Opawa have fallen 31.8% 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 Opawa compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?
Opawa ranks 89 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 Opawa only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Opawa come from?
Figures for Opawa, 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 Opawa is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz