Paparua
Safety Score (12-month average)
5
–
Crime rate
166.7 per 1,000
Population 1,026
Total crimes (past 12 months)
171
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 31.4%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#36 / 331
Top 11%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Paparua Overview
Most common offences by count were assault (78.4%), sexual offences (8.2%), and theft (7.0%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Paparua is 166.667 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 36 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Dec 2025, Jan 2026, Mar 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in December 2025, January 2026, and March 2026.
Paparua crime statistics: common questions
Is Paparua safe?
Paparua recorded 171 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 166.7 per 1,000 residents across about 1,026 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 Paparua?
The crime rate in Paparua is 166.7 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 171 recorded offences across about 1,026 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 Paparua?
The most common offence category in Paparua is assault, with 134 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 78% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is sexual offences (14).
Is crime going up or down in Paparua?
Recorded offences in Paparua have fallen 31.4% 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 Paparua compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?
Paparua ranks 36 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 Paparua only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Paparua come from?
Figures for Paparua, 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 Paparua is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz