Upper Hurunui
Safety Score (12-month average)
35
–
Crime rate
29.3 per 1,000
Population 1,470
Total crimes (past 12 months)
43
Trend (last 3 months)
▲ 37.5%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#169 / 331
Bottom 49%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Police data to August 2026Upper Hurunui Overview
Most common offences by count were burglary (48.8%), theft (32.6%), and sexual offences (11.6%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Upper Hurunui is 29.2517 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 169 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has increased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Dec 2025, Feb 2026, Jun 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in December 2025, February 2026, and June 2026.
Upper Hurunui crime statistics: common questions
Is Upper Hurunui safe?
Upper Hurunui recorded 43 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 29.3 per 1,000 residents across about 1,470 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 Upper Hurunui?
The crime rate in Upper Hurunui is 29.3 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 43 recorded offences across about 1,470 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 Upper Hurunui?
The most common offence category in Upper Hurunui is burglary, with 21 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 49% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is theft (14).
Is crime going up or down in Upper Hurunui?
Recorded offences in Upper Hurunui have risen 37.5% 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 Upper Hurunui compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?
Upper Hurunui ranks 169 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 Upper Hurunui only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Upper Hurunui come from?
Figures for Upper Hurunui, 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 Upper Hurunui is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz