Fernside

Waimakariri DistrictCanterbury Region
Last updated:

Safety Score (12-month average)

40

Crime rate

39.2 per 1,000

Population 1,353

Total crimes (past 12 months)

53

Trend (last 3 months)

▲ 7.1%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#138 / 331

Top 42%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Updated August 2026

Fernside Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (60.4%), burglary (28.3%), and assault (11.3%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Fernside is 39.1722 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 138 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has remained the same in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Nov 2025, Feb 2026, Apr 2026.

Crime activity peaked in November 2025, February 2026, and April 2026.

Fernside crime statistics: common questions

Is Fernside safe?

Fernside recorded 53 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 39.2 per 1,000 residents across about 1,353 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 Fernside?

The crime rate in Fernside is 39.2 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 53 recorded offences across about 1,353 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 Fernside?

The most common offence category in Fernside is theft, with 32 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 60% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (15).

Is crime going up or down in Fernside?

Recorded offences in Fernside have risen 7.1% 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 Fernside compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?

Fernside ranks 138 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 Fernside only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Fernside come from?

Figures for Fernside, Waimakariri 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 Fernside is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz