Kaikōura

Kaikoura District•Canterbury Region
Police data to:

Safety Score (12-month average)

38

–

Crime rate

37.9 per 1,000

Population 2,298

Total crimes (past 12 months)

87

Trend (last 3 months)

▼ 66.7%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#142 / 331

Top 43%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Police data to August 2026

Kaikōura Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Sexual offences
Robbery, blackmail, and extortion
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (75.9%), burglary (12.6%), and assault (8.0%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Kaikōura is 37.859 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 142 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Mar 2026, Apr 2026, May 2026.

Explore crime in nearby locations

Crime activity peaked in March, April, and May 2026.

Kaikōura crime statistics: common questions

Is Kaikōura safe?

Kaikōura recorded 87 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 37.9 per 1,000 residents across about 2,298 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 Kaikōura?

The crime rate in Kaikōura is 37.9 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 87 recorded offences across about 2,298 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 Kaikōura?

The most common offence category in Kaikōura is theft, with 66 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 76% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (11).

Is crime going up or down in Kaikōura?

Recorded offences in Kaikōura have fallen 66.7% 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 Kaikōura compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?

Kaikōura ranks 142 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 Kaikōura only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Kaikōura come from?

Figures for Kaikōura, Kaikoura 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 Kaikōura is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz