Merivale
Safety Score (12-month average)
18
–
Crime rate
97.4 per 1,000
Population 3,120
Total crimes (past 12 months)
304
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 10.1%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#60 / 331
Top 18%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Merivale Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (84.5%) and burglary (10.2%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Merivale is 97.4359 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 60 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Nov 2025, Mar 2026, May 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in November 2025, March 2026, and May 2026.
Merivale crime statistics: common questions
Is Merivale safe?
Merivale recorded 304 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 97.4 per 1,000 residents across about 3,120 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 Merivale?
The crime rate in Merivale is 97.4 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 304 recorded offences across about 3,120 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 Merivale?
The most common offence category in Merivale is theft, with 257 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 85% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (31).
Is crime going up or down in Merivale?
Recorded offences in Merivale have fallen 10.1% 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 Merivale compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?
Merivale ranks 60 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 Merivale only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Merivale come from?
Figures for Merivale, 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 Merivale is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz