Highbury East
Safety Score (12-month average)
19
–
Crime rate
54.2 per 1,000
Population 2,916
Total crimes (past 12 months)
158
Trend (last 3 months)
▲ 53.3%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#35 / 143
Top 24%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Highbury East Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (42.4%), burglary (36.7%), and assault (17.7%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Highbury East is 54.1838 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 35 within Manawatū-Whanganui Region. The overall crime trend in the area has increased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Mar 2026, May 2026, Jun 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in March, May, and June 2026.
Highbury East crime statistics: common questions
Is Highbury East safe?
Highbury East recorded 158 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 54.2 per 1,000 residents across about 2,916 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 Highbury East?
The crime rate in Highbury East is 54.2 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 158 recorded offences across about 2,916 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 Highbury East?
The most common offence category in Highbury East is theft, with 67 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 42% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (58).
Is crime going up or down in Highbury East?
Recorded offences in Highbury East have risen 53.3% 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 Highbury East compare with other suburbs in Manawatū-Whanganui Region?
Highbury East ranks 35 of 143 suburbs in Manawatū-Whanganui Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Highbury East only with other suburbs in Manawatū-Whanganui Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Highbury East come from?
Figures for Highbury East, Palmerston North 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 Highbury East is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz