Upper Whanganui
Safety Score (12-month average)
28
–
Crime rate
40.1 per 1,000
Population 1,173
Total crimes (past 12 months)
47
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 46.7%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#50 / 143
Top 35%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Upper Whanganui Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (38.3%), burglary (34.0%), and assault (19.1%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Upper Whanganui is 40.0682 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 50 within Manawatū-Whanganui Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Sep 2025, Jan 2026, Mar 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in September 2025, January 2026, and March 2026.
Upper Whanganui crime statistics: common questions
Is Upper Whanganui safe?
Upper Whanganui recorded 47 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 40.1 per 1,000 residents across about 1,173 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 Whanganui?
The crime rate in Upper Whanganui is 40.1 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 47 recorded offences across about 1,173 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 Whanganui?
The most common offence category in Upper Whanganui is theft, with 18 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 38% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (16).
Is crime going up or down in Upper Whanganui?
Recorded offences in Upper Whanganui have fallen 46.7% 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 Upper Whanganui compare with other suburbs in Manawatū-Whanganui Region?
Upper Whanganui ranks 50 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 Upper Whanganui only with other suburbs in Manawatū-Whanganui Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Upper Whanganui come from?
Figures for Upper Whanganui, Whanganui 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 Whanganui is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz