Nelson Rural

Nelson CityNelson Region
Last updated:

Safety Score (12-month average)

88

Crime rate

7.1 per 1,000

Population 1,968

Total crimes (past 12 months)

14

Trend (last 3 months)

▼ 50.0%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#22 / 28

Bottom 21%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Updated August 2026

Nelson Rural Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Sexual offences
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were assault (33.3%), theft (33.3%), and burglary (26.7%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Nelson Rural is 7.1138 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 22 within Nelson Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Oct 2025, Feb 2026, May 2026.

Crime activity peaked in October 2025, February 2026, and May 2026.

Nelson Rural crime statistics: common questions

Is Nelson Rural safe?

Nelson Rural recorded 14 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 7.1 per 1,000 residents across about 1,968 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 Nelson Rural?

The crime rate in Nelson Rural is 7.1 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 14 recorded offences across about 1,968 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 Nelson Rural?

The most common offence category in Nelson Rural is assault, with 5 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 36% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (4).

Is crime going up or down in Nelson Rural?

Recorded offences in Nelson Rural have fallen 50.0% 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 Nelson Rural compare with other suburbs in Nelson Region?

Nelson Rural ranks 22 of 28 suburbs in Nelson Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Nelson Rural only with other suburbs in Nelson Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Nelson Rural come from?

Figures for Nelson Rural, Nelson 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 Nelson Rural is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz