Port Nelson
Safety Score (12-month average)
6
–
Crime rate
208.3 per 1,000
Population 120
Total crimes (past 12 months)
25
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 11.1%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#4 / 28
Top 14%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Port Nelson Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (48.0%), assault (24.0%), and burglary (24.0%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Port Nelson is 208.333 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 4 within Nelson Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Feb 2026, Mar 2026, Apr 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in February, March, and April 2026.
Port Nelson crime statistics: common questions
Is Port Nelson safe?
Port Nelson recorded 25 offences in the last 12 months. It has about 120 residents, which is below the 500-resident threshold we use for comparing rates, so its crime rate per 1,000 people is not a reliable comparison with other suburbs. Judge it on the offence count, not the rate.
What is the most common crime in Port Nelson?
The most common offence category in Port Nelson is theft, with 12 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 48% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is assault (6).
Is crime going up or down in Port Nelson?
Recorded offences in Port Nelson have fallen 11.1% 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 Port Nelson compare with other suburbs in Nelson Region?
Port Nelson ranks 4 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 Port Nelson only with other suburbs in Nelson Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Port Nelson come from?
Figures for Port Nelson, 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 Port Nelson is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz