Wānaka Waterfront
Safety Score (12-month average)
84
–
Crime rate
7.8 per 1,000
Population 2,052
Total crimes (past 12 months)
16
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 40.0%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#96 / 138
Bottom 30%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Wānaka Waterfront Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (50.0%), burglary (37.5%), and assault (6.3%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Wānaka Waterfront is 7.7973 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 96 within Otago Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Dec 2025, Feb 2026, Apr 2026.
Crime activity peaked in December 2025, February 2026, and April 2026.
Wānaka Waterfront crime statistics: common questions
Is Wānaka Waterfront safe?
Wānaka Waterfront recorded 16 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 7.8 per 1,000 residents across about 2,052 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 Wānaka Waterfront?
The crime rate in Wānaka Waterfront is 7.8 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 16 recorded offences across about 2,052 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 Wānaka Waterfront?
The most common offence category in Wānaka Waterfront is theft, with 8 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 50% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (6).
Is crime going up or down in Wānaka Waterfront?
Recorded offences in Wānaka Waterfront have fallen 40.0% 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 Wānaka Waterfront compare with other suburbs in Otago Region?
Wānaka Waterfront ranks 96 of 138 suburbs in Otago Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Wānaka Waterfront only with other suburbs in Otago Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Wānaka Waterfront come from?
Figures for Wānaka Waterfront, Queenstown-Lakes 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 Wānaka Waterfront is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz