Wānaka West
Safety Score (12-month average)
12
–
Crime rate
116.8 per 1,000
Population 1,917
Total crimes (past 12 months)
224
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 54.1%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#9 / 138
Top 7%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Wānaka West Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (76.3%), assault (11.6%), and burglary (8.9%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Wānaka West is 116.849 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 9 within Otago Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Nov 2025, Dec 2025, Jan 2026.
Crime activity peaked in November 2025, December 2025, and January 2026.
Wānaka West crime statistics: common questions
Is Wānaka West safe?
Wānaka West recorded 224 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 116.8 per 1,000 residents across about 1,917 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 West?
The crime rate in Wānaka West is 116.8 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 224 recorded offences across about 1,917 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 West?
The most common offence category in Wānaka West is theft, with 171 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 76% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is assault (26).
Is crime going up or down in Wānaka West?
Recorded offences in Wānaka West have fallen 54.1% 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 Wānaka West compare with other suburbs in Otago Region?
Wānaka West ranks 9 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 West only with other suburbs in Otago Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Wānaka West come from?
Figures for Wānaka West, 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 West is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz